30th March 2022

• Sheffield City Council is looking at changing the way provision for learners with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) is funded in Sheffield’s mainstream schools.

  Schools say that they don’t always get enough funding for the support described in a pupils’ Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plan, or that they don’t receive it quickly enough.

  Officers are looking to make changes to ensure that the right support is in place for children with SEND.

  At present, top-up funding is allocated to schools through localities. The new proposals, due to be put out for consultation in the summer term, are likely to include a method for working out how much extra money a school needs to put support in place and how the money is allocated to schools.

  The proposals will also include how extra provision is funded for pupils on SEN Support, who do not have an EHC plan.

  It is likely that these proposals will require an increase in SEND funding for mainstream schools.