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Schools Forum. 20th January 2015 High Needs 2015-16 Agenda item 6 Alison Shipley Bob Seaman. Progress to Date. Special school data collection October and November 2014 and SEN unit data collection December 2014 – used to update high needs monitoring and estimated 2015-16 needs
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Schools Forum 20th January 2015 High Needs 2015-16 Agenda item 6 Alison Shipley Bob Seaman
Progress to Date • Special school data collection October and November 2014 and SEN unit data collection December 2014 – used to update high needs monitoring and estimated 2015-16 needs • Previously identified Alternative Provision (AP) pressure for 2015-16 from increasing numbers of permanent exclusions. Increase in lump sum element of clawback to £5k presented at October Forum meeting. • Exceptional cases submission made to EFA to try to get additional high needs funding to reflect 2015-16 growth and pressures – not successful, but..........
High Needs 2015-16 • DSG High Needs block allocation for 2015-16 has been increased by £0.7m by the EFA – NCC share of £47 million nationally (allocated on pupil numbers) • £1.5m into 2015-16 high needs base from fairer funding for areas funded in 2014-15 on one-off basis from carry forwards. Plus additional £0.4m from fairer funding (total £1.9 million) • Overall high needs pressures and budget are provided in Appendix A
Summary • By utilising the £1.9 million from fairer funding, the increase in the high needs block allocation of £0.7m and moving funding between the under/overspending budgets to reflect activity, the high needs budget areas can be set at realistic levels for 2015-16 based on the latest information • £1.2million on the high needs contingency after using £0.1m for the VI team in 2015-16 – to continue to be held • Assumption 2014-15 overspend on high needs block (as a result of EFA one-off charge for 13-14) will be funded by underspends on other blocks
Good News! • High Needs commissioner (Martin Adams) is now in post - looking at value for money and quality of provision. • The EFA guidance for 2015-16 states: • Special free schools are not included in the DSG allocations and no deductions will be made from local authorities’ DSG allocations for places in these schools. • If this is applied in 2016-17 it means the DSG would only need to fund the top up element of the additional provision in the 2 new special free schools (Daventry and Northampton) due to open in September 2016.