Guidance for Academic and Vocational Training Grant Applications

Purpose

The Lytham Schools Foundation is a charity which makes grants for educational purposes and which can include grants to young people from this area to help them with their expenses in gaining a good education or in gaining useful employment. Vocational grants may be offered for courses aimed directly at the job market e.g. teacher or nursing training or pre-apprenticeship courses.  The grants are provided in order to remove any financial barriers to learning and can cover additional costs such as books, materials, tools, workwear, travel and living costs.

GCSE, A level and similar courses are excluded because they are state provided and free of charge. Grants for gap year activities will not be considered.  Neither will grants be paid in years where the student takes a substantial paid placement at a workplace (sandwich course).

Application Rules

Applications will only be accepted on our Grant Application Form (either completed manually or online) from businesses or individuals individuals who meet the following criteria.

1. The applicant has had “residence” in the Ancient Parish of Lytham, now referred to as Lytham St Annes (encompassing all areas with an FY8 postcode). Residence is defined as either;
   1. that you were born and have resided in the area for at least 10 years of your life, or,
   1. having had a full time address in the area for three years in the previous five years before your application.

2.   The applicant must be under the age of 25 at the time of application, and applications must be in connection with education or entry into the workplace.

3.   Applications will be assessed by the appointed trustees whose decision is final, subject to the financial resources available to the Foundation. If you wish to appeal any decision, please contact the Chair of the Board of Trustees who will provide greater information.

4.   Applications for academic or training courses must be for courses which have fees charged to the student, and for which there is no salary attached.  This rule does not apply to apprentices or those young people entering one of the professions.

5.   Only one educational/training grant per person per year will be accepted.  If this is a second degree/qualification and you have had previous grants from the Foundation this will not bar you from making a further application and may be taken into consideration when prioritising grant demand.

6.   Grants will normally be based on the needs of the case and enquiries will be made into personal financial circumstances (as with a bursary application).

7.   In a multi-year course acceptance for a grant in year one will normally mean support is provided for subsequent years, however this will be subject to:

• Teacher / mentor / employer reference providing evidence of satisfactory work, attendance and financial prudence

9. On some courses students are required (or find it useful) to undertake some extracurricular activities in vacation time.  These can bring additional expense at the same time as reducing the amount of time a student can give to earning money through temporary employment.  Providing these activities have an element directly related to your course the trustee will consider additional applications for funding. Such applications are to be written, setting out what the activity entails, how it relates to your course, the expense and time required, and any other factors that may be relevant to full consideration of your application.

10. Supporting evidence – please list any enclosures you have provided to back up your application i.e. to show that your application meets the rules of the scheme or to back up your claims of costs incurred.  This is important for less common courses/activities.  It is essential that second and third year applicants in a continuing course provide a letter from their tutor/principal stating that their attendance and performance in the previous year was satisfactory.

11.   Send the completed form to The Clerk, The Lytham Schools Foundation, Bank House, 9 Dicconson Terrace, Lytham, Lytham St.Anne’s, Lancashire, FY8 5JY or email to clerk@lythamschools.org

12. All applications will be dealt with confidentially and by correspondence only.

Decision Timeframes

13. Once completed, the application will be appraised by the Trustees and, if required, further information sought, before a decision is made.

14. The Lytham Schools Foundation Boards meets monthly to review grant applications and you can expect to receive a decision within 6 weeks. Please ensure submission by June 30th for consideration for the academic year starting shortly thereafter.

15. If your application is successful, we will require validated bank information and the funds will be sent within 14 days of receipt.