High Needs Funding

Which children will trigger High Needs Funding?

The High Needs Funding process will apply to all eligible children attending a setting on the Suffolk List of Providers or a School Nursery Class and are in receipt of:

  • up to 15 hours early education entitlement (eligible 2,year olds and 3 & 4 year olds)
  • up to 30 hours early education entitlement (eligible 3 & 4 year olds) 

Under the new funding arrangements, funding must follow children as near to ‘real time’ as possible, therefore it will be necessary to assess every eligible child each term in order to ensure that providers are properly funded for each pupil they have with clearly evidenced high tariff needs.

The High Needs Funding is available for children whose special educational needs are significant and complex and the support necessary to make provision for them, exceeds a nominal threshold of £2,550.00 (per annum) including the cost of the universal provision available for all children.

Please remember that High Needs Funding is a contribution, the amount is worked out by the hourly rate for the type need (complex, complex/severe or severe) multiplied by the number of hours claimed in a week, to match to early education funded hours claimed. This will give the termly total. 

There are some examples below: 

  • Complex needs (£23.33 per hour) x 10 hours claimed per week = £233.30 per term
  • Complex/severe (£36.67 per hour) x 15 hours claimed per week = £550.05 per term
  • Severe (£50 per hour) x 12 hours claimed per week = £600.00 per term

Dual placed funded children also attending a Special School Assessment Nursery