Guidance Notes for Secondary School Budgets

7/31/2019 Guidance Notes for Secondary School Budgets

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Secondary Schools

Introduction

We use a number of sources of information to help us calculate budgets for schools.

The details below show the sources of information that we use for each element thatmakes up the budget. One of the major sources of information we use is the PupilLevel Annual School Census (PLASC), a count that takes places in January eachyear. At the end of the notes we have listed some useful contact numbers for someof the teams that help to provide us with this information.

AGE WEIGHTED FUNDING

A pupil count is taken at each school in January each year. The number ofpupils is taken from this count are then funded at an amount per pupil based

on which year group they are in. Sixth Form pupils are funded by an amountgiven by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) details of this allocation areshown separately on the budget sheet under the heading of school specific funding.

ENHANCED RESOURCE SCHOOLS

Certain schools are given resources to fund places at their school for pupilswith specific special needs. The number and type of places at each school isdecided by the special needs section. A separate breakdown of this funding isgiven to schools with these places so that they can see how it is calculated.

OTHER PUPIL LED FUNDING

• Insurance Pupil Numbers – Some schools have opted to take out their owninsurance policy rather than being covered by Derby City Council’s ownpolicy. Where schools have opted to do this they are given an amount offunding per pupil. The pupil numbers are calculated in the same way as theage weighted funding shown above by using the number of pupils from the

January count which is then adjusted for changes to pupil numbers that weredue to the effect of permanent exclusions.• Pupil Number Allocation – An amount of funding paid to schools based solely

on the total number of pupils as stated on the January count. This is notsubject to any weighting per year group.

• Catering – Free Meals – This figure is the average of the number of freeschool meals taken on a November count date and on a January count date.This element of funding forms part of the overall charge for schools buyinginto the catering package.

• Catering – Paid Meals – This figure is the average of the number of paidmeals taken on a November count date and on a January count date. Paidmeal numbers are obtained from the catering service or direct from theschools if they are not in the catering package. This element of funding formspart of the overall charge for schools buying into the catering package.




ADDITIONAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS EXCLUDING PUPIL NUMBERS ELEMENT

• Weighted Teaching Assistant Hours Budget – Additional teaching assistantsupport for pupils with special needs. Funding is given for pupils where thespecial needs service have identified that they require additional teachingassistance in excess of 15 hours per week per pupil. This is based on actualpupils at the school at the time of the January pupil count, pro rata for 5months (April – August), and an estimate of Teaching Assistant hours neededfor January the following year, Pro Rata for 7 months (September – March).This funding is only for the extra hours above the threshold of 15hrs. As anestimate is used for the period September – March this part of the fundingmay be subject to an adjustment in the following year’s budget. Please seethe section at the end of these notes under retrospective adjustments fordetails.

• Pupil Turnover – It is recognised that pupil turnover can cause additionalpressures in schools. Schools complete Spring term and Summer termreturns showing attendance details. The difference in pupil numbers betweenthese two returns gives us the turnover figure.

•

Additional Funding for Pupils with Free School Meals – Each January theschools complete a pupil count that tells us what percentage of pupils areentitled to free school meals. We take the average of this percentage from thelast three years and multiply it by the pupil numbers on the latest Januarycount.

• English as an additional language – An amount of funding is given for eachpupil whose first language is not English. The pupil numbers are taken fromthe latest January pupil count.

• English as an additional language – Underachieving Groups – An amount offunding is given for each pupil whose ethnicity is identified as one of theunderachieving groups. The pupil numbers are taken from the latest Januarypupil count. The current list of underachieving groups provided by the

Department for Education and Skills are Bangladeshi, Pakistani, BlackAfrican, Black Caribbean, any other Black background, White & Black African,White & Black Caribbean.

• Vulnerable children – An amount of funding is given for each pupil who isincluded on a list of cases notified to us by the Children’s Social Care Team inJanuary each year.

• Prior Attainment Weighted Pupil Numbers – Each year we get details of thepercentage of pupils from feeder schools who attained KS2 level three orbelow.Step one - We take the average of this percentage from the last five years.Step two - We use the average figure for those pupils at level three plusdouble the percentage of pupils who attained less than level three KS2.Step three - We then multiply this figure by the pupil numbers at the school.The pupil numbers are calculated in the same way as the age weightedfunding shown above by using the number of pupils from the January countwhich is then adjusted for changes to pupil numbers that were due to theeffect of permanent exclusions.

INCLUSION




This allocation includes a base amount, an amount based on total pupils, anamount based on free school meal entitlement and an amount based on pupilturnover. The pupil figures are taken from the latest January count. Aseparate breakdown of this amount is given to each school so that they cansee how it is calculated.

SITE SPECIFIC FUNDING

• Maintenance/ Health & Safety – Pupil Density Count – The number of pupilsper square metre, multiplied by the total number of pupils in the school. Thisis a measure to take into account that a school that is more crowded maypotentially need more maintenance than a less crowded school. The pupilnumbers at the school are calculated in the same way as the age weightedfunding shown above by using the number of pupils from the January countwhich is then adjusted for changes to pupil numbers that were due to theeffect of permanent exclusions.

