Guidance

High needs funding arrangements: 2026 to 2027

Information for local authorities, schools and colleges about high needs funding arrangements for the 2026 to 2027 financial and academic year.

• From: Department for Education
• Published: 5 November 2025
• Last updated: 15 December 2025 — See all updates

Applies to England

Documents

High needs place change process: 2026 to 2027 academic year

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How to complete the high needs place change workbook for 2026 to 2027

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High needs place change digital form guidance

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High needs place process: alternative provision (AP) free school guidance for 2026 to 2027

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High needs student and pupil numbers 2024 to 2025 and 2025 to 2026 academic years

ODS, 256 KB

This file is in an OpenDocument format

Details

High needs place change process  

Read the guidance for an overview of the place change process for the 2026 to 2027 academic year, including how to determine place numbers and a timeline. 

How to complete the high needs place change workbook 

Local authorities should use these instructions to help complete the high needs place change workbook for providers in their area. 

High needs place change digital form guidance

Guidance to help local authorities to prepare and submit their high needs place change digital return

High needs place process: alternative provision free school guidance for 2026 to 2027

Guidance on completing and returning the AP free school high needs places workbook.

High needs place, pupil and student numbers in the school census and individualised learner record (ILR): 2024 to 2025 academic year and 2025 to 2026 academic year

The data workbook shows:

• the number of pupils in special academies and special free schools recorded in the spring 2025 school census. It also shows the place numbers for the 2024 to 2025 and 2025 to 2026 academic years

• the post-16 high needs student numbers for further education colleges, independent learning providers, 16 to 19 academies and 16 to 19 free schools, as recorded in the 2024 to 2025 ILR R14 data return. It also shows the place numbers for the 2024 to 2025 and 2025 to 2026 academic years (see the ‘ILR actuals and published places’ tab)

• the post-16 high needs student numbers for special post-16 institutions (SPIs) as recorded in the 2024 to 2025 ILR R14 data return. It also shows the place numbers for the 2024 to 2025 and 2025 to 2026 academic years (see the ‘SPI actuals & published places’ tab).

Published 5 November 2025

Last updated 15 December 2025 + show all updates

1. 15 December 2025

   We have published the updated the high needs pupil and student numbers for 2024 to 2025 and 2025 to 2026 academic years.

2. 5 November 2025

   First published.