FOI release

Special Educational Needs & Disability Funding Allocation

Case reference FOI2022/00553

Published 10 May 2022

Request

Q1. A copy of the Council's current operational guidance for SEND High Needs Block funding allocation (a URL to current policy document would be fine);

Q2. Information that describes "top-up", "banding," "matrix," or "element" arrangements that the Council uses to guide its allocation of High Needs Block funding to mainstream schools, resource base / units in mainstream schools, and special schools;

Q3. Information showing the maximum High Needs or Top-Up funding allocation (in pounds) that each specific band, matrix point, or element attracts in the current financial year (2022-23); If it is more efficient for you to provide these allocations based on academic years rather than financial years, please use financial years instead. For special schools where banded funding is not used, please provide information showing the 'top-up' allocation per place.

Q4. Information showing the maximum High Needs or Top-Up funding allocation (in pounds) that each specific band or element attracted for the previous financial year (2021-22). If the Council has changed its banding arrangements during the 2021-22 and 2022-23 periods, please provide information showing the previous banding arrangements as well as the current ones.

Q5. If funding allocations for each band/element in 2022-23 are identical to those in 2021- 22, please say so.

Response

Q1. A copy of the Council's current operational guidance for SEND High Needs Block funding allocation (a URL to current policy document would be fine);

A1. Herefordshire Council uses the DfE operational guidance for SEND High Needs Block funding

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/high-needs-funding-arrangements-2022-to-2023/high-needs-funding-2022-to-2023-operational-guidance

Q2. Information that describes "top-up", "banding," "matrix," or "element" arrangements that the Council uses to guide its allocation of High Needs Block funding to mainstream schools, resource base / units in mainstream schools, and special schools;

A2. https://www.herefordshire.gov.uk/support-schools-settings/teaching-children-sen-disability/11

Q3. Information showing the maximum High Needs or Top-Up funding allocation (in pounds) that each specific band, matrix point, or element attracts in the current financial year (2022-23);

A3. Please see attached spreadsheet

Q4. Information showing the maximum High Needs or Top-Up funding allocation (in pounds) that each specific band or element attracted for the previous financial year (2021-22).

A4. Please see attached spreadsheet

Q5. If funding allocations for each band/element in 2022-23 are identical to those in 2021- 22, please say so.

A5. No they are not identical.

Documents

This is Herefordshire Council's response to a freedom of information (FOI) or environmental information regulations (EIR) request.

You can browse our other responses or make a new FOI request.