• Maintenance/ Health & Safety – Assessed Need Count – The condition factorfor the building provided by the property services team (1 being the bestcondition and 5 being the worst) is multiplied by the floor area of the buildingand divided by 100. This is a measure to take into account that buildings thatare in a poorer condition may need more maintenance than a building in goodcondition.

• Public Highway Split Site Index – This is for schools that are based on morethan one site where the sites are split by a public highway. The figure shownhere is the number of year groups based on the smaller site. This figure isused to help calculate the split site count, which is shown below.

• Public Highway Split Site Count – An amount is given to schools based uponthe number of year groups based on the smaller split site and the totalnumber of pupils at the school. The pupil numbers at the school are

calculated in the same way as the age weighted funding shown above byusing the number of pupils from the January count which is then adjusted forchanges to pupil numbers that were due to the effect of permanentexclusions.

• Public Highway Split Site – Base – It is recognised that having schools withsplit sites can cause additional pressures in schools. A base amount is givento each school whose split sites are separated by a public highway.

• Other Split Site Count – For schools with split sites that are not separated bya public highway an amount is given where the distance of the nearest splitsite buildings are 100m apart and the entrances are 250m apart and 25% ofpupils are located on the minor site.

• Floor Area – An amount of funding for each square metre of the floor area ofthe building. The property services team at Derby City Council provides thefloor area figure and schools are asked to check this figure in January of eachyear.

• Rates – Actual figure provided by the rates section.• Insurance Premises – Some schools have opted to take out their own

premises insurance policy rather than being covered by Derby City Council’sown policy. Where schools have opted to do this they are given an amount offunding based on the reinstatement value of their building. Schools send thereinstatement value to us in January each year.

SCHOOL SPECIFIC FUNDING




• Base – A base allocation of the same amount of funding for each school.• Catering Base – A base amount for the catering service for the provision of

school meals. This element of funding forms part of the overall charge forschools buying into the catering package.

• PFI Factor – Where schools have been rebuilt as part of a Private FinanceInitiative (PFI) these schools are allocated an amount to cover the part of thecost of payments made to the PFI contractor. This amount does not cover thecost of PFI operational services and PFI Interim service charges.

• Admissions – If a school has chosen to administer their own admissionspolicy an amount is given to the school based on the total number of pupils atthe school. The pupil numbers at the school are calculated in the same wayas the age weighted funding shown above by using the number of pupils fromthe January count which is then adjusted for changes to pupil numbers thatwere due to the effect of permanent exclusions.

• Protected salary – Only given to specific schools where they have staff on aprotected salary. The amount given covers the protected element of thesalary costs.

• Teachers Pay Grant – An amount is given as a contribution towards the cost

of each teacher at the school who is receiving additional performance pay.The teacher details are taken from the January payroll information either fromthe Derby City Council Payroll System or from information supplied directfrom schools that do not use our payroll system.

• Teachers Pay Grant – LSC – The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) providefunding as a contribution towards the cost of sixth form teachers who arereceiving performance pay. The amount paid to each school is based on thenumbers of sixth form pupils at each school.

• Small School – An amount is paid for a secondary school with less than 750pupils. The figure we use in the calculation is 750 minus the pupil numbers atthe school. The pupil numbers at the school are calculated in the same wayas the age weighted funding shown above by using the number of pupils fromthe January count which is then adjusted for changes to pupil numbers thatwere due to the effect of permanent exclusions.

• LSC Allocation – The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) notify schools inJanuary of their funding for sixth forms for the new financial year. This amountis then included as part of the total budget for the school.

• Post 16 non-AWPU Deduction – The funding for sixth form pupils is shown inthe LSC Allocation shown above. The LSC allocation includes elements offunding that are already included in some of the other funding factors shownabove. We do an adjustment to reflect the fact that the sixth form elements ofthose factors needs to be amended to take into account the LSC allocation .The percentage of the number of pupils that are in the 6th form, is applied tothe total of all formula factors, including any retrospective adjustments butexcluding Age-Weighted Funding, Teachers Pay Grant, and LSC allocations.Where a school has an enhanced resource unit, the deduction from thefunding for these places will reflect the number of pupils in that unit who areover 16 as a proportion of the total number of places.

MINIMUM FUNDING GUARANTEE

Each year the Government stipulates the minimum increase for schools

budgets taking into account changes in pupil numbers. If pupil numbers arechanging in a school this will have an effect on the level of protection each




school receives. If the budget is initially below the minimum increase (beforeany retrospective adjustments) then the minimum-funding guarantee is usedto adjust the budget, up to the level set by the Government.

RETROSPECTIVE ADJUSTMENTS

• Teaching Assistant Hours – Adjustments made to teaching assistant fundingas notified by the special needs service to reflect changes in the previousfinancial year.

• Enhanced Resource School Places - Adjustments are made to schoolenhanced resource places funding as notified by the special needs service toreflect pupil place changes in the previous year.

Useful contacts

January count (PLASC) – Information Management team – Jan Nahal tel. 716838Special Needs Section – Daljit Dosanjh tel. 716946Children’s Social Care team – Chris Newton tel. 716764Catering – Colin Dill tel. 716441Property Services – Mike Bagworth tel. 255970

If you need any further details regarding the formula for funding schools pleasecontact Jason Coupland tel. 718889

Guidance Notes for Secondary School Budgets

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