Financial Support: EMA & FCF

EMA is usually paid directly into your bank account. If you don’t have a bank account, you’ll need to open one which can accept BACS payments. We won’t pay to someone else’s account.

Payments are made on a Monday, fortnightly.

Please check the payment timetable for payment dates.

There may be occasional changes to payment dates depending on bank holidays etc.

No – You will only be paid for weeks in which the school is open, so you will not be paid for holiday weeks. In-service days or emergency closures (due to bad weather etc.) are not considered holidays for EMA purposes, and payment can be still made as long as your attendance is 100% for the rest of that week.

If you’ve not received a payment or you have received less than you were expecting, you should contact Mrs Eriksen in Student Services or via ema@stdavidscollege.ac.uk If unavailable contact Mr Price in Reception, he can also be contacted via ema@stdavidscollege.ac.uk.

They will be able to tell you why you have not been approved. You must make sure that your school is properly notified with evidence of any and all absences.

If the school cannot resolve the issue you can contact the EMA Assessment Team for further assistance.

If you are absent for any reason your parent/guardian must notify Mrs Eriksen or Mr Price as soon as possible with the reasons why. This must be submitted in writing to ema@stdavidscollege.ac.uk along with relevant and sufficient evidence. This should be done no later than 10 days after the initial absence.

Payments will be authorised for the following absences if relevant evidence has been provided by a parent/guardian:

• Sickness – Diarrhoea and Vomiting, up to 48 hours, beyond this further evidence must be provided. Period pains will not be authorised unless medical evidence is provided. Any other illnesses with evidence from parent/guardian up to 5 days.
• Driving Test – Authorised with evidence.
• Driving Lessons – Should be arranged during free lessons and therefore will not be authorised. Lessons taking place immediately before driving test will be authorised with evidence.
• University Interviews – Up to 2 hours unless a specific time frame is highlighted with evidence. If the interview can be conducted online please contact Mrs Eriksen/Mr Price to arrange a room.
• Job Interviews – Should be arranged during free lessons and therefore will not be authorised.
• Carer Related Absences – All carers should tick ‘extenuating circumstances’ when completing the learning agreement and provide evidence of their carer status at the beginning of the academic year. Looking after siblings or taking siblings to school/appointments will not be authorised.
• Work Training/Meetings/Trips – Should be arranged during free lessons and therefore will not be authorised.
• Bereavement – This will be taken on a case to case basis. Please ensure you inform Mrs Eriksen/Mr Price for any support or guidance.
• Holidays – Any holidays booked during term will not be authorised. Please refer to the term dates for the upcoming year.

Doctor/Dentist/Orthodontist/Ophthalmologist Appointment – For any medical appointment we require proof in the following format:

• Name of student, Name of person they are seeing, Date and Time.
• This needs to be on headed paper or a headed appointment card – We will not accept any appointment cards that have previous appointments listed.
• We will also accept full screenshots of any appointments made online or over the phone, these must be original screenshots from the appointment centre and not forwarded from an external source i.e. family or friends.

Inform Mr Price at Reception before you leave and email your pastoral tutor.

Are you currently aware of any extenuating circumstances that may affect your attendance (for example, you help to provide care for a family member who is ill or disabled)? You should inform your college if you become aware at any time of extenuating circumstances that may affect your attendance.