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by SEN Parent Support Group

If you’ve ever tried to understand how SEND funding actually works in schools, you’ll know it can feel like trying to read a map with half the landmarks missing. Parents are often told, “We don’t have the funding”, “Your child doesn’t meet the threshold”, or “We need to use our notional budget first” but rarely does anyone explain what that really means.

This blog breaks it down clearly:
What the notional SEND budget is
When and how schools can access top‑up funding
How funding works once a child has an EHCP

Let’s make the system make sense.

1. The Notional SEND Budget: What Schools Must Use First

Every mainstream school in England receives a pot of money called the notional SEND budget. Despite the name, it’s not imaginary it’s a real part of the school’s core funding, but it isn’t ring‑fenced. That means schools must plan to use it for SEND, but they don’t have to show where every pound went.

What is it for?

The notional budget is intended to cover the first £6,000 of additional support a child needs per year, before any extra funding can be requested.

This includes things like:

• Differentiated teaching
• Small‑group interventions
• In‑class support
• Staff training
• Low‑level specialist resources
• Pastoral or emotional support

Where does OAP fit in?

Schools must use this budget to meet needs under Ordinarily Available Provision (OAP) the baseline level of support that every mainstream school is expected to provide without needing extra funding.

If a child needs more than what OAP reasonably covers, the school must evidence:

• What they’ve already put in place
• Why it isn’t enough
• What additional provision is required

This evidence becomes crucial for the next stage.

2. Top‑Up Funding: When the Notional Budget Isn’t Enough

If a child’s needs exceed what the school can provide from the notional budget, the school can apply for top‑up funding (sometimes called “Element 3 funding”).

This is where many parents get stuck, because schools often say:

• “We can’t apply yet”
• “We need more evidence”
• “Your child doesn’t meet the criteria”

But here’s the truth:

Top‑up funding is needs‑led, not diagnosis‑led.
If the child needs more than £6,000 worth of provision, the school must apply. Needs are covered by the Equalities Act 2010 and the Children and Families Act 2014.

What does top‑up funding cover?

• Higher levels of TA support
• Specialist interventions
• 1:1 support
• Specialist equipment
• Therapeutic input
• Intensive pastoral support
• Provision written into an IEP or support plan

How does the school apply?

Each Local Authority has its own process, but typically the school must submit:

• Evidence of OAP already delivered
• The child’s IEP/support plan
• Assessments and progress data
• Costed provision maps
• Professional reports (if available)

Top‑up funding can be granted with or without an EHCP something many parents are never told.

However, top‑up funding alone is not legally enforceable. That’s where EHCPs come in.

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3. EHCP Funding: How It Works and Why It Matters

An Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) is the only legally binding way to secure the provision a child needs.

Once an EHCP is issued:

• The school still contributes the first £6,000 from its notional budget
• The Local Authority must fund all provision in Section F above that level
• Funding follows the child, not the school

Why EHCP funding is different

Top‑up funding is discretionary.
EHCP funding is statutory.

That means:

• It cannot be removed without a lawful review
• It must be delivered exactly as written
• It must be funded regardless of school budget pressures

What does EHCP funding cover?

Everything in Section F, including:

• 1:1 support
• Specialist teaching
• Therapies (SaLT, OT, mental health support)
• Specialist equipment
• Alternative provision
• Training for staff
• Named interventions
• Personalised curriculum adjustments

If it’s in Section F, it must be funded and delivered.

What if the school says they can’t afford it?

Legally, that is not the parent’s problem.
The Local Authority must ensure the provision is funded and delivered even if the school is struggling financially.

Putting It All Together

Here’s the journey in simple terms:

Stage	Who Funds It?	What It Covers
OAP / Notional Budget	School	First £6,000 of SEND support; universal and targeted provision
Top‑Up Funding	Local Authority	Additional support beyond £6,000; based on need, not diagnosis
EHCP Funding	Local Authority (statutory)	All provision in Section F; legally enforceable

Parents are often made to feel like they’re asking for too much.
But the law is clear: funding must follow need.

