Summary

Programme cost weightings (PCWs) are one element of the 16 to 19 funding formula used to calculate 16 to 19 funding allocations. PCWs recognise that some subjects cost more to deliver.

Each academic year, we publish a list of the current PCWs for each sector subject area (SSA) in the funding rates and formula guidance.

New2025 to 2026

We have not made any changes for this academic year.

Changes made in 2023 to 2024

July 2023 changes

On 13 July 2023, we announced a further investment of £185 million in 2023 to 2024 financial year and £285 million in 2024 to 2025 financial year to drive forward skills delivery in the further education sector.

One way we aredelivered delivering the investment iswas by increasing increasing PCWs for for higher-cost subject areas. This funding willhelped help colleges and other 16 to 19 providersinstitutions delivering higher-cost programmes to address key priorities as they seesaw fit,fit. includingThis included tackling recruitment and retention issues in high-value technical, vocational,vocational and academic provision which are of critical importance to our economic growth and prosperity. This buildsbuilt uponon the increases to specific specific PCWs we we announced in January 2023 as set out below.2023.

ThereWe areuse 7 7 PCW factors factors used in the 16 to 19 funding formula. We have adjusted these 7 7 PCW factors factors so that the uplift each provides iswas 30% higher than before. This increasesincreased the funding available to higher cost courses while maintaining the differential between the different different PCWs.

We have set out the increases to the 7 7 PCW factors factors in table 1 and thesehave are also reflected these in tables 2 and 3 on this page.

Table 1

From	toTo
Base (1)	Base (1)
Low (1.1)	Low (1.13)
Medium (1.2)	Medium (1.26)
High (1.3)	High (1.39)
Very High (1.4)	Very High (1.52)
Exceptionally high (1.5)	Exceptionally high (1.65)
Specialist (1.75)	Specialist (1.975)

TheseThe increases to the 7 7 PCW factors factors mean higher funding uplifts for students on programmes with their primary activity in those 2121 SSAs attracting sector subject areas (SSAs) attracting a low, medium, high, very high, exceptionally high or the specialist specialist PCW factor, factor, and those on A level based study programmes attracting the low low PCW factor. factor.

January 2023 changes

We aremade making several changes to the 16 to 19 programme cost weightings following the findings of the recent DfE survey report into high cost provision. The findings from this report explainsexplain why we aremade making these changes.

ForIn academic year 2023 to 2024, we arechanged changing how we apply the PCW factors factors are applied to 10 subject areas. The subject area tier 2 codes and descriptions are as follows:are:

• 2.1 – Science
• 3.1 – Agriculture
• 3.2 – Horticulture and forestry
• 3.3 – Animal care and veterinary science
• 3.4 – Environmental conservation
• 4.1 – Engineering
• 4.2 – Manufacturing technologies
• 4.3 – Transportation operations and maintenance
• 5.2 – Building and construction
• 6.1 – ICT practitioners

We are also changingchanged how we apply PCWs are applied to A level based study programmes and increasingincreased the the PCW factor factor applied to the Prince’sKing’s Trust Team Programme.

Engineering and manufacturing, construction and digital subjects

The The DfE survey report into high cost provision identified identified that alongside the typical increased costs incurred for delivering practical subjectsubjects that are supported by by PCWs, institutions are also needingneed to pay more to recruit and retain teachers in certaincertain SSAs. SSAs,In in particular those related to engineering and manufacturing, construction and digital.

We areincreased increasing the the PCW factors factors for programmes with their primary activity in ‘engineering’, ‘manufacturing technologies’, ‘transportation operations and maintenance’, and ‘building and construction’ and ‘ICT practitioners’ to help institutions with the additional costs of recruiting and retaining teachers in these subject areas.

