in education . This is designed to cover costs such as transport , meals , books or course-related equipment .
Both types of bursary are administered through the education or training provider . Your child can apply as soon as they know where they will be studying or training .
This scheme applies to students in England – different schemes apply in Wales , Scotland and Northern Ireland .
Additional financial help is available to certain groups , for example :
• If you are on certain benefits your child may be eligible for free meals .
• The Care to Learn scheme provides help with childcare costs for young parents in education .
• Dance and Drama Awards help children from lower income families to cover the costs of attending one of 19 private dance and drama schools .
FIND OUT MORE ABOUT BURSARIES AND SCHOLARSHIPS GOV . UK www . gov . uk / education / funding-and-financefor-students
YOUR FAMILY FINANCES
You will still be able to claim Child Benefit and , if you are entitled to it , Child Tax Credit , for your child if they are under 20 , living at home and in approved education or training . For full eligibility details visit www . gov . uk / childcareparenting / financial-help-if-you-have-children
GCSE REVISION AND EXAMS
The build-up to GCSE exams at the end of Year 11 can be intense and stressful for your child – and for the rest of the family ! The best thing you can do is encourage your child to plan carefully and start their revision as early as possible so that they feel more in control .
This section offers some tips and guidance on how to support your child and help them do the best they can . There is plenty of information on the internet too – for young people and for parents or carers – so go online to find out more .
TYPES OF GCSE ASSESSMENT
Under the new GCSE system , most subjects are assessed by exam . A few subjects , such as art , dance and drama , may use ‘ controlled assessments ’ – where students do assignments in class under supervision . Assessed coursework and exams partway through the course are being phased out .
STUDY LEAVE
The amount of study leave your child has will depend on their school . Up until a few years ago it was common for study leave to start a few weeks before GCSE exams began . However , many schools have reduced the amount of study leave they offer , as requiring children to go to school for lessons and revision sessions has been shown to improve GCSE results . Typically , study leave will begin after the May half term , so your child may already have done some exams before study leave begins .
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