SEND BUDGET

[Les888]

Does anyone know if it's possible to see a breakdown of the SEND budget? I couldn’t find this information on the school website, and I’m not sure whether I have the right to request it

What do you mean by SEND budget?

As in how they re spending a budget that isnt specifically attached to your child, so they dont have an ehcp yet? No I dont believe you can like you can ask for an ehcp provision map.

It isn’t something the school has to publish on their website. You can ask how the school is spending their notional SEN budget. However, even if they give you a proper answer rather than fobbing you off, the answer may not be that illuminating - e.g. it isn’t a set amount per pupil on the SEN register, it isn’t ring fenced, it doesn’t mean certain provision has to be funded for a certain pupil, decisions/plans may change and the response may not be that detailed for confidentiality reasons, pupil numbers can change...

You could request a costed provision map for your child.

You are often chasing funding which comes often in bits and pieces, can be two years in arrears, comes monthly or termly, is difficult to identify, is often not child specific. Varies on the LA and need. Some LAs provide additionally. Some LAs do not pay for School meals and it comes from the the child's HCP budget. The top slice per child can be £20 to £70 deduction.

They likely do not know the spending per child. Staffing varies and they won't sit down and work out the cost of the staff member providing interventions per child. They may be using PP money to assist some SEND children within a group. It will also cover additional equipment, staff training and membership and licence fees for additional resources which come a sum that includes other job SEND children.
If you take on additional staff there are additional costs beyond the basic salary. You pay x amount for each staff pay packet, maternity and sickness cover, referrals to OT are often £200 a time, and £50 a time dbs etc. Many SLAs charge per staff member of the are using these services. Academies may provide a cheaper option. You may find different schools get different levels of funding within the same LA