Absolutely Ridiculous

[Dave]

Just found out today that my old high school now gives its students in the
lower 6th form £30 per week for attending the school and a £500 bonus if
they get their A level grades. Is this happening all over the country? What
a waste of money

[Rachel]

Post by Dave
Just found out today that my old high school now gives its students in the
lower 6th form £30 per week for attending the school and a £500 bonus if
they get their A level grades. Is this happening all over the country? What
a waste of money

Education Maintenance Allowance
http://www.dfes.gov.uk/financialhelp/ema/

Good ol' Labour, huh.

[Matt]

Post by Dave
Just found out today that my old high school now gives its students in the
lower 6th form £30 per week for attending the school and a £500 bonus if
they get their A level grades. Is this happening all over the country?
What a waste of money

It's been happening here (Leicester LEA) for a few years now, I think we
were a 'test region' for it. Apparently it was a success, and IIRC it's
now being introduced in more areas.

I wasn't aware of the £500 bonus however, that's not to say it doesn't
exist.

Yes, what a waste of money (and no, I wasn't eligible).

[Dave]

I'm not 100% sure about the £500 myself but I heard it so thought i'd
mention it

I thought one of the good things about sixth form was the fact that it
filtered out all of the remedial, peasant scallies that plague schools up to
year 11 then sign-on after that.

Most of the money will just go on petrol, booze & fags

[John Porcella]

Post by Dave
Just found out today that my old high school now gives its students in the
lower 6th form £30 per week for attending the school and a £500 bonus if
they get their A level grades. Is this happening all over the country? What
a waste of money

This might be the EMA that I saw advertised on a local public telephone.

[Robert de Vincy]

John Porcella did write:

[snip]

Post by John Porcella
This might be the EMA that I saw advertised on a local public
telephone.

The idea of John Porcella carefully reading all the ads posted in a
public telephone box is going to have me chuckling all day. I guess you're
probably checking for grammar mistakes, right? And then you'll have to
call up those naughty ladies and give them a thorough lesson in, um,
syntax.

[John Porcella]

Post by Robert de Vincy
[snip]

Post by John Porcella
This might be the EMA that I saw advertised on a local public telephone.

The idea of John Porcella carefully reading all the ads posted in a
public telephone box is going to have me chuckling all day. I guess you're
probably checking for grammar mistakes, right? And then you'll have to
call up those naughty ladies and give them a thorough lesson in, um,
syntax.

I doubt it since many seem to be quite clever, at least that is how it
appears to me since they are always boasting of 'O' and 'A' levels!!

[Toby]

Post by Robert de Vincy
[snip]

Post by John Porcella
This might be the EMA that I saw advertised on a local public
telephone.

The idea of John Porcella carefully reading all the ads posted in a
public telephone box is going to have me chuckling all day. I guess you're
probably checking for grammar mistakes, right? And then you'll have to
call up those naughty ladies and give them a thorough lesson in, um,
syntax.

teehee that made me chuckle...Have a banana!

[a***@yahoo.com]

Post by Dave
Just found out today that my old high school now gives its students

in the

Post by Dave
lower 6th form £30 per week for attending the school and a £500

bonus if

Post by Dave
they get their A level grades. Is this happening all over the

country? What

Post by Dave
a waste of money

Some families aren't willing/able to support 16-18 year olds who aren't
working.
I agree with you that it's an absolute disgrace that these people are
allowed access to education. Lower classssses: Hang the lot of them I
say. Ra Ra Ra Ra Ra.

Tally ho,

Alun Harford

[Robert de Vincy]

Post by a***@yahoo.com

Post by Dave
Just found out today that my old high school now gives its students
in the lower 6th form £30 per week for attending the school and a £500
bonus if they get their A level grades. Is this happening all over the
country? What a waste of money

Some families aren't willing/able to support 16-18 year olds who aren't
working.
I agree with you that it's an absolute disgrace that these people are
allowed access to education. Lower classssses: Hang the lot of them I
say. Ra Ra Ra Ra Ra.

Then who will do the cleaning jobs, change the beds, sweep out the
stables, work in the factories? Why, my dear sir! you don't expect *US*
to do such things, do you?

[Richard Magrath]

Post by Dave

Post by Dave
Just found out today that my old high school now gives its students

in the

Post by Dave
lower 6th form 30 per week for attending the school and a 500

bonus if

Post by Dave
they get their A level grades. Is this happening all over the

country? What

Post by Dave
a waste of money

Some families aren't willing/able to support 16-18 year olds who aren't
working.
I agree with you that it's an absolute disgrace that these people are
allowed access to education. Lower classssses: Hang the lot of them I
say. Ra Ra Ra Ra Ra.

I'm not a socialist, of course, but I think the £30 a week is a good
idea (though the £500 bonus seems a bit unnecessary) presuming (and
I'm not doubting) that there were certain criteria: not just economic,
but also in keeping up a certain educational standard (not just in
A-levels of course, but also AVCE-style courses). Like in those
American campus movies where the characters have to keep up a certain
standard to keep their scholarships.

You could argue that education is its own reward, but I can't help but
feel that arguing against this measure is also arguing against the
whole idea of unemployment benefit and the welfare state.

The only thing you don't want is for people to use further education
as a way of dodging (or delaying) doing any work...

