New Pupil Specific Funding Scheme - Initial Information for Schools

As schools will be aware, following a Fair Funding Consultation in the Autumn Term 2008, Norfolk County Council Cabinet agreed to changes to the Pupil Specific Funding (PSF) arrangements for children with statements of special educational needs (SEN).

The changes will apply from 1 September 2009 and apply to:

	Pupil Specific Funding of Statements of SEN
	Sudden and Significant Medical need funding stream
	First Year of Schooling funding stream

Even though the funding change is effective from 1 September 2009 the current funding scheme will apply in relation to children who currently have PSF whilst they remain in their current school. These transition arrangements are explained in more detail below.

For pupils who are currently attending school with PSF and who will remain in the same school in September 2009:

	The current funding scheme which has been in place since April 2004 will continue to apply for children whilst they remain at their current school, ie primary phase schools fund the first five hours of provision and secondary phase schools fund the first ten hours of provision written into a child's Statement of SEN.
	Funding currently allocated to children for either Sudden and Significant Medical Funding or First Year of Schooling provision will also continue to be funded on any current arrangements.

For pupils starting a school on or after 1 September 2009:

	Schools will provide funding in relation to Statements of SEN where the quantification is less than 20 hours Teaching Assistance from their delegated School Specific Allocation formula funding.
	For children with Statements of SEN that specifies provision at 20 hours or more Teaching Assistance, Pupil Specific Funding will be allocated and will fully fund all support hours, ie primary phase schools will not have to contribute the first five hours and secondary phase schools will not have to contribute the first ten hours.
	Schools will be required to fund any Midday Supervisory Assistance hours specified in Statements of SEN and in addition Sudden and Significant Medical Funding and Funding or First Year of Schooling were support is specified at less than 20 hours Teaching Assistance.
	Pupil Specific Funding will provide full funding for any Midday Supervisory Assistance specified in Statements of SEN, Sudden and Significant Medical Funding and Funding or First Year of Schooling with 20 hours or more Teaching Assistance.

Further information:

Please note that a multi-disciplinary project team is currently working on detailed guidance regarding the Pupil Specific Funding change and this will be provided to all schools and Children's Services staff later on in the summer term.

In the meantime it needs to be clarified that the transition arrangements outlined above relate to all instances of children changing schools and not just for points of phase transfer.

It should also be noted that these changes reflect an amendment to the arrangements between the local authority and schools regarding the funding scheme for Pupil Specific Funding and this change does not affect the quantification of provision written into Statements of SEN. Arrangements for reviewing provision for children with SEN continue, therefore, in line with guidance issued locally and based upon the SEN Code of Practice 2001.

	If schools have any queries regarding their budget for Pupil Specific Funding they should raise these in the first instance with their Finance Support Officer.
	If schools have queries regarding specific children they should refer these to their Area Casework Team contact.
	If any schools have any queries or suggestions regarding the further detailed guidance which will be issued by the project team later this term please contact Marianne Knights.