Additional Complex Needs Funding

Summary

The request sought data on additional complex needs funding for primary schools in the Isle of Man, including approval rates, budget breakdowns, and application criteria. The Department of Education, Sport and Culture disclosed all requested information, providing statistics on funding requests and a detailed financial breakdown for the 2021/22 year.

Key Facts

• Since September 2020, the Department received 68 funding requests for children with additional complex needs, of which 63 were approved.
• The total Special Educational Needs support funding provided to schools during the 2021/22 financial year was £3,648,326.
• Funding amounts vary per school based on the number of children and the level of support required for individual cases.
• All funding requests are directed to a single point of referral known as the Complex Needs Panel.
• Approval criteria include prior attainment compared to peers, impact on functioning, complexity of provision required, and severity of need.

Data Disclosed

• 68 requests
• 63 approved
• September 2020
• 2021/22 financial year
• £3,648,326
• £388,531
• £317,620
• £234,353
• £226,650
• £206,900
• £201,963
• 25 July 2022
• 19 August 2022
• 2548581

Original Request

Please provide the following information for each primary school - the number of additional funding requests made to the department for children with additional complex needs since September 2020, along with the number of requests that were approved. - a breakdown of how the additional complex needs budget is split across each primary school - details of the process that a school needs to follow to obtain additional funding, including reasons why an additional funding request may be approved/declined and the criteria to meet for additional funding for complex needs.

Data Tables (2)

Full Response Text

Policy, Strategy and Governance Division Department of Education, Sport and Culture Thie Slieau Whallian Foxdale Road St John’s Isle of Man IM4 3AS Telephone: (01624) 685808 Website: www.gov.im/dec Email: dec@foi.gov.im Our ref: 2548581 19 August 2022

Dear ### We write further to your request which was received on 25 July 2022 and which states:

"Please provide the following information for each primary school: - the number of additional funding requests made to the department for children with additional complex needs since September 2020, along with the number of requests that were approved. - a breakdown of how the additional complex needs budget is split across each primary school - details of the process that a school needs to follow to obtain additional funding, including reasons why an additional funding request may be approved/declined and the criteria to meet for additional funding for complex needs."

Our response to your request is as follows: 1. The number of additional funding requests made to the department for children with additional complex needs since September 2020, along with the number of requests that were approved. The Department received 68 requests for funding, 63 of which were approved. 2. A breakdown of how the additional complex needs budget is split across each primary school The below table shows the breakdown of Special Educational Needs funding provided to schools during the 2021/22 financial year. Please note that these amounts are variable to each school dependent upon number of children and level of support required in each individual case. School 2021-22 SEN

Support Funding Bunscoill Rhumsaa £388,531 Anagh Coar £148,281 Andreas £14,994 Arbory £51,050 Ashley Hill £145,556 Ballacottier £89,417 Scoill yn Jubilee £117,411 Ballasalla £147,266 Ballaugh £4,896 Braddan £143,031 Cronk Y Berry £201,963 Dhoon £7,947 Henry Bloom Noble £317,620 Foxdale £42,649 Jurby £146,017 Kewaigue £27,546 Laxey £32,218 Manor Park £142,906 Marown £31,914 Michael £34,822 Onchan £234,353 Peel Clothworkers £206,900 Phurt Le Moirrey £118,749 Rushen £151,329 St Johns £70,586 St Marys £97,536 St Thomas £6,120 Sulby £51,905 Vallajeelt £57,769 Victoria Rd £226,650 Willaston £171,890 Bunscoill £18,504 Total £3,648,326 3. Details of the process that a school needs to follow to obtain additional funding, including reasons why an additional funding request may be approved/declined and the criteria to meet for additional funding for complex needs. Complex Needs Pathway There are a number of provisions and pathways that sit within the Complex Needs Pathways within DESC. There is a single point of referral, with all requests being directed to the Complex Needs Panel. The Complex Needs Panel has been established to fulfil the following functions:

1. Consider statutory requests and new arrivals with complex needs
2. Placement decisions for SPCs
3. Allocation of top-up funding
4. Agreeing and funding bespoke alternative provision
5. Complex needs status is required to access the UCM Alternative Pathway Complex Needs Process Complex Needs Criteria School staff have access to the Continuum of Learning and Inclusion threshold guidance, which documents the graduated response to support pupils will special educational needs. This document sets out the criteria for staging pupils on the special educational needs register. The complex needs criteria to access additional funding is informed by the definition of special educational needs, which has two elements to consider:
6. Does the child have a significantly greater difficulty in learning, or a disability hindering/preventing use of education facilities of the kind generally available
   AND
7. It is necessary to determine what provision, if any, is called for.

The following elements are considered for approving and declining complex needs: • Prior attainment in learning compared to peers • The impact on functioning the difficulty is having on the pupil. • The complexity and amount of the provision required to meet the pupil’s needs • Severity of need compared to peers.

Please quote the reference number 2548581 in any future communications.

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