Overview
Post‑16 providers in Somerset get funding to support young people with SEND. This helps them keep learning, build skills and move towards adulthood. Funding helps colleges, sixth forms, training providers and specialist settings put the right support in place.
Most support is paid for through the provider’s core budget. Some young people need extra funding from the council when their needs are higher or more complex.
Core study-programme funding
Colleges and training providers get core 16 to 19 funding for from the Department for Education for each study programme. This covers teaching, learning and support for all learners aged 16 to 19, and up to 25 if they have an EHC plan. The amount depends on the hours planned and the level of the course.
Providers are expected to offer high-quality teaching, reasonable adjustments and targeted support as part of their everyday practice. This is part of the graduated response.
High needs funding
The Department for Education pays £6,000 per place to support young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities up to age 19.
This funding helps providers offer:
- small group support
- specialist programmes
- adjustments to learning environments
- additional adult support
When a young person has an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan, the provider may receive extra funding from Somerset Council up to the age of 25. This is called high needs top-up funding.
High needs top-up funding is added to the provider’s usual budget. It is based on the young person’s needs written in their EHC plan.
A band is used to show how much support is needed. The band looks at how often support is needed and how specialised it must be. Each band has a set funding level which is paid to the provider.
Any high-needs funding is given for a named young person and must be spent on the provision in their plan. It transfers if they move to another sixth form, college or training provider.
Funding that does not depend on SEND
Some post-16 funding is separate from SEND funding but may still help young people with additional needs. This includes 16 to 19 bursary funding.
Disadvantage funding
Post-16 providers also receive disadvantage funding. This supports learners who need extra help due to economic disadvantage or low prior attainment in English and maths.
Providers decide how to use this funding to support learners.
Managing post-16 SEND funding
The 16 to 19 funding formula is fixed by the Department for Education and is paid straight to providers.
We co-produce our approach with schools, colleges, parent carers and partners to make sure high needs funding is used in a fair and transparent way. Find out more on our Schools Forum page.
We manage individual SEND funding through the Inclusion Funding Panel, where SEND officers submit evidence based requests that are reviewed by finance staff and senior leaders to make sure support is appropriate and offers good value, with final approval by the Service Director.
For more detail about how decisions are made and how partners work together, read our planning support together page.