Posting on behalf of a friend.
Friend's child dropped out of year 12 very early on and now wants to restart A levels. They are being told no schools have funding for a year 14 and they will have to look at sixth form college (which they're happy to do but struggling with the particular A level combination).
My dh thinks that some schools do allow a year 14.
The DfE website is really confusing.
Does anyone know the reality?

Certainly in our locality, I know that at least three of the four grammar schools and one of the comprehensives allow a year 12 repeat or restart; the other schools may do as well, but I don't know anyone who has done this at any of them. I don't know, however, whether a) it may depend on when in the year the student turns 19 or b) whether the school is designated as '11-18' or '11-19'?

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Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read.Groucho Marx

My understanding was that as long as the student had started the course before the year in which they were 19 it was OK (in a "normal" 6th form)- a number of students in the boys school have a rethink at the end of Y12 - and start A levels again - and have stayed on till Y14 (and the parents have never mentioned having to pay anything or there being a problem.)

Edited to add - but having had a quick look through the DoE stuff, the 19+ continuing education funding formula seems to only apply to FE colleges and Independent Learning Providers, so maybe that has changed recently (although there is at least one girl in DS1s 6th form who is repeating Y12 this year and one who is completing Y14, so it muct be very recent if it is....) I will see if I can find out from a reputable source!

Thank you both.
Do you know whether this is affected by moving to a different school to start year 12 (in the year where they should be going into year 13)?

Sixth Forms receive c£4,000 per student in Years 12 and 13, which barely enables them to break even. For Year 14 students they only receive c£3,000.

Many sixth forms will take the hit on their finances for a known student as they feel they have a duty of care, but a new sixth form may decide that it's not worth using up a space and losing income for a newcomer.

DD is ('correctly') in year 13, having moved from one grammar school to another at year 12. Amongst her general group of friends is a girl from the year above who repeated year 12 at DD's previous grammar, someone in her (DD's) year who did year 12 elsewhere but then returned to start again, someone who got a (new) place at the aforementioned comprehensive to start again and at DD's current school there is at least one ' restarter'. I have a friend whose DC restarted at another school then moved mid (second 12th) year to a different school.

TBH, I can't keep up .

I think the St Olaves affair had a lot to do with it, at least at the beginning of the 2017/18 academic year - in fact, I know it did in one case.

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Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read.Groucho Marx

My dd did a Year 14 at another school.

She did A level Latin in one year as her previous school did not offer Latin at all. So she attended Y12 and Y13 Latin lessons and was actually registered as a Y12 and was in a Y12 form class and went on their trip. But in reality she was a Y14!

I know the school got the funding. DG

This from the prospectus of a local grammar school sixth form.
"Applications to repeat year 12 are rare. 'The government’s Funding Agency consider that 'the activity has already been funded'.
Only where there are 'exceptional circumstances outside the control of the student or the Institution, such as a long term period of sickness' can funding be claimed by the school.
In summary, there is currently no funding available for students to repeat the same subject(s), so it is unlikely that this option will be available."

I do know someone who did year in one Bucks GS & then moved to another & started year 12 again. That was about 4 years ago though.

Thanks everyone for your comments.
I had read about the differential funding for that year - I imagine that makes a very big difference for many schools.
It sounds as though some schools might be able to accommodate it though - maybe they just need to get on the phone to all of the accessible ones.
Thanks again.