SEND funding

Education funding is given to help learners with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). If their needs are more complex, they might also get funding from Health and Social Care.

The amount and way funding is given depends on:

  • the educational setting the learner attends which can be:
    • mainstream
    • specialist (just for children and young people with SEND)
    • run by Newcastle City Council
    • academies, private companies or independent schools and colleges 
  • the level of need as detailed in the Descriptors of Need (DoN)
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Mainstream schools and colleges

These can include:

  • schools
  • academies
  • free schools
  • studio schools
  • 6th forms
  • Further Education (FE) colleges. 

This does not include specialist units within mainstream schools and colleges (see Specialist Provision below). All are provided with resources to support children and young people with SEND. Funding for SEND learners can be considered in three elements:

Element 1:

Per pupil funding

In these places, the schools or colleges receive government funding for each learner on roll from either:

  • Newcastle City Council (for schools that we oversee, fund, and support)
  • Education & Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) (academies, free schools and FE colleges) 

This funding is used to make general provision for all learners. This includes those with SEND. Some of the funding will be used for general SEND provision. This could be for the cost for a Special Education Coordinator (SENCo). This payment is sometimes called Element 1.

Element 2:

Notional SEN budget

 Education providers also receive funding called the notional SEN budget (or Element 2). This is used to support any learners with SEND. Up to £6,000 can be used to support SEND learners. However, some SEND learners will need none of this funding and most require only a small amount of extra support to succeed.

Element 3:

Top-up funding

Some learner’s needs cannot be met from the notional SEN budget. For these learners, the school or college can apply for extra funding from Newcastle City Council. This is known as top-up funding (or Element 3). This funding comes from the Newcastle City Council's High Needs budget.

This funding is normally part of an Education, Health & Care Plan (EHCP), and sometimes a Personal Budget. Sometimes one-off additional support is provided by the local authority.

Specialist provision and Pupil Referral Units

This includes:

  • special schools (local authority maintained, academy or independent)
  • specialist colleges
  • Pupil Referral Units (PRUs)
  • specialist units within mainstream schools or colleges (sometimes called ARCs or ARPs)
  • Section 41 settings.

The funding for these places is very similar to mainstream education. The provider receives:

  • High Needs place funding for a place (Elements 1 and 2 in a single payment)
  • High Needs top-up funding (element 3) for those learners who need it.

Pre-school children

Our SEND Outreach Service advises on funding and support available for all children from birth to 4 years of age.

Some pre-school children receive education from a childcare provider or nursery and also need additional SEND support. The SEND Outreach Service will advise on what support is available from Newcastle City Council or other services. This support could be equipment, additional staffing or funding.

Hospital education and education for ill children

This is funded differently through a national scheme. Some learners may receive High Needs top-up funding if they also have an EHC SEND and an EHC plan. However, this will be dealt with case-by-case according to the learner’s needs at that time.

Private education

Private education is where you pay fees to the school or college yourself. This is instead of Newcastle City Council paying for the education. It usually takes place at home or in an independent mainstream school. 

Those who pay for private education (normally the family) also pay for the cost of any SEND provision. Learners with formal SEND plans (EHC plans) may receive some support from Newcastle City Council in some circumstances.

Adult education and training 18 to 25 years

Most people with SEND leave education at 18 or 19 years looking for employment or training.

Learners older than 18 years sometimes apply to stay on in 6th form or college. This could be for another year or so. In special circumstances Newcastle City Council may agree to a further period of funding. In these cases the funding is dealt with in the same way as described above for mainstream and specialist education.

People who need extra help to succeed in their training or apprenticeship or internship should contact either:

Education and SEND
Information from https://childrenandfamiliesnewcastle.org.uk/
Printed on June 19th 2026
Page last updated
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