High needs funding arrangements: 2014 to 2015Briefing for academies
Russell Ewens
Funding Policy Unit
Knowing about the high needs changes in 2014 to 2015
Understanding the place review process
Understanding the impact on your academy
High needs priorities for academies
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
Impact on different academies
• £6K threshold and the local formula
Mainstream academy without a designated special unit and no sixth form
• £6K threshold and the places review
Mainstream academy with a designated special unit and/or sixth form
• Place review only
Special and AP academies
• Continuing discussions with local authorities on top up funding
All academies
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
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
Places review timeline
Date Event
July 2013 Initial information published LAs received data
September- October 2013
Briefings to LAs on high needs arrangements
October- 23 December 2013
LAs review high needs places in collaboration with institutions
January 2014 onwards
EFA calculate allocations to LAs and institutions
£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 authoritiesLo
cal A
utho
rity
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
Role of the Education Funding AgencyE
du
cati
on
Fu
nd
ing
Ag
en
cy
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)
Role of institutionsIn
stit
uti
on
s
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
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
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)
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/
• 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
• Responses on the Feedback tab of the Live Group portal
Further information
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