School Funding

Schools funding consists of delegated budgets as set by the Local Authority alongside funding received from specific government grants.

The schools delegated budget is funded through the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) which is made up of three funding blocks; schools block, early years block and high needs block. The majority of a schools delegated budget comes from the schools block and is paid out based on pupil related factors (age weighted pupil units, deprivation and prior attainment) alongside other allowable factors as permitted by the Department of Education (i.e. lump sum and sparsity). Other funding will be allocated for schools with early years provision (early years block) and schools which also provide high needs places (high needs block), whether they be specialist support centres, special schools or pupil referral units.

For Secondary schools with sixth forms, funding is paid to the LA from the Education Funding Agency (EFA) which is also added to the schools delegated budget. During the year termly adjustments are made for those schools with early years provision and schools with high needs pupils are able to apply for top up funding for their eligible high needs pupils.

In addition to funding received which formulates a schools delegated budget, government grants are paid to the Local Authority during the year which the LA are then required to allocate to schools. Pupil Premium (PPG), PE Sport Funding, Year 7 Catch Up, Universal Infant Free School Meals (UIFSM) are all paid to the schools by the Local Authority. All schools, including academies are invited to the schools funding briefing sessions is March. All schools can utilise the informtion set out on these pages regarding budgets, Growth and High Needs Targeted Support funding.