The report makes recommendations to the Schools Forum regarding allocation of the High Needs Block in 2013/14 in line with the changes in the Funding Regulations and their impact on schools budgets, and centrally retained DSG

 

The Forum considered a report which made recommendations regarding the allocation of the High Needs Block (HNB) in 2013/14 in line with the changes in the Funding Regulations and their impact on schools budgets, and centrally retained Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG).  HNB activity will be funded from HNB budget allocation in line with funding regulations.  No transfers will be made into the HNB from the Schools Block or the Early Years Block.  Any overspend will need to be agreed by the Schools Forum, and this will then have first call on 2014/15 DSG.  Any underspend will be distributed to schools in April 2014.

 

The Head of Learning and School Support provided with Forum with information to allow them to comment on the following proposals:-

 

1.            Mainstreamed schools will fund the first £6k towards SEN provision, which is comparable to the funding of the first 12 hours of support.  The request had come from the DfE.

 

NOTED

 

That mainstream schools fund the first £6k for pupils with Statements of SEN through their delegated budgets, and be paid top-up funding monthly for each pupil against their identified needs as specified in the statement (as they do now).

 

2.            Schools with Specialist Provisions for Autism (ASD) and Behaviour, Emotional and Social Disabilities (BESD) to receive £10k base funding and top-up funding paid monthly.

 

NOTED

 

That Schools with Specialist Provisions for Autism (ASD) and Behaviour , Emotional and Social Disabilities (BESD) receive £10k base funding for each place, and be paid top-up funding by the commissioning Authority for each pupil to the equivalent of a Band A statement.

 

3.            Schools with Specialist Provisions for Hearing Impairment (HI) receive £10k base funding for each place (20 places across 3 schools) and top-up funding.  The funding will be transferred to the Harlington Area Schools Trust (HAST) who have been commissioned to deliver the service.

 

NOTED

 

That the Schools with Specialist Provisions for Hearing Impairment (HI) receive £10k base funding for each place (20 places across 3 schools), and be paid top-up funding by the commissioning Authority for each pupil to the current equivalent.  These schools will transfer this funding to the Harlington Area Schools Trust (HAST) who are commissioned to manage and deliver this service.

 

4.            Should there be any unallocated places the top-up costs would be paid by Central Bedfordshire Council until the places would be filled.  This would allow stability to the budget to allow appropriate staffing levels to be maintained.

 

NOTED

 

That unallocated places for specialist provisions would be funded through top-up at the same level by Central Bedfordshire Council.

 

5.            The pupils who have statements for SEN and attend either of the two lower schools which have resourced Language Provision (St Andrews in Biggleswade and Heathwood in Leighton Buzzard) will receive top-up funding to the current Band D level of £8,280 linked to their statement of SEN.  The minimum number of 8 places / pupils be funded to allow stability in the staffing levels.

 

NOTED

 

That schools with resourced provision for Speech, Language and Communication Needs be paid top-up funding for each pupil against their identified needs at Band D as specified in their statement of SEN.  It is recommended that at Heathwood Lower School a minimum of 8 places / pupils be funded in this way in order to retain the appropriate levels of staffing.

 

6.            The administrative charge of 5% should be added to the charges by mainstream schools to other local authorities to cover the monthly processing, which matches the current level charged via inter-authority recoupment.

 

NOTED

 

That Mainstream Schools are advised to add a 5% administration charge to other Local Authorities when claiming the top-up element of funding of statements and specialist provisions.

 

7.            Special Schools from 2013/14 would not be entitled to the same factors as mainstream schools within the new funding arrangements.  Funding for special schools must be based on £10k per number of places / pupils based on numbers reported in 2012/13, plus a top-up paid monthly by the commissioning Authority.  It is recommended that an administrative charge of 10% should be applied to the charges by special schools to other local authorities to cover the monthly processing, which matches the current level charged through recoupment.

 

NOTED

 

That Special Schools are advised to add a 10% administration charge to other Local Authorities when claiming the top-up element of funding for statements and specialist provisions.

 

8.            The number of potential requests for special school places had been estimated on historical data across an academic year for each school.  It was noted to keep stability in the budget, indicative banding had been identified for top-up across the places based on the profile of need at the school.  The banding is then allocated against one of the unallocated places.

 

NOTED

 

That the indicative banding levels are given to empty places in special schools until the places are filled.

 

9.            The Special School Leaders Group revised the banding levels for the schools to take account of the different factors applicable i.e. split site schools and floor area.  The simplified process was replaced with a more accurate complicated process which the schools were pleased with.

 

NOTED

 

That Special School budgets have been revised to take account of the different factors previously applied to each school, which has set a different banding value for each school.

