Guidance

High needs benchmarking tool

A comparative tool to help local authorities plan for future high needs spend and provision.

From:
Education and Skills Funding Agency
Published
25 August 2020
Last updated
26 October 2023 — See all updates

Applies to England

Documents

High needs benchmarking tool

11.7 MB

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Details

Local authorities can use this tool to periodically assess their own level of spend and pattern of provision against:

  • those of neighbouring local authorities (both geographically and statistically)
  • national trends

Analysis of the data will help inform local authorities’ future plans.

Information about high needs funding and the review and planning role of local authorities is in the high needs funding operational guide.

Published 25 August 2020
Last updated 26 October 2023 + show all updates

  1. We have updated the high needs benchmarking tool. The version of the tool includes more recent section 251 data (2021 to 2022 outturn and 2022 to 2023 budget) and special educational needs (SEN) data for January 2023. We have also removed data for 2016 to 2027.

  2. We've re-published the high needs benchmarking tool.

  3. 17.11.2022 - High needs benchmarking tool temporarily removed due to some identified errors within and it will be re-published shortly

  4. We've updated the high needs benchmarking tool. This version includes new section 251 data (2020 to 2021 outturn and 2021 to 2022 budget) and SEN data for 2022.

  5. We have updated the high needs benchmarking tool. An error was identified which meant that the per head figures for England for S251 Outturn for 2018 to 2019 and 2019 to 2020 were incorrect for 4 categories (SEN support and inclusion services, Alternative provision services, Hospital education services, and Therapies and other health related services). This problem has now been corrected

  6. We have updated the high needs benchmarking tool. This version of the tool includes new Section 251 data (2019 to 2020 outturn), SEN data for January 2020 and provisional high needs national funding formula allocations for 2021 to 2022.

  7. We have revised a small number of formulae in the tool– these changes mainly concern information for England.

  8. First published.

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