Clause 61
9:15 pm
Jim Knight (Minister of State (Schools and Learners), Department for Children, Schools and Families; South Dorset, Labour)
We heard a good explanation of what the amendment would do. Bonus payments are an important element of the educational maintenance allowance scheme, which provides a financial incentive to help young people from lower income households to participate in post-16 educational training. EMA has been shown to have a significant and positive impact on participation and attainment, particularly among the more disadvantaged groups. That is something of which we are proud.
When EMA pilots were introduced, participation in full-time education increased significantly for 16 and 17-year-olds, following a decade of little or no increase. Those increases have been sustained since the national roll-out. More recent analysis found that EMA increased attainment at levels 2 and 3 by about 2 per cent. for male learners and about 2.5 per cent. for female learners.
EMA is a something-for-something scheme. To receive EMA, a young person must sign a contract with their learning provider, setting out what is expected of them if they are to earn weekly payments and bonuses. In September 2008, we amended the criteria for EMA weekly payments and bonuses to include not only attendance but behaviour, achievement and effort.
Learning providers have welcomed that change. It strengthens the something-for-something aspect of the scheme. By providing a further incentive for learners to fulfil the expected standards of behaviour set out by the learning provider, and getting them to put effort into the course, we are encouraging attainment and progression among young people from less well-off backgrounds.
Mr. Lawsrose—