Questions raised over student funding shortfall

There is no provision in the islands for sixth form students

Families of teenagers on the Isles of Scilly say the money they get for further education falls short of what it actually costs.

There is currently no provision in the islands for sixth form students, so they have to travel to the mainland for education.

Families said the cost of staying with a host family was now about £9,000 per year - with travel added to that.

The government subsidises accommodation and travel for post-16 education - £6,365 per year per student - and said it would consider proposals from the council for changes.

Derek Thomas, MP for St Ives, raised the issue in parliament

Local MP Derek Thomas raised the issue in parliament saying "£15,000 per student per year is required to ensure financial parity with those on the mainland".

He said: "This money is supposed to pay for accommodation and for travel, and so we know, on average, it's about...£1,800 a year to get them to and from the Isles of Scilly.

"We all know, everyone accepts, including the government, that £6,000 doesn't cut it, but the figures we believe would be fair would be the £15,000."

Education Minister Luke Hall said the government would "consider any request from the council" for additional funding for the scheme as part of its next spending review in March.

Fay Sharp - who lives on St Martin's - has one teenager who is just finishing at college and one who is just about to start - they stay with a "host family" in Truro, but since the cost-of-living crisis the fees have risen to £9,000.

She said: "When our first daughter went to Truro College, we weren't within that shortfall, so now with the cost-of-living crisis, understandably the rent's gone up, the food's gone up, electricity's gone up, yes, it's hard to swallow.

"Not all families can find that and so it is limiting for a lot of people in Scilly."

Fay Sharp said costs for education on the mainland could be "limiting" for some families on the Isles of Scilly

Sam Mallon is a taxi driver on St Mary's who is leading the campaign to get more funding.

She said she thought £20,000 was a fair amount.

"Yes, it is a lot of money, but the government stated education is legal until children are 18," she said.

"The government should have thought about that, we shouldn't be penalised."