[finishes post, leaves computer and starts looking at PhD research
scholarships]

Richard

[jess]

Post by Richard Magrath
I'm not a socialist, of course, but I think the £30 a week is a good
idea (though the £500 bonus seems a bit unnecessary) presuming (and
I'm not doubting) that there were certain criteria: not just economic,
but also in keeping up a certain educational standard

so only clever poor people should do a-levels?

[Dave]

Only clever people should do A levels

[Alun Harford]

Post by Dave
Only clever people should do A levels

What utter non-sense young Sir.
One should only be involved in her MAArgesty's Educational system if dadDY's
a Lord.

Alun Harford-Smithe

[Dave]

I wouldn't go that far squire... although I shouldn't imagine the working
classes to put there children through A levels

[aonghus heatley]

Post by Alun Harford

Post by Dave
Only clever people should do A levels

What utter non-sense young Sir.
One should only be involved in her MAArgesty's Educational system if dadDY's
a Lord.
Alun Harford-Smithe

If it does what it is supposed to do and keeps able students in school
then I'm all for it. But the way that I've seen the EMA marketed on
the telly is something like 'stay on at school after you're 16 and get
£30' - isn't this encouraging people to stay on at school for the
wrong reason, for money and not to get qualifications? I mean, I
can't see the majority of students putting it to good use.

[Richard Magrath]

Post by jess

Post by Richard Magrath
I'm not a socialist, of course, but I think the £30 a week is a good
idea (though the £500 bonus seems a bit unnecessary) presuming (and
I'm not doubting) that there were certain criteria: not just economic,
but also in keeping up a certain educational standard

so only clever poor people should do a-levels?

Well, I personally would see it as more of a scholarship than an
extension of the welfare state, so I suppose so, yes. Not just A's, of
course, but A-C would be reasonable I think.

But it's not of course *simply* a case of cleverness/uncleverness. I'm
sure that for 99% of people their A-level grades are related to how
hard they have worked. And if the government is literally paying
people to study, they should put in the work. I'm not saying that lots
of people would treat this as a dodge where they could sign up for
three A-levels and £30 a week and then do only the bare minimum needed
not to be kicked out of school - but rather that for those that did
there would be a system in place to cope with them.

As for the guy who wants his 'back pay', surely a more pressing
concern would be for those who had free university education and who
are now so concerned about the state of the higher sector to give
something back themselves?

Richard

[Kieren Walters]

Post by Richard Magrath

Post by Dave

Post by Dave
Just found out today that my old high school now gives its students

in the

Post by Dave
lower 6th form 30 per week for attending the school and a 500

bonus if

Post by Dave
they get their A level grades. Is this happening all over the

country? What

Post by Dave
a waste of money

Some families aren't willing/able to support 16-18 year olds who aren't
working.
I agree with you that it's an absolute disgrace that these people are
allowed access to education. Lower classssses: Hang the lot of them I
say. Ra Ra Ra Ra Ra.

I'm not a socialist, of course, but I think the £30 a week is a good
idea (though the £500 bonus seems a bit unnecessary) presuming (and
I'm not doubting) that there were certain criteria: not just economic,
but also in keeping up a certain educational standard (not just in
A-levels of course, but also AVCE-style courses). Like in those
American campus movies where the characters have to keep up a certain
standard to keep their scholarships.

The £30 is means tested along the same lines as the University
grants/fees/loans are. I don't think the £500 mentioned is part of the
EMA scheme at all at least not nationally. There are some conditions on
receiving the EMA to do with attendance although I don't think it is
necessary to achieve certain grades although obviously i presume you
cannot proceed to A2 level if you have failed to achieve a pass at AS.

[John Porcella]

Post by Dave
Just found out today that my old high school now gives its students

in the

Post by Dave
lower 6th form £30 per week for attending the school and a £500

bonus if

Post by Dave
they get their A level grades. Is this happening all over the

country? What

Post by Dave
a waste of money

Some families aren't willing/able to support 16-18 year olds who aren't
working.

I can remember my own mother being reluctant to let me go into the sixth
form since she wanted me to work for a living...I think that she is still
waiting more than twenty years later!! 8-)

[Paul Wakeley]

Perhaps we should start a movement: PSEMA -
Previously Students Educational Maintance Allowance.
Does this get back paid for previous generations of sixth-form students.

Suggest a mass letter writing season to good old 'tony' at number 10 to
demand our back payment with interest added!

Regards
PW^2

Post by Dave
Just found out today that my old high school now gives its students in the
lower 6th form £30 per week for attending the school and a £500 bonus if
they get their A level grades. Is this happening all over the country? What
a waste of money

[a***@yahoo.com]

Post by aonghus heatley

Post by Alun Harford

Post by Dave
Only clever people should do A levels

What utter non-sense young Sir.
One should only be involved in her MAArgesty's Educational system

if dadDY's

Post by aonghus heatley

Post by Alun Harford
a Lord.

If it does what it is supposed to do and keeps able students in

school

Post by aonghus heatley
then I'm all for it. But the way that I've seen the EMA marketed on
the telly is something like 'stay on at school after you're 16 and

get

Post by aonghus heatley
£30' - isn't this encouraging people to stay on at school for the
wrong reason, for money and not to get qualifications? I mean, I
can't see the majority of students putting it to good use.

Oh of cause Sir.
Anybody who needs the money to stay at school (rarther than get a job
and earn) is just going to waste it. Their parents aren't Lords. Their
dadDY doesn't know the Queen. Therefore any money they get they'll just
waste.