Do schools get money for kids in the SEN register?

[DingbatsFur]

Hi,
Do schools get extra funding based on the number of children on the SEN register?
Thanks!

Depends on what they're on the register for.

In general they don't.

They certainly don't get more money by putting your DC on the register.

They do (normally) get money for pupils who have a statement.

There is an amount in the school budget called the notional SEN budget. It's arrived at by a funding formula and one of the components is the number of children with Sen. However there is no actual requirement to spend this money on Sen, although if school asks for top up funding from the LA high needs block money then they will be expected to demonstrate how they've spent their Sen money first.

Ahhh, thank you.
I was wondering if there was a monetary reason why my primary school wishes to keep my DS on at level one despite 2 teachers agreeing that he didn't have SEN needs and that it wasn't really required. He does not have a statement. Thanks you!

I think it's worth doing more digging to find out what concerns the SENCO has.

Could well be none and she just doesn't like taking pupils off the register.

Or could be something which she can explain.......

But I'd want an explanation.

Could it be that he is doing ok at the moment but the Senco thinks there might be problems in future ( eg on transfer to next school or something) and so wants to keep him on to make sure there is an evidence trail if he does need help later on?

Thanks folks, they agree he has issues with 'transition' and he is due to transfer to another school (along with his entire class) next year. I am fine with that and we can put something in place to make it smoother.
What concerns me is that he is on the register due to a conflict with his nursery teacher when he was 4 which was resolved with the assistance of an educational paychologist. He has been on the list 'just in case' ever since.

*psychologist

WildStallions Unfortunately, it's been quite a few years since a statement came with any extra funding in order to implement it .

Some LAs have exceptional needs funding that can be applied for but even having a statement won't guarantee any money. In our LA, even if you are successful in getting your exceptional needs application through both panels, the first 13 hours of funding comes from the school's notional budget anyway.

(Sorry for going off on a tangent)

Schools are monitored for the progress made by children with SEN. Perhaps they are making up numbers.

Lemon schools funding formula takes into account the number of children with statements so technically statements DO bring funding. The difference is that the money isn't 'attached' to that child nor ring fenced for SEN so schools can spend it on glossy brochures if they want.

However, if a SENCO ensures a child's statement is properly quantified and specified as the law requires then the school has no choice but to spend the SEN money on the children it is supposed to support.

We are now 'off the list'. For anyone who had issues with their child in a nursery setting (age 3-4) caused by a conflict with a teacher I would now seriously advise just pulling the child out of school or finding a new school. What we have been through over the past few years is ridiculous.
It also diverts resources away from the children who need them.