2013-14 Funding Reforms

11 December 2012

Introductions

• Tania Nightingale – Principal Improvement Manager

• Denise Lowther – Senior SEN Officer

• Jon Lee - Strategic Finance Manager, CCL

• Bob Seaman - Group Accountant, Schools Finance

Overview

• Early Years Single Funding Formula (including 2 year olds)

• High Needs Arrangements and Funding

• Nationally defined change

Consultation High Needs and Early years

• Phase 1 consultation – high level• Special school heads• Nursery heads and EY cross sector• Formal consultation (8 weeks):

o Started 16th November 2012o Closes on 11th January 2013

• Discussion at Schools Forum – 19th February 2013• Information from briefings and presentations will be

available on the Finance Consultation website

Early Years – Maintained Settings• In 2012-13 Nursery schools received property and some

other funding (e.g. SSG) through the ISB, not the EYSFF. Nursery units property costs were also funded via the ISB.

• In 2013-14 this funding has moved to the DSG early years block so also needs to be funded via the EYSFF

• Nursery schools – EYSFF applies from 2013-14. • Property costs 70p per hour; and • Approx 80p per hour other funding

• Nursery units – property costs funded via EYSFF at 70p per hour in 2013-14

Early Years – High Needs• In respect of EY children with high needs the

expectations placed on EY settings of what they should fund from their EYSFF funding are set out in the EY descriptors.

• As with schools in 2012-13, 5% of the EYSFF basic funding (14p per hour) will be deemed to be a settings notional SEN

• If individual children require high needs funding above the EY notional SEN funding then a submission will need to be made to the high needs block panel for additional support.

Early Years – 2 Year Old Entitlement• EYSFF for 2 year olds

• Places for approximately 1,600 children from September 2013. • Rate based on hourly elements of existing EYSFF for 3 and 4

year olds.• Proposal £3.537 per hour base rate plus £0.81 (2 year olds

addition) plus quality supplements . • Some capital funding likely to be available also

Early Years Consultation Questions• The consultation document and supporting material can

be found on the Finance Consultation website on the NCC internet: http://www.northamptonshire.gov.uk/en/councilservices/educationandlearning/services/schlfin/pages/financeconsultations.aspx

• Specific questions contained in the document

• Please respond where this is relevant to you

Early Years Block

Questions / Comments

High Needs Block

• DfE Approach – Recap

• Our Vision

• Mainstream SEN

• Specialist Provision – SEN Units and Resourced Provisions

• Specialist Provision – Special Schools

DfE Approach - Recap

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Mainstream settings

Pre-16 SEN and AP

Specialist settings All settings

Post-16 SEN and LDD

“Top-up” funding from the commissioner to meet the needs of each pupil or student placed in the institution

Mainstream per-pupil funding (AWPU)

Contribution of £6,000 to additional support required by a pupil with high needs,

from the notional SEN budget

Base funding of £10,000 for SEN and £8,000 for AP placements, which is

roughly equivalent to the level up to which a

mainstream provider would have contributed to the

additional support provision of a high needs

pupil. Base funding is provided on the basis of

planned places.

Mainstream per-student funding (as calculated by the national 16-19 funding

system)

Contribution of £6,000 to additional support required

by a student with high needs

This diagram appeared as Figure 1 (p.43) of School funding reform: Next steps towards a fairer system.

High Needs NCC Vision

In Northamptonshire, our vision is to ensure that all children and young people with Special Educational Needs (SEN)

have a full range of support and opportunities available to them. This will enable them to become confident individuals

and successful learners and achieve the life outcomes to which they and their families aspire.

The Government’s school funding reforms provide a real opportunity for schools to meet children’s needs more

quickly with less need for bureaucratic processes.

Mainstream High Needs• All local authorities are required to publish a local offer

showing the support available to disabled children and young people and those with SEN, and their families

• Defines under the new arrangements: • School responsibilities (elements 1 and 2) as defined by the

Descriptors; and • The Authority’s responsibilities (element 3).

• Objectives: • Improve outcomes• Focus on prevention and early intervention • Maximum use of limited resources

Mainstream High Needs• Removes the direct link between SEN statements and

additional funding

• Elements 1 and 2 - included in schools 2013-14 indicative budgets

• In 2013-14 schools and settings responsible for funding the AWPU plus the first £6k of element 2 (additional support)

• Element 3 – provides further funding to the school if an individual pupil has significant additional needs (not solely those with a statement)

The Notional SEN BudgetDfE ‘School Funding Reform: Arrangements for 2013-14’ (page 7, paragraph 35) states that:

“Whichever way local authorities choose to allocate funding for low cost, high incidence SEN, they will still be required to give mainstream schools a notional SEN budget from the Schools Block. This might be made up of funding from the basic per-pupil entitlement, deprivation and low cost, high incidence SEN factors. It is from this notional budget that mainstream schools will be expected to:

a) Meet the needs of pupils with low cost, high incidence SEN; and

b) Contribute, up to a certain level set by the local authority, towards the costs of provision for pupils with high needs (including those with high cost, low incidence SEN).”

