SPECIAL SCHOOL FORMULA FUNDING 2012/13
The primary driver is the banded funding of places, which focuses on the levels of teacher and teaching assistant support required. However, the formula contains a number of other elements designed to meet the full range of costs involved in running a special school in Milton Keynes.
The formula comprises four key segments:
Segment 1: Banded funding of pupil places
Segment 2: Lump sums, largely fixed but with a degree of variability, aimed at supporting the overheads of running any school, such as Management, Caretaking/Maintenance, Administration and Meals
Segment 3: Costs of providing Extended Provision at all schools and residential places at some schools.
Segment 4: Costs of significant items unique to given schools
Segment 1 – Banded Place Funding
Procedure for Banding Pupils
For pupils new to the Milton Keynes system the SEN Panel, as well as identifying appropriate provision to meet pupils’ needs, will also assign a funding band to the individual pupil. This level of funding will apply regardless of the school in which the pupil is placed. In this way the funding delivered to any particular school will reflect the cost of provision to meet the needs of the particular pupil profile in the school. It will also allow funding at a whole school level to shift over time if the pupil profile changes, rather than remaining static regardless of changing needs.
At the start of each year special schools will assess the needs of each individual pupil and place them in the most appropriate band. This will be moderated between schools and in conjunction with the local authority.
Band definitions
The banding structure comprises eight bands, defined as follows:
Band 1:Class size of 10, 1 Teaching Assistant per class
Band 2:Class size of 10, 1.9 Teaching Assistants per class
Band 3:Class size of 10, 2 Teaching Assistant per class
Band 4:Class size of 8, 1.9Teaching Assistants per class
Band 5:Class size of 8, 2.9 Teaching Assistants per class
Band 6:Class size of 6, 1.9 Teaching Assistants per class
Band 7:Class size of 6, 2.9 Teaching Assistants per class
Band 8:Class size of 6, 6 Teaching Assistants per class
A pupil will be placed in the band that most closely matches their individual educational needs, using a detailed set of criteria developed by the review group.
Band costings - calculation
Bands are costed in accordance with the proportions implicit in the band definitions. For example, a child placed in band 2 would require a class size of 10 pupils, with 1.9 Teaching Assistants in the class. The provision of the necessary teaching support to that child would require (1/10 =) 0.1 Teachers and (1.9/10 =) 0.19 Teaching Assistants. In order to fund this level of support, the funded value of a band 2 pupil is:
0.1x average cost (including on-costs) of an MK special school Teacher
PLUS
0.19 x estimated cost (including on-costs) of an MK special school Teaching
Assistant [MKC Grade 5 (SCP 20) x 32.5 hours per week x 45 weeks per year]
Planned Place Numbers
Special schools are funded on an agreed place number. If on the January census day the school has fewer pupils on roll, then the difference between the number on roll and the place number will be funded at the average band of the pupils attending the school on the January census day.
Segment 2 - Overheads
This segment is to cover the overhead costs incurred by all special schools.
Head Teacher
This is made up of a fixed allocation
and a variable allocation:
the number of places x unit rate x median band weight
(To work out the median band of the pupils in the school, each band relates to a weighting, which is 1 for Band 1 up to 4.05 for Band 8).
Administration
This is made up of a fixed allocation
and a variable allocation:
unit rate x the number of places
Caretaker/Cleaning
This is made up of a fixed allocation
and an allocation based on the age of the school buildings:
if the school is 40 years old, or older
if the school is 35 years old, or older
if the school is 30 years old, or older
and several different variable allocations:
unit rate x day floor area m2
unit rate x site floor area m2
unit rate x place numbers,for schools with mobility impaired pupils.
Equipment
This is made up of a fixed allocation per school for equipment to support physically disabled pupils and pupils with medical needs
and a fixed allocation per school with mobility impaired pupils
and an allocation based on the number of places:
if the school has 100 places or less
if the school has 150 places or less
if the school has more than 150 places
Meals (Including Supervision)
This is made up of a fixed allocation
and an allocation based on the number of places:
if the school has 100 places or less
if the school has 150 places or less
if the school has more than 150 places
Inclusion Experiences
Thisfactor is to facilitate inclusion experiences. It is based on the cost of 1 TA and 6 days pa supply to allow the TA to train.
This is a fixed allocation per school.
Pockets of Deprivation
This is an allocation for schools with a deprivation factor of greater than 45%. This is based on the tax credit data for the postcodes of the individual pupils that attend the school. The allocation is the schools deprivation factor x number pupils on roll x unit rate. This factorfocuses funding in a differentiated way to schools with high disadvantage.
Segment 3 – ResidentialExtendedProvision
Following a consultation on Residential and Extended Services Provision, Segment 3 was amended with effect from April 2011. It was agreed that the new funding would be phased in over a 3 year period, to allow schools time to adjust to the changes in provision and funding.
Extended Provision
For 2012/13, the fixed allocation is £56,100 per school, rising in 2013/14 to £85,000.
Extended Provision Transitional Funding
This element provides transitional protection as the new funding methodology is phased in.
Leadership Allowance
This allocation covers the cost of the additional residential allowances payable to head teachers and assistant and deputy head teachers.
Statutory Requirements for Residential Provision – Ofsted Registration
Childrens Homes:
This is made up of a fixed allocation and a variable allocation based on the number ofresidential places.
Special Schools:
This is made up of a fixed allocation ,a variable allocation based on a unit rate for the first 30 residential placesand a unit rate for each residential place over 30.
Meals (Including Supervision)
This is a variable allocation:
Unit rate x 5 days/week x 38 weeks/year x number of residential places
38 and 52 Week Provision Full Time Provision
Enhanced residential allocations are made to residential schools offering 52 week fulltime provision and 38 week fulltime provision. This takes account of the fact that the site is open for longer and that additional care staff are needed to look after the pupils during the evenings, weekends and holidays. The allocation also includes amounts for 24 hour curriculum, equipment, foster care allowances, pool car and holiday activities.
Segment 4 – Unique Factors
Pool
Fixed allocations for schools with a hydrotherapy pool
Physical Difficulties
Unit rate per pupil requiring assistance
Speech Therapy
This is a fixed allocation per school requiring speech therapy based on the size of the school:
if the school has 50 places or less
if the school has 75 places or less
if the school has more than 75 places
Split Site Allowance
This is an allocation for schools operating on a split site of more than 500 metres apart.
Grants mainstreamed into the DSG
With effect from April 2011, various Standards Funds grants were mainstreamed into the DSG. Consequently, within the school budget share, there is now an additional funding stream that is the allocation of the mainstreamed grants to each school. Funding will continue in 2012/13 on the basis of the allocation to schools in 2011/12.Grants relevant to the special school sector that have been mainstreamed are as follows:
- School Development Grant
- Specialist Schools
- School Standard Grant
- School Standard Grant (Personalisation)
- Ethnic Minority Achievement Grant
- School Lunch Grant
- Extended Schools
Minimum Funding Guarantee
The MFG is a protection mechanism that is intended to limit the turbulence at an individual school level of the per pupil funding between financial years. For 2012/2013, the MFG is set nationally at a decrease of no more than
1.5% per pupil compared to the 2011/12budget.