Consultation on Top-Up Funding

This consultation is now closed. The original text is kept here, 'for the record'.

Please read our proposals about extra ('Top Up') funding for children with special educational needs and disabilities, and let us know your views using this accessible online questionnaire.

If you have any questions about this consultation or if you need the materials in another format, please contact our Head of Learning and Achievement by email at jacqui.scott@n.somerset.gov.uk or by phone on 07385 978 753.

Here in North Somerset, we need to look at the way that we allocate Top Up Funding (TUF). We have fewer children with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) than other local authorities yet allocate more TUF than we can reasonably afford from the high needs block. We are proposing a model where children receive Top Up Funding as part of an EHCP only. This means that we are likely to have more EHCPs. It also means that some children should have their needs met by the school using existing provision, not through the allocation of additional resource. We have given thought to ensuring that children don’t lose out, if we move to a slightly different system of allocation. 

This consultation gives the broad overview of what we think would work and why. Behind this sits the consultant’s report where you can find more detailed analysis and comparisons of how TUF is used in other local authorities.































Timeline

  • Opened
    7 Mar 2023 at 12:00
  • Closed
    18 Apr 2023 at 11:00
  • Response Published
    01 Jun 2023

Details

Organisational Information

Job role or team to contact for questions Learning and Achievement
Job title Head of Learning and Achievement
Contact Email jacqui.scott@n-somerset.gov.uk
Contact Telephone 07385 978 753

Project Information

Aim of this consultation We would like to find out what educators, SEND professionals, parents and carers think about the proposals and whether they have any alternative suggestions that we could consider.
Close Date 18 Apr 2023 11:00
Consultation Topic
  • Communities: including local partnerships, neighbourhoods, equalities, crime and anti-social behaviour
  • Education and early years: including organisation of pre-school and schools, SEND, children’s centres
  • Policy: including new or changed council policies, strategies or regulations on any topic
Context for this consultation This consultation is being done at the same time as the Safety Valve project which seeks to invest in far greater SEND provision and intervention in mainstream schools. This means that the need for Top Up Funding should logically reduce, as resource into schools is improved.