Guidance on Supported Internship continuation

We have received revised guidance from the Department for Education about Supported Internships. Providers have been understandably keen on clarity about whether, and how, Supporterd Internships can continue into the next academic year.

We understand that the following text has been cleared by Treasury and Ministers for input into the FE operational guidance. 

Where the core aim of a student’s Supported Internship has not been met due to the impact of Covid-19, students will be able to complete their internship in the next academic year. Each student should be assessed to determine the necessary duration of this extension, and an appropriate planned number of hours agreed. Supported internship providers will need to enrol the young person onto a new study programme, but it is not envisaged that all students will require a further full year programme. 

The new study programme will be funded through the usual funding routes. The normal ESFA processes will be followed and payments will be issued through the usual lagged funding system – therefore affecting the allocations under the 16 to 19 funding formula to be issued for academic year 2021/22. In addition, all providers should continue to record their school census and ILR data and ESFA will take into consideration in-year growth calculations and any adjustments in the normal way. 

Any requirement for high needs funding should be discussed with the relevant local authority, in accordance with the current high needs operational guidance. Students regarded as having high needs will occupy places funded at £6,000 per place (£10,000 per place in special schools) in the normal way, and the funding for any students occupying unfunded places should be handled in accordance with the current high needs operational guide.

Applications from local authorities for a relaxation of the normal rules for continuing financial support to schools of all kinds for students aged 19 and over will be considered under the established ESFA process, if students need to remain on the roll of the school to complete their SI in the new academic year.