FE Colleges do not just focus on education and employment outcomes, they provide a ‘safe haven’ for students in care who, during this time, are experiencing many changes in their lives.
We are committed to improving outcomes for children in care and care leavers by providing them with a designated teacher, who is also a safeguarding officer.
Northampton College offers an invitation to all students who have disclosed that they are a Child in Care (CIC)/leaving care to an appointment before the summer, so they can meet key members of the team in Student Services and complete their bursary application. Where possible, this will be offered face to face, otherwise it will be held remotely.
Northampton College is engaged in the Personal Education Plan (PEP) process and completes two, termly PEPs for each student who holds looked after status. The Person Education Plan (PEP) is the statutory tool to ensure that everyone is actively prioritising the education of the young person, carefully tracking their progress and supporting them to achieve and to be aspirational.
All Children in Care (CIC) have a statutory care plan, which is drawn up and reviewed by the Local Authority that looks after them. The Personal Education Plan (PEP) is a legal part of the care plan, which is a statutory requirement for CIC from a child of 3 years if in education provision up to the age of 18.
The key personnel who should be involved in every PEP meeting are:
- The young person
- The social worker
- The carer
- Designated teacher (DT).
Northampton College provides a progress report for the Review for Children in Care students each year. We also work closely with Children’s Services of Local Authorities to ensure they have a point of contact at the College through the designated teacher.
Financial support for vulnerable learners
The defined vulnerable groups are students who are under 19 years old, and:
- In the care of the Local Authority
- Care leavers, supported by the Leaving Care Team
- Receiving Income Support, or Universal Credit because they are financially supporting themselves
- Receiving Disability Living Allowance or Personal Independence Payments in their own right as well as Employment and Support Allowance or Universal Credit in their own right
Where students are identified as being eligible for a vulnerable bursary, we will support relevant costs for education, (to a maximum award level of £1,200) this will be awarded to cover essential course costs including kit, equipment, and travel (pro-rata for courses less than 30 weeks).
The college will consider all reasonable requests for the balance of an award to be used for additional relevant activities or relevant items that aid the development of a student’s education (i.e. additional books).
Relevant additional costs will be identified by college staff together with the student in receipt of the vulnerable bursary as part of the college support process (i.e. PEP meetings, 1:1s etc)
Northampton College has made a commitment to provide all Learners aged under 19 with a laptop or Chromebook to support their studies. This item will be loaned for the duration of the academic year. We do not routinely support the purchase of laptops or personal computers through the bursary.
For further information, please contact Jo Cox, Children in Care and Students at Risk Coordinator, by calling 01604 736219 or emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
