SEND Funding in Mainstream Schools

**The majority of young people with SEND are educated in mainstream settings. Mainstream schools are funded to support young people with SEND through their ‘notional SEND budgets’. **

The Children and Families Act 2014 works on the principle of children attending mainstream schools. This is the 'general presumption in law' of mainstream education. This is outlined in the SEND Code of Practice - February 2015, para 1, 26. You can read the SEND Code of Practice on the GOV.UK website [External Link].

Notional SEND funding

A school's notional funding is part of a school’s ‘delegated’ budget. This is funding that comes in directly to the school via the National Funding Formula. This is the budget that the Local Authority reasonably expects schools spend to meet the needs of pupils with SEND in schools.

Notional funding applies to schools Years R - 11. It does not apply to Nursery provision. This is because the ‘inclusion fund’ is part of the Early Years National Funding Formula. It also does not apply to post 16 provision as there is student financial support funding.

It’s called ‘notional’ because it isn’t ring fenced and schools can spend it in the way that they think is best. However, there is usually a teacher and Governor lead for SEND notional funding. This is to make sure it is spent for its intended purposes.

Notional budgets will vary for each school based on pupils that attend the school. The notional budgets of all mainstream schools in 2023/24 are set out below.

View the Notional SEN budgets by mainstream School in Sutton on the LBS website [External Link]

Schools receive a 'per pupil' amount for all pupils on the roll of their school. This is their 'basic entitlement' (i.e what they will receive before any additions etc). This is sometimes referred to as 'Element 1 funding'. Schools are expected to use their notional SEND funding to provide up to £6,000 worth of special educational provision to meet a child’s SEND. This is sometimes referred to as ‘Element 2 funding’. This is provision that would be 'ordinarily available' in mainstream state funded education settings to meet the needs that would be considered predictable. That is generally speaking, ‘higher incidence and/or lower need’ SEND.

Additional targeted SEND Funding

To support mainstream schools, local area leaders have provided additional funding to support 'predictable needs’. When added to the notional SEND funding, the additional funding will help schools to grow their capacity and resources to meet the needs of pupils more effectively and sooner. This isn’t funding for specific pupils but funding to help schools. It is to plan for and provide whole school resources and provision to meet predictable needs. This funding is unique to Sutton and there is no requirement for the Local Authority to provide this. The funding is contingent year on year on the overall position on the High Needs Block. In 2023/24 £0.4m was invested by the Local Area. These decisions have been taken in partnership with schools through the Sutton Education Partnership and Sutton Schools Forum.

For the vast majority of pupils with SEND, their needs can be met by the funding identified above. Some young people may need additional support as well as the provision that is ‘ordinarily available’ in mainstream settings.

In Sutton a very large proportion of Sutton’s High Needs Block is spent on pupils who have an EHC Plan. However, leaders in Sutton are considering ways in which high needs funding can be used to build capacity and resources in mainstream schools without the need for this. This would be a stronger and more robust system for all pupils.

Of course, for some young people, whose needs are more complex and/or exceptional an EHC Plan may be necessary and appropriate. These needs are those that mainstream schools could not be reasonably expected to meet. Young people with an EHC plan may still be educated in a mainstream setting. The school will need additional resources beyond those set out in their notional SEND budget to support the young person. 

For more information, read a summary of our targeted SEND support funding on the LBS website [External Link].

Transition funding for Early Years children

Early Years settings and schools can apply for transition funding to support children in making the move into Reception. Funding, provided in line with a transition plan, can be gained for between one to four terms to support children with identified or emerging additional needs to ensure that they make the best start possible when they begin in primary school.

Transitions plans are completed according to a template document and are co-produced by the child’s current SENCO, SENCO of the setting they are moving onto, the parent/carer and make use of any available information which has been provided by other professionals the child is known to. Funding will be available when children begin in their new setting, with any funding to support the current setting coming from Early Years funding and administered by the Early Years Operational Group.

Applications for transition plans will be made following a transition planning meeting held between the two settings in which the transition plan submission is co-produced. Deadlines to submit transition plans for funding requests would be set each year towards at the start of the Summer term so that decisions can be made during the Summer term shortly after school offer day. Funding for transition plans is granted based on the individual needs of the child and is intended to provide additional support without the requirement of an Education, Health and Care Plan.