 

10.             The Special School Leaders Group agreed that the following three factors should be included in the Oak Bank School budget to maintain school places for the students who would otherwise be placed out of the Authority:

(a)               £30k that funds support for the additional curriculum requirements of the very small number of girls on roll at the school (currently 6);

(b)               £100k that currently funds the Therapeutic Project and has had a significant impact on outcomes for pupils at the school over the last 4 years;

(c)               £15k additional top-up for exceptional needs beyond band 4 (Band 4+) against 8 of the band 4 places.  This is the average number of pupils funded at this level in previous years.

 

NOTED

 

That funding currently centrally retained for Oak Bank Therapeutic Project, their curriculum for small number of girls, and 8 exceptional needs places / pupils are allocated as part of Oak Bank’s Individual Budget Share (ISB) through the top-up funding.

 

11.             In 2013/14 the Pupil Premium remains a separate grant to the High Needs Block.  The Forum agreed at its meeting in November (minute no. CBSF/12/71 refers) agreed the grant be given to schools rather than be held centrally.

 

NOTED

 

That Pupil Premium ceases to be held centrally to fund additional needs of pupils, and be allocated to special schools.

 

12.             The PRU will be funded the same as a Special School but with a base funding unit of £8k.  A top-up will be available until 31 August 2013 and based on 5/12ths of the PRU budget. 

 

From 1 September 2013 the AP Free School will be open and Alternative Provision for each of the 70 pupils is £8k, funded directly by the EFA.  The school will be funded as an Academy Free School.  The EFA will top-slice £326,667 upon confirmation of the start date.

 

Central Bedfordshire Council (CBC) will have a contract with the Academy of Central Bedfordshire, which will have CBC provide top-up funding as required to provide an alternative to permanent exclusion.

 

2 places per school will be commissioned by the Upper Schools in addition to the CBC provision.  The EFA will be contacted to help arrange the best payment process.  A joint commissioning arrangement will need to be agreed between the schools, CBC and the Academy of Central Bedfordshire.

 

NOTED

 

That the current PRU budget spend be split into five twelfths and seven twelfths of the year to take account of the closure of the PRU and the opening of The Academy of Central Bedfordshire (AP Free School).

 

13.             The Forum noted that the Outreach work was carried out currently by three approved schools. 

·              The Chiltern and Ivel Valley Area Special Schools will deliver the Early Years Children with Disability Service from 2013;

·              The Peripatetic aspect of the Hearing Impaired Provision, and the Medical Needs Service will be commissioned in the same way through HAST.  The contracts values are £145,632 and £444,539 respectively;

·              The alternative provision for primary age children at risk of exclusion will be commissioned through the Hawthron Park Lower School at a value of £414,645. 

·              The alternative provision for secondary aged pupils at risk of exclusion for two terms will be at a value of £230,094.  The EFA will paid the additional £326,667.

 

NOTED

 

That the Outreach and commissioned services continue to be commissioned as they are currently.

 

14.             From April 2013 recoupment for out of county placements will not be allowed to be paid retrospectively.  Schools will be required to charge monthly for the top-up element to the commissioning Council for pupils with statements in their schools.  Maintained Schools after £6k and Special Schools after £10k.  Central Bedfordshire Council (CBC) will provide support initially.

 

Due to possible pupil removal a notice period will be considered to allow the pupil to remain supported and to cover the notice period for the member of staff.

 

As the number of SEN pupils is not known for 2013/14, it was agreed that an additional 10% of DSG be retained to enable payment of admin charges for the unknown sum.

 

NOTED

 

That sufficient DSG is retained centrally once known to fund top-up payments to schools in other Council areas, plus a 10% cushion for any increase in numbers / charges.

 

15.             The Forum noted that the High Needs in Post 16 combined three previous budgets: SEN Block Grant, Specialist placements funding and the cost of high needs student in FE.  The EFA has not finalised the impact of the charges fully and Officers request that the DSG continue to be paid until the details are finalised.

 

Between April and July, the High Needs Post 16 will continue to be paid by the 3 elements.  Between August and March elements 1 and 2 will be funded by the EFA and element 3 by the Post 16 High Needs Block.

 

Paragraph 50 of the report detailed the historical shortfall of Post 16 income.

 

NOTED

 

That the way in which High Needs Block in Post 16 is allocated is changing significantly in 2013/14.

 

16.             The Forum noted the information contained within paragraph 46 which detailed the retained DSG and the proposed future DSG for centrally retained services to be funded.

 

RESOLVED

 

That the continuation of centrally retained funding to support the services identified in Paragraph 46 of the report be agreed.

 

The Forum voted unanimously to support.

 

17.             The Forum noted the contents of table 47 which set out the centrally retained DSG to be paid to schools for commissioned services through a contract (new and continuing commissions).  Previously the elements had been funded from different areas of budgets.

 

NOTED

 

That the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) allocated to commission services from schools that were previously retained with the Council.