16 to 19 Additional Hours evaluation

In September 2022, the Department for Education launched funding to enable all 16 to 19 year-old learners (or up to 25 for learners with an education, health and care (EHC) plan) to receive on average an additional 40 hours a year across all course types (therefore covering A levels, vocational training, and T levels among others). This policy formed part of the wider education recovery package for the 16 to 19 education sector following the disruption of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The aim of this evaluation was to understand how the additional hours have been used and implemented. More specifically, the research sought to answer the following overarching research questions:

• How have the additional hours been used by institutions?
• What impact do school leaders and learners believe the additional hours have had?
• To what extent have the additional hours been used to support maths?
• To what extent have the additional hours been used to support mental health and wellbeing?
• How can the additional hours be improved for future years?
• How have institutions resourced additional hours, particularly with regard to workforce? For example, have additional staff been recruited, or have existing staff been asked to work longer hours?
• How has the introduction of additional hours influenced delivery of other institution and DfE priorities such as the 16-19 Tuition Fund, T-levels?

These research questions were investigated through a survey of institutions receiving additional hours funding, a survey of learners at institutions who had completed the institution survey, and in-depth case studies of 18 institutions who had opted in from the survey. The implementation and process evaluation (IPE) has aimed to capture diversity and a range of experiences to provide insights into how the policy was operationalised. The findings in this report are indicative and illustrative of practice and experience of using the additional hours.