Primary and Secondary Schools Notional SEN Budget

• Not a new principle

• Notional SEN is already in existence – 2012-13 budget statements

• 2013-14 - 8.3% of AWPU and 12% of deprivation allocations

• The notional SEN budget is already in the school budget and should be used to meet items (a) and (b) from the previous slide i.e. Elements 1 and 2

Mainstream High Needs Carry forwards

• In order to support the changes Schools Forum have agreed to add an additional line to the SB1 form for ‘SEN / high needs costs in future years’.

• We are proposing that LA maintained schools are able to set aside up to 20% of the notional SEN budget in any given year to help plan financially for high needs pupils in future years where possible

• Outside any calculations for potential claw back of balances.

Mainstream High Needs Transitional Arrangements

• Where a pupil has an existing statement funding will continue in 2013-14 at: • Approximately the existing 2012-13 statement funding level;

• Less element 2 of £6k (which is in 2013-14 schools formula funding)

Proposed 2013-14 top up rates for existing mainstream statements

Primary top up Secondary top up

Bands up to and including D2

£0 £0

Bands E1 and E2 £3,000 £2,100

Bands F1 and F2 £6,000 £5,250

Mainstream High Needs Top Up Funding

• The assumption is that the majority of needs should be met by the funding allocated to schools in the new 2013-14 formula

• For new high needs students costing more than the AWPU plus £6k schools can make a submission to the high needs panel for top up funding. This could also apply where schools have significantly above average numbers of mainstream HN pupils.

• Applications to be evidenced based and assessed individually to begin with

• Beyond 2013/14 may consider a banded / matrix type approach

Mainstream High Needs - High Needs Panel

• The consultation lists the evidence that would be required with any submission and asks for feedback on this

• Submissions may be made as additional needs are identified

• Expectation that the high needs panel will meet monthly with representation from different phases

• Funding allocated may be time limited and linked to pupil outcomes

Mainstream Academies

• Clarifying with the EFA on the timing of when these changes will impact on mainstream academies (non special schools)

• Our current understanding is that existing funding arrangements for pupils with statements, SEN units and resourced provisions will continue until August 2013

• The high needs changes will therefore take place for these schools from September 2013.

• More information will be issued on this when confirmed.

Mainstream Schools

Questions / Comments

Specialist SettingsSEN Units and Resourced Provision

• Previously known as DSPs, the descriptions to be applied as used by the DfE are:• SEN Units are special provisions within a mainstream school

where children are taught mainly within separate classes

• Resourced provisions are where places are reserved at a mainstream school for pupils with a specific type of SEN, taught mainly within mainstream classes, but requiring a base and some specialist facilities around the school.

SEN Units and Resourced Provision • Historically a large number of empty places are funded

(approx 50% in 2012-13)

• Review is being undertaken to look at provision location and needs across county

• Have already identified gaps in Autism, BESD and primary excluded pupils and those at risk of exclusion

• Plan is for decisions on 2014-15 provision to be made by July 2013 so in accordance with the new arrangements high needs place numbers for 2014-15 can be submitted to the EFA in September 2013

Specialist Settings SEN Units or Resourced Provision In Schools (3)

• Funding is £10k per agreed place

• SEN units and Resourced Provision pupils will NOT count in Schools Block funding

• Beyond this top up funding can be allocated

• Given the under-subscription in some settings the authority is proposing to take occupancy into account when considering requests for top up funding.

SEN Units and Resourced Provision

Questions / Comments

Specialist Settings – Special Schools

• A number of Special school heads meetings have been attended over the last few months by officers to explain the DfE requirements for 2013-14 .

• These meetings have included presentations on the financial impact of the limited alternative options available to the authority in funding this sector.

• 2013-14 matrix rates – split by 1st £10k place funding and amount above is high needs top up (element 3)

Specialist Settings – Special Schools• Matrix funding/bands proposed to continue on a

revised basis

• Existing ISB non matrix funding including property needs to be included in Special School funding

• Protection exists for 2013-14 of maximum reduction of -1.5% per special school (assuming all NCC places are filled)

• Top up funding is NOT allocated for the financial (or academic year). i.e. top up is not paid for vacancies.

• Top up funding follows the pupil on a prompt basis

Special Academies from April 2013

• Changes take place from April 2013

• £10k per place funding will be funded direct by EFA (as a top slice from NCC DSG High Needs Block)

• Element 3 top up funding will be the responsibility of the commissioning LA

Special Schools

Questions / Comments

High Needs Consultation Questions• The consultation document and supporting material can

be found on the Finance Consultation website on the NCC internet: http://www.northamptonshire.gov.uk/en/councilservices/educationandlearning/services/schlfin/pages/financeconsultations.aspx

• Specific questions contained in the document

• Please respond where this is relevant to you

Summary

• Formal consultation (8 weeks):o Responses by 11 January 2013

• Encourage colleagues to participate – please engage

• Also doing briefings to parents, PVI early years managers and attending the schools inclusion network meetings

• Discussion at Schools Forum 19th February 2013

• Thank you for participating