If your child needs more than OAP can provide, the school must seek top‑up funding.
If your child needs provision that goes beyond what top‑up can reliably secure, an EHCP becomes essential.

You are not being “difficult” you are advocating for your child’s legal entitlement.

Below you will find 3 different provision maps for reference:

Example: Costed Provision Map (Mainstream School)

Illustrating how support is costed across OAP, Top‑Up Funding, and EHCP provision.

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Pupil Profile (Example)

Name: “Child A”
Year Group: 4
Primary Needs: ASD, sensory processing differences, communication needs
Current Status: SEN Support (no EHCP yet)
Funding Stage: Exceeding OAP → School applying for Top‑Up Funding

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1. Ordinarily Available Provision (OAP) – Covered by School Notional Budget (£6,000)

Provision	Frequency	Staff	Cost per Week	Annual Cost	Notes
Differentiated curriculum	Daily	Class teacher	£0 (core duty)	£0	Universal entitlement
Visual supports, now/next boards	Daily	TA	£5	£190	Low‑cost resources + TA time
Small‑group literacy intervention	3× weekly (30 mins)	TA	£18	£684	Standard intervention
Sensory breaks	3× daily (5 mins)	TA	£10	£380	Included in OAP
Social skills group	Weekly (30 mins)	TA	£6	£228	Included in OAP
Staff CPD: ASD strategies	Termly	SENCO	£50	£150	School‑funded training
Pastoral check‑ins	Daily	TA	£10	£380	Emotional regulation support

Total OAP Cost: £2,012
(Still within the school’s expected £6,000 contribution)

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2. Additional Provision Exceeding OAP – School Requests Top‑Up Funding

These are needs that cannot be met within the notional budget.

Provision	Frequency	Staff	Cost per Week	Annual Cost	Why It Exceeds OAP
1:1 support for transitions	2× daily (10 mins)	TA	£20	£760	High‑need supervision
1:1 emotional regulation support	3× weekly (20 mins)	TA	£18	£684	Intensive, individualised
Personalised sensory programme	Daily	TA + SENCO	£15	£570	Specialist input
Speech & Language (SaLT) programme delivery	3× weekly (20 mins)	TA	£18	£684	Requires trained staff
SENCO oversight (casework + liaison)	Weekly (30 mins)	SENCO	£25	£950	Above typical SENCO allocation

Total Additional Cost: £3,648
Total Cost (OAP + Additional): £5,660

School can evidence that needs exceed OAP and justify a Top‑Up Funding request.

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3. If an EHCP Is Issued – Section F Costed Provision Example

Once an EHCP is in place, all provision in Section F becomes statutory and must be funded by the Local Authority.

Section F Provision	Frequency	Staff	Cost per Week	Annual Cost	Notes
1:1 support (mornings)	15 hrs weekly	TA	£225	£8,550	Core provision
SaLT direct therapy	2× monthly (45 mins)	SaLT	£60	£720	Specialist input
SaLT programme delivery	Daily (15 mins)	TA	£15	£570	Must be specified & quantified
OT sensory integration plan	Termly	OT	£120	£360	LA‑funded
OT programme delivery	Daily (10 mins)	TA	£10	£380	Must be delivered exactly as written
Social communication intervention	Weekly (45 mins)	Specialist teacher	£40	£1,520	Specialist provision
Personalised curriculum	Daily	Teacher	£0	£0	Part of teaching duty
Staff training (ASD, sensory needs)	Termly	SENCO/External	£50	£150	Must be funded if required to deliver Section F

Total EHCP Provision Cost: £12,250
LA funds everything above the school’s £6,000 contribution.

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Summary Table

Funding Stage	Who Pays?	What It Covers	Example Annual Cost
OAP / Notional Budget	School	First £6,000 of SEND support	£2,012 (example)
Top‑Up Funding	LA	Needs exceeding OAP	£3,648 (example)
EHCP Funding	LA (statutory)	All Section F provision	£12,250 (example)

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Blogs that may be of further interest on this topic:

SEND Budget Announcement – Dec 25′ – SEN Parent Support Group

Don’t Wait: Trigger the Graduated Approach Or Watch Your Child Fall Behind – SEN Parent Support Group