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Funding

 

You can find out more about how the Government's SEND funding for schools is allocated on Southwark's Local Offer website.

In brief, this is comprised of:

  • Element 1: (often called 'core funding' or AWPU - Age Weighted Pupil Unit) which is the main funding schools recieve based on the total number of children in school.
  • Element 2: (often called the notional SEND budget or SEND support funding) an additional amount of money for SEND provision up to £6000, per year, to meet a child’s needs.
  • Element 3: (high needs funding) for children who have very complex needs and may have undergone, or need to undergo, an Education, Health and Care (EHC) Needs Assessment. There are currently four bands of funding.
     

Early years and schools banding redesign

An early years and schools banding redesign is currently underway. This project has come out of work as part of the Safety Valve programme, which looked at how high needs funding is allocated to schools and settings. The review of current bandings showed that Southwark fund at higher rates than our statistical neighbours. However, the focus of the redesign is ensuring that schools and settings receive appropriate funds to support the children and young people on a continuum of need.

Our aim is to ensure that needs can be met in all settings from early years through to mainstream, resource base and special schools. As far as possible we want the banding redesign to support meeting higher levels of need in mainstream, as well as ensuring special schools places are for those pupils with the most complex needs.

We are working with key stakeholders to develop the new banding system and have set up ‘Task and Finish’ groups for headteachers, SENCOs, early years leaders and a fourth group for parent carers. In this way we hope to develop a system that works for everyone. All schools will be given the opportunity to test the new banding system during September. A project group of council officers will also be testing the banding against a sample selection of pupils in special schools and resource bases. Appropriate changes will be made to the banding system following testing. It is expected that a final draft will then be circulated to schools and settings in October, along with proposed funding levels, for consultation. A final version of the banding and funding should be submitted to the Schools Forum in time for budget setting.

For more information read the FAQs on Southwark's Local Offer or contact Emma Ferrey, the project lead: emma.ferrey@southwark.gov.uk / 07932 660092. Emma's working days are Tuesday and Friday. 

Safety Valve programme

The Safety Valve programme is a Department for Education (DfE) initiative to help councils manage their SEND financial pressures. You can read Southwark's Dedicated Schools Grant ‘Safety Valve’ Agreement with the DfE to find out more about the Safety Valve locally and the School Forum's 'High Needs Sub Group' have written a useful report looking at progress made (November 2024).