What is the 16-19 tuition fund?
The 16-19 tuition fund is a one-off funding allocation for the 2021/22 academic year only. The fund is being provided by the UK Government to support students to catch up, close any gaps and mitigate disruption to learning as a result of the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.
This statement sets out how University College Birmingham will use its 16-19 tuition fund allocation during 2021/22 to support students who have been academically disadvantaged due to the pandemic.
More information about the 16-19 tuition fund is available on the GOV.UK website.
How we are using the fund
University College Birmingham is a specialist institution offering vocational education, training and development to students at further education, undergraduate and postgraduate level.
Our further education provision supports approximately 1,800 students within a variety of vocational settings – hospitality and catering, tourism, sport and leisure, hair, beauty and media make-up, early years education and care sectors.
Approximately 50% of our further education students are required to retake GCSE English and/or maths.
We are confident that our approach will allow us to respond to the needs of students and to support them with their learning in order to mitigate against the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic.
- Employing additional staff to provide small group tuition for students who have not yet achieved a grade 4 or above in GCSE English and/or maths. Tutors will provide additional, small group tuition and support for students undertaking GCSE English and maths to ensure they are supported in the skills they need to succeed
- Deploying staff to support students undertaking vocational courses where assessment may have been delayed because of lockdown
- Offering additional support to students with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), including those aged 19-24, through the recruitment of specialist support staff

Who can be supported by this fund?
Students must be aged between 16-19 and must not have achieved a GCSE grade 4 or above in English and/or maths by age 16.
Students with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities, including those aged 19-24 who require additional tuition to help them catch up with their studies, will also be supported by this fund.
Our commitment
University College Birmingham is committed to ensuring the fund is used in accordance with the Government's guidance on the 16-19 tuition fund by:
- Producing this statement setting out how the fund will be used to support the most disadvantaged students
- Publishing this guidance on the College website
- Recording the use of the fund, including references to individual students who receive support, the needs of those students, the number of hours of tuition delivered and retaining the evidence of the tuition provided
- Delivering the extra tuition and spending the allocated funds in the 2021/22 academic year
- Notifying the ESFA of any underspend from the fund for it to be reclaimed
Discover more

Centre for Academic Skills and English
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Maths and English
If you are aged 16-18 and have not already achieved GCSE English and Maths at grade C/4 (or above), you will continue learning these subjects as part of your studies.
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