16 to 19 non-maintained special school (NMSS) revenue funding allocation guide: 2024 to 2025
Updated 13 March 2024
Applies to England
1. Introduction
This guide explains how we have calculated funding allocations for non-maintained special schools (NMSS) for the 2024 to 2025 academic year.
2. Allocation changes
The allocation statement shows your current allocation based on the data available to us at this point.
We reserve the right to reduce or withdraw your allocation at any stage should issues arise through audit or other processes which:
- significantly affect the data underlying your allocation calculation (such as errors in your individualised learner record (ILR) or school census returns)
- significantly affect contract compliance, or
- if we believe that by making an allocation we will be putting public funds at risk
We also reserve the right to change your allocation if there are significant policy or data changes that impact on the calculated figures.
By exception, we will consider evidenced and credible business cases from institutions where there has been a significant error in the data returned by the institution. If you wish to submit a case, please refer to our guidance for submitting a business case.
3. Contact us
If you have questions after reading our guidance, or if there鈥檚 anything else you need help with, you can find more support in our聽.
4. NMSS funding allocations
We will base NMSS funding allocations on the pupil numbers recorded in the October 2023 school census, uplifted by the difference between the pupil numbers recorded in the October 2022 and January 2023 school censuses. We treat any reduction in pupil numbers between the October 2022 and January 2023 school census as zero. This ensures that no school is funded below its October 2023 census pupil numbers.
We round the values in your statement to various numbers of decimal places. However, we calculate your funding using un-rounded values. This may result in some slight differences when you work through the calculation yourselves.
5. Funded places
This section explains how we calculate funded places in the NMSS revenue funding allocation statement.
5.1 Total pupil numbers recorded in October 2022 census聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽
This is the total pupil headcount recorded in the October 2022 census based on the age range that the school is legally allowed to make provision for.
5.2 Total pupil numbers recorded in January 2023 census聽聽聽聽
This is the total pupil headcount recorded in the January 2023 census based on the age range that the school is legally allowed to make provision for.
5.3 Difference between October 2022 and January 2023
We calculate the difference between census data by:
- 鈥榯otal pupil numbers recorded in January 2023 census鈥� - 鈥榯otal pupil numbers recorded in October 2022 census鈥�
5.4 Total pupil numbers recorded in October 2023 census聽聽聽聽
This is the total pupil headcount recorded in the October 2023 census based on the age range that the school is legally allowed to make provision for.
5.5 Total places funded for 2024 to 2025
If the 鈥榙ifference between October 2022 and January 2023鈥� is greater than zero, then we calculate the total places funded by:
- 鈥榙ifference between October 2022 and January 2023鈥� + 鈥榯otal pupil numbers recorded in October 2023 census鈥�
If the 鈥榙ifference between October 2022 and January 2023鈥� is a negative value, we treat this as zero and do not apply a reduction.
6. High needs place funding
This section explains how we calculate high needs place funding in the NMSS revenue funding allocation statement.
6.1 Pupil numbers (October 2023 census)
These are the pupil numbers recorded in the October 2023 census split by pre-16 pupil numbers and post-16 pupil numbers.
6.2 Proportions used in 2024 to 2025 allocation
These are the proportions of pre-16 and post-16 students to be funded based on the 鈥榯otal pupil numbers recorded in the October 2023 census鈥�.
6.3 Funded places
These are the percentage proportions applied to the 鈥榯otal places funded for 2024 to 2025鈥� shown in the 鈥榝unded places鈥� table.
6.4 搁补迟别听听
The rate of funding per place is 拢10,000.
6.5 Place funding聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽
We calculate place funding by:
- 鈥榝unded places鈥� (pre-16 and post-16) 脳 鈥榬ate鈥�
7. Student financial support funding
This section explains how we have calculated student financial support funding in the NMSS revenue funding allocation statement.
We have published financial support advice for institutions on the support young people may be able to access to help them participate in education and training.
7.1 Post-16 funded places number
This is the 鈥榝unded places鈥� (post-16 only) shown in the 鈥榟igh needs place funding鈥� table.
7.2 Instances per student
For 鈥榚lement 1: financial disadvantage鈥�, we use student postcodes from your May census 2023 data return and the index of multiple deprivation (IMD) 2019 to determine the number of instances per student.
For 鈥榚lement 2a: student costs 鈥� travel鈥�, we use student postcodes and delivery location postcodes from your May census 2023 return and the IMD 2019 to determine the number of instances per student.
The maximum 鈥榠nstances per student鈥� value is 1.000.
If historic institution-level data is not available to complete the 鈥榠nstances per student鈥� calculation, we use local authority average values.
7.3 Number of instances
To calculate the number of instances, we multiply instances per student for 鈥榚lement 1: financial disadvantage鈥� and 鈥榚lement 2a: student costs 鈥� travel鈥� by the post-16 funded place number:
- 鈥榠nstances per student鈥� x 鈥榩ost-16 funded place number鈥�
7.4 Instance funding rate
This is the funding rate for each element of the discretionary bursary for 2024 to 2025. Bursary funding rates are subject to change year on year.
7.5 Funding
We calculate funding by:
- 鈥榥umber of instances鈥� x 鈥榠nstance funding rate鈥�
7.6 Discretionary bursary fund
We calculate the sum of each bursary element by:
- 鈥榚lement 1: financial disadvantage total鈥� + 鈥榚lement 2a: student costs travel total鈥�
7.7 Bursary adjustment by exception
This is an exceptional increase or decrease applied to your discretionary bursary funding.
7.8 Student financial support funding total
We calculate the student financial support funding total by:
- 鈥榙iscretionary bursary fund sub-total鈥� + 鈥榖ursary adjustment by exception鈥�
If 鈥榙iscretionary bursary fund sub-total鈥� is greater than 拢0 but less than 拢500, then we will uplift the allocation to 拢500.