16-19 Participation in education

Mayor’s Office

Graham Stuart MP Chair, Education Select Committee House of Commons London SW1A 0AA

Dear Mr Stuart

Select Committee Inquiry: 16-19 Participation in Education and Training

I am writing to submit evidence for the consideration of the Education Select Committee as part of your inquiry into 16-19 Participation in Education and Training. I write on behalf of the Council and students from the borough to add our voices to the many you will no doubt already have heard from expressing grave concern at the decisions you are looking into.

This letter follows an inquiry by our own Community Safety and Social Inclusion Scrutiny Commission into the impact of the removal of the Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA); a Deputation brought by students from the local college, BSix, to Hackney’s January Full Council meeting and a petition from students at BSix calling for the reversal of the Government’s decision to abolish the EMA.

You will be aware that London has one of the highest percentages of 16-18 year olds in receipt of EMA (54%) but may not be aware that Hackney has one of the highest percentages in London (with around 82% in receipt of the maximum £30 allowance). You will no doubt receive a number of submissions relating to the flawed basis for the Government’s decision and I look forward to your Committee’s consideration of these widely discussed points – in particular the statistically flawed assumption that 88% of students would remain in education were EMA removed on the basis of 12% responding positively to an opposite question. This Council and borough would also welcome your Committee’s comments on the subsequent analysis carried out by the IFS showing significant additional benefits to the continuation of the EMA as well as the paltry compensatory funding offered through an uplift in the Discretionary Learner Support Grant (the total budget of which is still only approximately 10-12% of EMA).

What has become clear from the evidence considered by the Scrutiny Commission and the voices of the students themselves is that the removal of EMA will have a significant detrimental impact on the ability of education providers in this borough to deliver on their objectives for reducing the numbers of workless or those Not in Education Employment and Training. It has further been highlighted that, as a result of the high proportion of students in receipt of EMA, a drop in participation as a consequence of removal may well lead to institutions failing to meet their funding

targets for 2011/12 which will result in adverse settlements for 2012/13 and a resultant cycle of decline in funding and opportunity for students from economically deprived areas. Particular concerns have been raised by institutions in this borough about the continued participation of some of the most vulnerable students currently under their care.

I have attached to this letter a submission compiled by Hackney Community College, an institution in the borough where 41% of the current cohort is in receipt of EMA, which makes very clear the potential impact of the decision to remove this vital support to young people wishing to continue their education.

Yours sincerely,

JULES PIPE MAYOR OF HACKNEY