ESFA has increased funding from the academic year 2022 to 2023 for the introduction of an additional 40 hours for band 5 study programmes, T Levels, and for proportionate increases in hours for other study programmes. For the academic year 2024-25, it is the continued expectation that all institutions deliver on average 40 more hours on band 5 programmes, than in the academic year 2020 to 2021.
ESFA has maintained the increase in funding band hours in the academic year 2024 to 2025 to account for the additional hours. It is recognised that there will be some variation with differences in cohorts and courses, but the agency will analyse where the data suggests that teaching hours have not significantly increased. As the policy remains the same, the guidance on 16 to 19 additional hours in study programmes will remain unchanged from the academic year 2023 to 2024 guidance. It will be incorporated into the 2024 to 2025 study programme guidance to reduce burdens for providers, which will be published in due course.
Institutions should continue to:
- use additional hours flexibly, broadly in line with study programme guidance, to best meet the needs of students
- prioritise maths in the use of additional hours where there is an identified student need
- use additional hours to support areas such as mental health, wellbeing or study skills where these are a barrier for students effectively accessing teaching and learning