Table 2

Sector Subjectsubject Areaarea (SSA)(SSA)	From (2022 to 2023)	To (2023 to 2024)
SSA 4.1 – Engineering	Very Highhigh (1.4)	Exceptionally high (1.65)
SSA 4.2 -– Manufacturing technologies	Very Highhigh (1.4)	Exceptionally high (1.65)
SSA 4.3 -– Transportation operations and maintenance	Very Highhigh (1.4)	Exceptionally high (1.65)
SSA 5.2 – Building and construction	Very Highhigh (1.4)	Exceptionally high (1.65)
SSA 6.1 – ICT practitioners	Medium (1.2)	High (1.39)

We have identified these subjects as areas where institutions arewere facing some of the greatest challenges in recruiting and retaining teaching staff. We have selected these subjects using evidence from a range of sources:

• Department for Education (DfE) college staff survey (2018)
• DfE survey report on high-cost provision (2022)
• Association of Colleges staff survey report (2022)
• stakeholder engagement in 2022 with institutions across the FEfurther education sector about workforce challenges

The evidence also indicatesindicated that recruitment and retention is a particular issue for vocational subjects due to the need to attract industry professionals.

We have prioritised these these SSAs for for an increase to the the PCW factor factor based on the evidence as they are vocational subjects and identified as high value provision and areas of high value to the economy by the the high value courses premium.

Land-based subjects

Programmes with their primary activity in ‘Agriculture’, ‘Horticulture and forestry’, ‘Animal care and veterinary science’ and ‘Environmental conservation’ currently attract a specialist weighting when delivered by land-based institutions with specialist resources.

We publish the criteria to identify land-based institutions with specialist resources in the the funding rates and formula guidance.

WhenWe deliveredincreased bythe otherPCW institutionsfor (those without specialist resources), these land-based programmesprogrammes, currentlywhen attractdelivered aby highinstitutions weighting.without Wespecialist areresources, increasing this to a very high weighting for programmes with primary activity in all 4 land-based subject areas when delivered by institutions without specialist resources.areas.

We areremoved removing the specialist weighting for ‘Environmental conservation’ as we considerconsidered that specialistinstitutions resourcesdid are not neededneed specialist resources for delivering this subject area. This willattracts now only attract the very high weighting, no matter which institution delivers the subject.

Table 3

Sector Subjectsubject Areaarea (SSA)(SSA)	From (2022 to 2023)	To (2023 to 2024)
SSA 3.1 -– Agriculture	High (1.3)/Specialist (1.75)	Very high (1.52)/Specialist (1.975)
SSA 3.2 -– Horticulture and forestry	High (1.3)/Specialist (1.75)	Very high(1.52)/Specialisthigh (1.52)/Specialist (1.975)
SSA 3.3 -– Animal care and veterinary science	High (1.3)/Specialist (1.75)	Very high(1.52)/Specialisthigh (1.52)/Specialist (1.975)
SSA 3.4 -– Environmental conservation	High (1.3)/Specialist (1.75)	Very high(1.52)high (1.52)

Science and A level study programmes

We arechanged changing how we apply the programme cost weightings are applied to A level based study programmes. A level based study programmes and other academic programmes do not have a clear core aim to indicate the primary activity of a study programme as they have several similarly sized aims. Most A level based study programmes and other academic programmes consist of 2 or more A levels.

Currently,From any A level based study programme consisting of 2 or more Science A levels attracts a low weighting. All other A level based study programmes and other academic programmes attract a base weighting.

For academic year 2023 to 2024, weany are making some changes to PCWs. Any A level based study programmes consisting of 2 or more A levels in Design & Technology, Electronics, Computer Science, Physics, Biology and Chemistry will attract a low weighting. TheWe base the list of qualifying A levels is based on those approved for funding each relevant academic year.

Not all Science A levels will now count towards attracting the low weighting for A level based study programmes, only Physics, Biology and Chemistry.

We havechose chosen to prioritise only certain A level based study programmes that are the most highhigh-cost cost to deliver. The The DfE survey report into high cost provision found found these A levels incur increased costs to deliver, and also have evidence to indicate recruitment and retention challenges for the teaching staff needed to deliver them.

We aredecreased decreasing the weighting for those vocational Science programmes with a core aim in Psychology from a low weighting to a base weighting based on the findings of the the DfE survey report into high cost provision. All other vocational Science programmes will continue to attract a low weighting. TheWe base the list of qualifications affected affected by this change to vocational Science programmes is based on those approved for funding each relevant academic year.

Other programmes

We areincreased increasing the weighting for the Prince’sKing’s Trust Team Programme from medium to high.

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