Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether local authorities that provide upfront additional special educational needs and disabilities funding to mainstream schools will continue to be required to provide funding for specialist support services as set out in Chapter 8.1 of the High Needs Funding Operational Guidance.

The department will soon publish our response to the consultation on upfront special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) funding for mainstream schools, taking into full consideration the responses we have received.

The consultation has helped to inform the design of a test and learn approach to local authorities providing whole-school, upfront funding for mainstream schools. Upfront funding means mainstream schools receive a share of funding that would otherwise be distributed through top-up funding. From the outset of the consultation, we have been clear that participating local authorities would remain responsible for ensuring children with SEND can access specialist support, in line with section 8.1 of the High Needs Funding Operational Guidance.

The exercise aims to strengthen mainstream schools’ capacity to meet a wider range of needs. With consistent upfront funding, schools can plan early, flexible and responsive support for children with common barriers to learning. Children with more complex needs will continue to receive the specialist support and funding they need.