High needs funding
arrangements: 2014 to
2015
Briefing for academies
Russell Ewens
Funding Policy Unit
1
High needs priorities for
academies
• Knowing about the high needs changes in 2014 to 2015
• Understanding the place review process
• Understanding the impact on your academy
2
Context for 2014 to 2015 changes
• 2nd year of new funding system
• High needs funding one element of wider funding reforms
• School funding reforms – the £6K threshold
• Places review co-ordinated by local authorities
3
Impact on different academies
Mainstream academy without a designated special
unit and no sixth form
• £6K threshold and the local formula
Mainstream academy with a designated special unit
and/or sixth form
• £6K threshold and the places review
Special and AP academies
• Place review only
All academies
• Continuing discussions with local authorities on top up funding
4
SEN reforms in Children and Families Bill
• New Education, Health and Care Plans
• Local authorities publish their offer of services to support
SEND
• New system due to come into effect from September 2014 –
which funding system is designed to support
5
About the places review
• Place funding around 1/3 of high needs funding outside
mainstream school budgets
• Local authorities leading a review of the distribution of place
funding
• Important for special and AP academies and mainstream
academies with special units and/or sixth forms
• Focus on actual placements in the 2013 to 2014 academic year
6
Places review timeline
Date
Event
July 2013
Initial information published
LAs received data
SeptemberOctober 2013
Briefings to LAs on high needs arrangements
October23 December 2013
LAs review high needs places in collaboration
with institutions
January 2014
onwards
EFA calculate allocations to LAs and institutions
7
£6K threshold
• From 2014 funding delegated through local formula to allow
schools to meet special needs costs up to £6k
• EFA will help LAs finding transition difficult
• Scope for additional funding to be given where local formula
does not target enough money
• Academies and LAs discuss additional funding need and
distribution criteria
Role of local authorities
Local Authority
Prime responsibility for planning and funding high
needs provision
Working with academies, schools and schools
forum
Work with institutions and other LAs to review
distribution of places
Embed other aspects of high needs funding and
SEN reforms
Review and confirm individual pupil/student
placements and associated top-up funding
9
Role of the Education Funding Agency
Education Funding Agency
Support LAs on high needs funding issues
Support LAs’ places review activity
Consider submissions from LAs and institutions’
exceptional cases
Provide final DSG allocations to LAs and other
funding allocations to institutions, including
academies
For academies, high needs place funding will be in
funding allocation (FAP)
10
Role of institutions
Institutions
Get involved in places review activity with LAs
commissioning places
Accurately complete the school census in October
Check the Funding Allocation Pack (FAP) when it is
issued
NB institutions do not need to return any other data
11
High needs budget issues
• Local authority allocations remain cash flat per pupil in 2014 to
2015
• National Fair Funding Formula to be introduced in 2015
• Cannot assume more funds available in 2014 to 2105
• Place number increases should be rare as otherwise
unaffordable
12
What to expect in the next 4 months
Date
Event
October December
To be contacted by LAs about current levels of all
high needs places, including those commissioned
by other LAs
Mid February
To see your high needs place funding allocation in
your FAP, and the local formula budget share for
mainstream academies (including notional SEN
budget)
13
Other online events
•
-
Presentations:
Pre-16 Funding
Post 16 funding
High needs for local authorities
• Webinars
- High needs for academies (20 November)
- Funding for Free Schools, University Technology Colleges and
Studio Schools (25 November)
-
To register for a webinar, please follow this link:
https://registration.livegroup.co.uk/academyfunding/
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Further information
•
Funding guidance available on the DfE website and Resources tab of
the Live Group portal
(https://registration.livegroup.co.uk/academyfunding/)
•
Academy enquiries can be addressed to
academyquestions@efa.education.gov.uk
•
Responses on the Feedback tab of the Live Group portal
15