Our Post-16 Parent Forum met again on Wednesday 12 August 2026. The meeting was attended by 2 parents, Cllr Joel Williams, Chairman of Council and Lead Member for Children, Cllr Lynn Blackwell, Sue Butcher, Director of People, Laura Thompson, Head of Education, Inclusion and Virtual School, and Lucy Humphries, Post-16 Transition Support Worker.
Cllr Williams began by explaining that, since the previous meeting in June, the Department for Education (DfE) had confirmed that there will be no additional uplift in funding for the 2026/27 cohort.
Officers explained that, as a result of fewer young people taking up the Post-16 transport and accommodation grant than expected in 2024/25, £44,555.00 had had to be returned to DfE as an underspend. Reasons for the lower uptake included some families moving away from the islands and some young people living with extended family members.
The Council continues to explore longer-term options to improve the affordability and sustainability of mainland Post-16 education. This includes early discussions with the Duchy of Cornwall about whether they may be able to support initial feasibility work around a potential boarding-house model in Cornwall. This remains exploratory and no decisions or commitments have been made.
A discussion was had about the significant officer and legal resource required for ongoing legal proceedings and Freedom of Information requests relating to Post-16 provision. The Council remains committed to openness and transparency and officers agreed that proactively publishing regular updates and service information may help families access answers to their questions more easily.
Representations to government
The Council continues to make representations to government regarding the level of Post-16 funding available to island families.
DfE has asked a number of questions about the Council’s intended submission, which officers are currently working through. Once these points have been clarified, the Council plans to progress a more formal submission to the minister. The Council also continues to work with the local MP in support of the case for improved funding arrangements.
It was agreed that, where appropriate, more correspondence and information relating to these discussions should be shared with families. It was also agreed that the lived experience of families would be important to the development of the wider case. Cllr Williams confirmed that families are free to write to DfE, and other ministers and representatives directly, if they wish to share their experiences.
Financial pressures and support
Parents reiterated their concerns about the gap between the Council grant and the actual cost of mainland accommodation, particularly some boarding options.
The financial constraints facing the Council were discussed, including the limited flexibility within the Council’s general revenue budget to significantly increase locally funded Post-16 support without affecting other services.
The meeting recognised that affordability remains a significant concern for some families. Nevertheless, a number of improvements have been made in recent years, including:
- increasing the Council’s Post-16 contribution from £6,365 to £8,000 per student (an increase of approximately 25.7%), with an additional £1635 from the Council of the Isles of Scilly (totalling £9635 per learner);
- increasing the number of host families available and strengthening oversight and support;
- introducing the dedicated Post-16 Transition Support Worker role;
- strengthening links with mainland colleges and pastoral teams;
- providing greater support around transitions, travel and accommodation; and
- continuing representations to the DfE and exploration of longer-term options.
It was acknowledged that these improvements do not remove the financial pressures experienced by some families and that further work remains necessary.
Host families
The role of host-family accommodation was also discussed. Councillors and officers reiterated their appreciation for the families who provide accommodation and support to island students.
Lucy Humphries works directly with hosts and students, including visiting host families and maintaining contact with young people, parents and colleges. While there is no Ofsted registration framework for these individual arrangements, the Council undertakes visits and provides ongoing oversight and support, including DBS processes.
Next steps
Officers agreed to continue improving communication with families, including providing clearer public updates on discussions with government and progress on Post-16 arrangements.
The next Post-16 Parent Forum meeting will be scheduled for the first half of December 2026, by which time it is hoped that the outstanding questions from DfE will have been answered and a further update can be provided.
The meeting closed with Cllr Williams wishing all young people receiving results this summer the very best for their next steps. Families were also reminded that Lucy Humphries, Post-16 Transition Support Worker, is available to support young people and families through Post-16 transitions. If you have any questions or would like to talk about post-16 education or transition, please email lucy.humphries@scilly.gov.uk