Decision details

To consider the proposed funding allocation methodology for the DfE Teachers Pay Additional Grant funding to special schools and academies and pupil referral units for the 2023/24 and 2024/25 financial years. To approve the recommendation in respect of the funding allocation methodology to be used for the allocation of the grant to the special schools and academies and pupil referral units operating within North Yorkshire.

That the Teacher’s Pay Additional Grant (TPAG) funding is distributed to local authority maintained Special Schools and Alternative Provision and Special and Alternative Provision Academies based on the Department for Education (DfE) methodology used to distribute the funding to local authorities for the 2023/24 and 2024/25 financial years.

The DfE have announced the provision of £525 million to support schools with the September 2023 teachers’ pay award, with a further £900 million in the 2024/2025 financial year. This funding is being split between mainstream schools, special schools and alternative provision (AP), early years, and 16 to 19 provision. The split reflects relative pupil numbers, and core funding amounts, across these different types of provision. The funding is being allocated through the Teachers’ Pay Additional Grant (TPAG). For the 2023/24 financial year, funding through TPAG covers the 7-month period from September 2023 to March 2024. The TPAG will continue for the 2024/25 financial year. Funding allocations for 2024/2025 will be calculated by the DfE using twelve sevenths of the funding rates in 2023/2024. The DfE aim to incorporate the grant into core budget allocations for 2025/2026 as part of the schools and high needs national funding formula.

A funding consultation has been undertaken with special schools and AP schools (LA maintained and academies) on the methodology for the local authority distribution of the TPAG funding to these establishments for the 2023/24 and 2024/25 financial years.

Based on the consultation responses received from special schools and AP schools, it was recommended that the Teacher’s Pay Additional Grant (TPAG) funding is distributed to local authority maintained Special Schools and Alternative Provision and Special and Alternative Provision Academies based on the Department for Education (DfE) methodology.