A SCHEME aimed at encouraging pupils from low-income families to take advantage of sixth form education has been approved by St Helens Education Committee.

Under the Educational Maintenance Allowance scheme 16 to 19-year-olds who qualify will be offered £350 a year to stay on at school. The authority has already received about 70 applications for assistance under the scheme but it is thought that around 200 pupils could benefit.

Colleges and sixth form colleges will be operating their own schemes which provide a roughly similar benefit. Students attending college or sixth form college should apply to that body.

To qualify for the council's scheme, parents or guardians must be in receipt of means-tested benefit, the student must live at home within St Helens and attend a sixth form attached to a secondary school.

"We have an excellent record in St Helens of encouraging young people to continue their education past 16," said chairman of the Education Committee, Councillor Andy Bowden, "but we are anxious to ensure that the same opportunities are available to all young people whatever their family background.

"Provision of these grants by the council will ensure that young people who want to stay on at school for sixth form receive similar financial support to those attending colleges in the area."

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