Post-16 funding in 2024/25

Find out how sixth forms are funded in the 2024/25 academic year under the current funding formula. You'll also find information about the 16 to 19 bursary fund.

Updated
on 8 May 2024
See updates
School types: AllSchool phases: 16 PlusRef: 8526
Contents
  1. Summary of the formula
  2. Core funding elements
  3. Additional funding elements
  4. 16 to 19 bursary fund 
  5. Free school meals (FSM)

Summary of the formula

The formula used to calculate your core funding is:

(Student numbers x national funding rate per student x retention factor x programme cost weighting + level 3 programme maths and English payment + disadvantage funding + large programme uplift) x area cost uplift  

This is explained in section 3 of the funding guidance for young people 2024 to 2025 from the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA).

Core funding elements

Student numbers This number is lagged, which means your student numbers are based on the number of young people you had in the previous academic year. For sixth forms and most academies, this will be the number of funded students captured in your autumn census. However, if there's a material change to your provision (e.g. exceptional in-year growth), you can be removed from this

Also in "Post-16 funding"