Agenda Item
4
|
Report to:
|
Schools’
Forum
|
|
Date of
meeting:
|
14 January
2022
|
|
Report By:
|
Alison
Jeffery
|
|
Title:
|
DSG Budget
2022/23
|
|
Purpose:
|
To provide an update
on the DSG budget for 2022/23
|
RECOMMENDATIONS
1) Schools’
Forum are asked to note the DSG allocations for the Schools,
Central School Services Block, High Needs and approve the Early
Years DSG Budget
1
Background
1.1
The Dedicated Schools
Grant (DSG) for 2022/23 is, like last year, allocated by the DfE
into four blocks. Each block is subject to separate regulations as
to eligible expenditure and the use of the four blocks is outlined
below:
-
The Schools
Block comprises the funding which must
be delegated to schools and academies through the Funding Formula.
Maintained schools can agree to de-delegate budgets and these are
spent on their behalf by the local authority. Subject to Schools
Forum approval, there are a limited number of exceptions, the
Growth Fund and Falling Rolls Fund, which enable local authorities
to hold this funding centrally. The funding for these funds goes to
eligible schools and academies.
·
The Central School
Services Block (CSSB) is a block of funding that
provides funding for Local Authorities to carry out central
functions on behalf of pupils in maintained schools and academies.
LAs’ CSSB is split into funding for historic commitments and
funding for ongoing responsibilities.
-
The High Needs
Block provides funding to support the
provision for children and young people with special educational
needs and disabilities (SEND) from their early years to age 24.
This includes provision in maintained schools, academies,
alternative provision, FE colleges and Independent providers, as
well as supporting central spending on pupils with special
educational needs and disabilities from their early years to age
24.
- The Early Years Block funds
payments to early years providers in settings and schools, and
supports central spending on early years pupils.
1.2
Please note that regulations stipulate that Schools Forum
approval is required for the CSSB (Approved 19 Nov ’21) and
the Early Years Block only. The other blocks are presented for
information.
2.
Appendices
2.1 The
appendices below provide a breakdown of the DSG
allocations:
Appendix A - DSG
Summary
Appendix B - Schools
Block DSG
Appendix C –
Central School Services Block DSG
Appendix D - High
Needs Block DSG
Appendix E –
Early Years Block DSG
3.
Schools Block
Funding
3.1
The Schools Block for 2022/23 is based on the October 2021 pupil
census data and equates to £330.7m.
3.2
The DfE have allocated £10.6m more to the Schools Block
compared to 2021/22. There are two reasons for this:
1
£9.9m relates to an increase in funding rates.
2
£0.7m relates to
a change in Number on Roll (NOR).
3.3
Growth and Falling
Rolls Fund proposals were presented to Schools’ Forum at the
November ‘21 Schools’ Forum whereby a request was made
for the continuation of support for maintained schools and
academies in respect of Key Stage 1 top up, additional classes,
pre-opening costs and dis-economies of scale costs for new schools.
No additional funds were requested for the falling rolls fund as
funds are to be brought forward from 2021/22.
4.
Central School
Services Block (CSSB) Funding
4.1
At the November ’21 Schools’ Forum meeting, the
indicative CSSB funding of £5.46m was discussed and approval
was obtained by Schools’ Forum for the Local
Authority’s planned use of funding, which was to use
£2.31m (On-going responsibilities), and to transfer the
remaining funds of £3.15m (Historic Commitments) to Schools/
Academies.
4.2
The DfE have confirmed that £5.46m has been allocated to the
local authority. (£3.15m to Historic Commitments and
£2.31m to on-going responsibilities). The total allocation is
£1k more than the indicative allocation (due to NOR) and, as
agreed in November, this will also be transferred to schools/
Academies.
4.3
In total, £3.15m will therefore be transferred to Schools/
Academies from this block in April ‘22 which equates to
£49.65 per pupil.
5.
High Needs Block
(HNB)
5.1
The DfE have stated that special schools/ academies and alternative
providers will continue to receive place funding at £10,000
per agreed place. Like previous years, the Local Authority has
realigned agreed places at some schools and academies to more
effectively reflect need.
5.2
For facilities, as per DfE regulations, the place funding will
continue to be £6,000 for every occupied place and
£10,000 for an unoccupied place. (Funding for occupied places
is £6,000 per place because these pupils are also funded via
the school’s budget share.)
5.3
The total High Needs Block funding is calculated by the DfE and for
2022/23 is £74.4m, which is an increase of £8.5m compared
to 2021/22. This additional funding will be used for the
following;
·
£0.8m –
Additional Place Funding
·
£5m –
To support inclusive practice / address pressures on
demand for specialist placements (See Agenda Item 6)
·
£2.7m –
Additional Funding, received from the DfE, in recognition of
additional costs facing Local Authorities / Schools in 2022/23.
(Has to be used in line with the DSG Conditions of Grant).
£1.7m of this has been allocated to ‘SEN Support’,
£0.5m to Pre 16 Top Up Funding and £0.5m for fees for
pupils at Independent Schools
6.
Early Years
Block
6.1
Funding for 3/ 4 year olds is based on a national formula
calculated by the DfE. ESCC currently receives £4.44 per hour
for every eligible 3/ 4 year old x 15hrs x 38 weeks. Local
Authorities must pass through at least 95% of this funding directly
to Early Years providers.
6.2
For 2022/23, the DfE are increasing the
minimum base funding rate from £4.44 per hour to £4.61
per hour. ESCC are therefore proposing to pass this 17 pence
increase onto providers and increase the rate paid to them from the
existing rate of £4.16 per hour to £4.33 per hour. ESCC
will also pass through a statutory deprivation supplement to all
eligible providers ensuring that at least 95% of funding continues
to be passported to Early Years providers.
6.3
For eligible two-year-olds, the DfE currently fund ESCC at
£5.36 per hour. 100% of this funding is passported to
providers. The DfE are increasing the rate to £5.57 in 2022/23
and the rate paid to providers by ESCC will also increase to
£5.57.
6.4
The
Early
Years Pupil Premium is
additional funding for Early Years
pre-school
settings to improve the education they provide for disadvantaged 3-
and 4-year-olds. This is currently funded by the
DfE at £0.53 per hour per eligible child (up to a maximum 570
hours) but will increase to £0.60 per hour per eligible child
for 2022/23.
6.5
The
Disability Access
Funding is
for Early Years providers to support children with
disabilities
or
special educational needs. It aids access
to
Early Years places by supporting providers in making reasonable
adjustments to their settings. The DfE currently fund this at
£615 per eligible child per year but are increasing it to
£800 per eligible child per year for 2022/23.
Alison
Jeffery
Director Childrens
Services
Contact Officer: Ed
Beale
Tel. No. 01273 337984
Email: Edward.beale@eastsussex.gov.uk
