Decision details

The decision is to approve the basis of distribution of Homes for Ukraine education and childcare grant, which is allocated to the local authority to distribute to schools or spend centrally on services to support children admitted under the Homes for Ukraine scheme. It can be used for no other purpose. The grant allocated so far is £6.2m but the final sum will depend on the total number of Ukrainian children arriving under the scheme by February 2023 and is expected to be higher.

Cabinet resolved on 20 December:

That authority be delegated to the Director of Education and Lifelong Learning in consultation with the Executive Director of Children, Families and Lifelong Learning, the Executive Director of Resources and the Cabinet Member for Education and Learning to determine the mechanism for funding schools and the use of the proposed contingency from the DfE Homes for Ukraine (H4U) Education and Childcare grant.

Decision made:

That funding is allocated to mainstream schools (both maintained and academies) on the following basis:

·     for spring and summer terms 2022 based on the total cumulative number of H4U pupils arriving before the end of each half term,

• for each half term of autumn 2022 based on the number of H4U pupils in the school at some time in that half term
• for the first half term of spring 2023, based either on the numbers at the start, end or at any time within, to be determined later, having regard to the level of internal movement (of pupils between schools) within Surrey
• for the second half of the spring term 2023, the numbers at 28 February 2023 (DfE will not fund Surrey for pupils arriving in Surrey after 28 February 2023, and so we cannot fund later arrivals, unless there is an underspend at that point)
• we would reserve the right to amend the distribution in case of obvious anomalies
• we will fund pupils in independent schools and FE/sixth form colleges at the same rates (Pro rata if part time) on application
• 20% of whole grant to be held for central costs and SEN costs at least at this stage, (this would include specialist SEND placements). Assistant Director for Systems and Transformation in ELLC to manage both
• any cost of Early Intervention Fund (or other additional costs) for H4U early years pupils, plus hourly rate costs for such pupils not on roll on Jan 2023 census date, to be met from the early years component of the grant.  Early years providers to be invited to apply for funding for additional costs on a case by case basis.
• Half termly funding rates for summer and autumn terms are £855.40 for primary and £1,138.75 for secondary. Both are 78% of 1/6 of the respective DFE annual rates.
• Funding rates to be reviewed once data for number of pupils in autumn term is available and again if necessary during the spring term. If the level of new arrivals is lower than modelled, it may be possible to increase the per pupil funding rates. Any revision to rates to be subject to agreement between the individuals named in the Cabinet approval

Decision made:

That funding is allocated to mainstream schools (both maintained and academies) on the following basis:

·     for spring and summer terms 2022 based on the total cumulative number of H4U pupils arriving before the end of each half term,

• for each half term of autumn 2022 based on the number of H4U pupils in the school at some time in that half term
• for the first half term of spring 2023, based either on the numbers at the start, end or at any time within, to be determined later, having regard to the level of internal movement (of pupils between schools) within Surrey
• for the second half of the spring term 2023, the numbers at 28 February 2023 (DfE will not fund Surrey for pupils arriving in Surrey after 28 February 2023, and so we cannot fund later arrivals, unless there is an underspend at that point)
• we would reserve the right to amend the distribution in case of obvious anomalies
• we will fund pupils in independent schools and FE/sixth form colleges at the same rates (Pro rata if part time) on application
• 20% of whole grant to be held for central costs and SEN costs at least at this stage, (this would include specialist SEND placements). Assistant Director for Systems and Transformation in ELLC to manage both
• any cost of Early Intervention Fund (or other additional costs) for H4U early years pupils, plus hourly rate costs for such pupils not on roll on Jan 2023 census date, to be met from the early years component of the grant.  Early years providers to be invited to apply for funding for additional costs on a case by case basis.
• Half termly funding rates for summer and autumn terms are £855.40 for primary and £1,138.75 for secondary. Both are 78% of 1/6 of the respective DFE annual rates.
• Funding rates to be reviewed once data for number of pupils in autumn term is available and again if necessary during the spring term. If the level of new arrivals is lower than modelled, it may be possible to increase the per pupil funding rates. Any revision to rates to be subject to agreement between the individuals named in the Cabinet approval

A number of different demand scenarios were considered. The proposals are based on a scenario which officers believe to be prudent at the present time, and to minimise the data collection burden on schools.

None.