16 to 19 funding: advanced maths premium

About the advanced maths premium

We pay the premium at a rate of £600 per year per additional student for one or 2 years, depending on the type and size of qualification studied. We calculate the advanced maths premium element in the national funding formula after area costs.

We will continue to pay the advanced maths premium in academic year 2023 to 2024. We have updated the baseline used to calculate the premium to use advanced maths enrolments recorded between academic year 2019 to 2020 and academic year 2020 to 2021.

Calculating the premium

Step 1: we calculated a baseline

We calculated a baseline figure using full year ILR (R14 and autumn school census) data to establish the number of students per school, college and other institution studying an eligible level 3 maths qualification in academic years 2019 to 2020 and 2020 to 2021. We then took an average of the 2 years.

Step 2: we identify the number of students studying level 3 maths in the appropriate comparison year

We establish the number of students studying an eligible level 3 maths qualification in the relevant academic year using the ILR (R04) and autumn census data for that year. For those qualifications that attract the premium for only 1 year, students will only count if they are in their first year on the qualification whereas for those qualifications that attract the premium for 2 years, we will also count the number of students still studying those qualifications in the second year.

Step 3: we calculate the difference between eligible student numbers in the baseline and the comparison year.

We then compare the eligible student number against the baseline. If there is a net increase, we allocate funding for each additional student. If there are fewer students overall studying level 3 maths qualifications in the academic year, there is no reduction in funding.

For example:

• in the baseline an institution has 30 students studying A level maths, 10 students studying core maths and 5 students studying AS level statistics (45 students total)
• in academic year 2022 to 2023, they have 25 students studying A level maths, 15 students studying core maths and 10 students studying AS level statistics (50 students total)
• the number of students studying AS level statistics has increased by 5, the number of students studying A level maths has decreased by 5 and the number of students studying core maths has also increased by 5
• 5 students would attract the premium as the decrease has been netted off against the increase

You can find further examples below.

The volumes used in the example tables take account of the fact that if an additional student is studying both a maths and further maths qualification in the same academic year, that student will be funded twice in the same year. This is the only combination of qualifications that will attract funding twice in one year.

1. Increase in students studying maths

2. No change in students studying maths

3. Decrease in students studying maths

Note: for all 3 examples, figures include students in year 1 or 2 of A levels (and other L3 maths qualification of 235 and over Guided Learning Hours) and students in year 1 of AS levels, core maths (and other L3 maths qualification under 235 Guided Learning Hours). Counts students doing maths and further maths once in each category.

Paying the premium

We will pay the premium automatically in 16 to 19 funding allocations. For allocations in academic year 2023 to 2024, we will use data from the 2022 to 2023 ILR R04 return and 2022 to 2023 data from the autumn 2022 school census to calculate eligible student numbers, which we will compare to the baseline.

Funding rate

We pay the premium at a rate of £600 per year per additional student for one or 2 years, depending on the size of qualification studied. This is determined by the qualification’s guided learning hours.

• if the guided learning hours are under 235 hours, the premium is paid for one year
• if the guided learning hours are 235 hours or above, the premium may be paid for 2 years provided the student is still in learning in the second year of study
• if a qualification has 235 hours or more, and is studied over one year, the premium will be paid for one year

Funding examples

• a student studying A level maths is funded at the rate of £600 per year for 2 years (attracting a total of £1,200)
• a student studying core maths is funded at the rate of £600 for one year only
• a student studying both A level or AS level maths and further maths qualifications in the same academic year will be funded twice in the same year. This is the only combination of qualifications that will attract funding twice in one year

Please see below for further funding scenarios.

Additional student level examples

Note: A student will be counted twice in the same year only if studying both A level or AS level maths and further maths qualifications. Qualifications of 235 or above Guided Learning Hours for example an A level, count in both years providing the student is still studying the qualification in the second year. Qualifications under 235 Guided Learning Hours, for example core maths, will count in one year.

Check who is eligible for the premium

All schools, colleges and other institutions receiving a 16 to 19 study programme allocation from the ESFA and delivering level 3 maths qualifications (described below) will be eligible for the premium. The exception to this is maths schools, which are already required to enter all their students for maths and further maths A level courses.

All full and part-time students eligible for ESFA 16 to 19 study programme funding can attract the premium provided they

• have prior attainment equivalent to GCSE grade 9 to 4 or A* to C in maths
• pass a qualifying period of either 6 weeks for a qualification with a planned length of 24 weeks or more, or 2 weeks for a qualification with a planned length of less than 24 weeks
• are studying an eligible level 3 maths qualification

The advanced maths premium operates in parallel to the high value course premium. Students may qualify for both if they meet the respective criteria for funding.

Eligible qualifications

Please refer to this list which sets out all qualifications eligible for the premium and their guided learning hours.

Information for new institutions

For any new school, college or other institution, including those that do not have student numbers in academic years 2019 to 2020 and 2020 to 2021, the national average of students studying qualifications that attract the premium for their type of institution will be used to determine the baseline.

For example, if the national average proportion of 16 to 18 funded students studying level 3 maths in academies and schools is 32% and the proportion of 16 to 18 funded students studying level 3 maths in a new academy is 50%, the new academy will receive funding for 18% of its student cohort. If there were 200 students in the cohort, they would receive additional funding for 36 of them. We show further detail in the table below.

New institution example

The national average proportion of 16 to 18 funded students studying level 3 maths for each instutution type:

Monitoring

We will continue to monitor carefully to ensure that the quality of maths provision is as high as students deserve. Our netting off process will ensure only genuine increases in level 3 maths participation attract the premium, and we will monitor behaviour at institution level to indicate adverse behaviour and may follow up where data gives us cause for concern.

Queries/contact

Please use the contact form for all enquiries for the Education and Skills Funding Agency .