Making Your SEN Budget Work Smarter, Not Harder
Strategic budgeting and insight in a broken system
SEN funding is under intense pressure. High needs costs and EHCP numbers have surged, pushing available funding into serious deficit and forcing schools and trusts to stretch notional SEN budgets further than ever. The national SEND and AP reforms, including new standards and an upcoming white paper, promise change but also create uncertainty for school and trust planning. This session looks at what school and trust leaders can do now to make SEN funding work harder, even when the wider system feels stacked against them. We focus on smart use of notional SEN funding, high needs top ups and targeted interventions, so that limited resources are aligned with actual need rather than historic patterns or loudest voices. You will also explore how to evidence need, navigate local funding arrangements and prepare for the impact of ongoing SEND reforms on your budget planning.
In this session we explore
The current SEN funding landscape, including high needs pressures, EHCP growth and local funding gaps
Approaches to using notional SEN, top up and additional funds more strategically in both mainstream and specialist pathways
How to evidence impact, track SEN spend and report clearly to governors, trustees and local authorities
Practical ways to navigate local banding, panels and decision makers so requests are more likely to succeed
What emerging SEND reforms and national standards could mean for future SEN budgeting and provision
Take home points
Clearer picture of where SEN money is going now.
Ideas to stretch limited funds without diluting support.
Practical tips for evidencing need and impact.
Questions to ask about future SEND changes.
This session is for
School business leaders, trust leaders, SEND leads and anyone who oversees SEN budgets and wants to balance financial realities with doing the right thing for pupils.
