1. 20th January 2015 High Needs 2015-16 Agenda item 6 Alison Shipley Bob Seaman Schools Forum

2. 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..........

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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.