For Head Teachers and SENCOs of Mainstream Schools

This briefing gives information on how CRISP will be used to allocate

‘Top Up’ in a mainstream school and resource base provision, from

1st

April 2014 that ensures consistency with the National School

Funding Model.

Summary

Nationally, schools are expected to fund the initial £6000 of additional SEN support from

their notional SEN budgets. Pupils whose needs cost more can access TOP UP from the LA.

CRISP is used to allocate TOP UP in Birmingham mainstream schools. From 1st

April 2014

the ‘whole CRISP’ will be used to determine TOP UP, over and above the notional SEN £6000

threshold, for individual pupils.

From 1st

April 2014 a new CRISP calculator will be available on SENCoZone and at

accesstoeducation.birmingham.gov.uk

The context

Following implementation of the School Funding Reforms (April 2013) the way in which SEN

funding was allocated to schools and individual pupils changed significantly. The reforms

meant that mainstream schools became responsible for funding high incidence, low cost

SEN provision from their delegated budgets using their AWPU element (assumed nationally

at £4,000 per pupil) and up to £6,000 per pupil from their notional SEN budget. This

includes support for those with and without a statement of special educational need.

The LA retained TOP UP funding for those children with the highest needs (i.e. requiring

more than £6000 of additional SEN support). In most cases TOP UP has only been available

for those with a statement of special educational needs.

CRISP

CRISP is nationally recognised as an effective model to assess need, determine provision and

allocate resources. From April 2013 CRISP has been used to allocate TOP UP funding,

although it is now recognised that the way in which it was applied is inconsistent with the

national model.

The LAs allocation of TOP UP since April 2013 was based on those CRISP bands and threads

that Birmingham Schools would ‘traditionally’ recognise as signalling high cost, low

incidence need (i.e. Bands 4, 5 and/or 6 on threads 12, 13, 14 and 15 and band 6 on all other

threads – see figure 1). Applying Top Up in this way however meant that in a small number

of cases schools were able to access funds even though the total cost of supporting a child’s

SEN was under £6000 (for example where a child had one Band 4 ticked at Thread 13).

Conversely where a child only had high incidence low cost needs (i.e. Bands 4 and 5 on

threads 1-11 and/or 16-17) and the total cost of SEN support was over £6000 a school was

unable to claim for additional funds as all high incidence low cost needs funding had been

delegated to Birmingham Schools.

Moving forward

From April 1st

2014, CRISP will continue to be used to assess need, determine provision and

allocate TOP UP. However the LA will use the ‘whole CRISP’ to determine if Top Up is

required (i.e. needs assessed at Bands 4, 5 and/or 6 in all threads – see figure 2). Top Up

will be provided where the total cost of SEN support is above £6000. To provide a working

example if a CRISP record indicates that a child requires £8000 to support their SEN a school

will fund the first £6000 and receive £2000 ‘Top Up’ from the LA.

Using CRISP in this way ensures consistency with the national approach.

How to determine if TOP UP is available

Schools can use the CRISP calculator on SENCoZone and on the new A2E website

accesstoeducation.birmingham.gov.uk to determine if a CRISP profile reflects an allocation

of TOP UP funding (available from 1st

April 2014). The CRISP calculator clearly shows where

a school is required to fund the additional SEN support from their notional SEN budget (see

figure 3) and, where appropriate, how much would be available through TOP UP (see figure

4). For all new CRISP profiles, TOP UP will only be available for those children who have a

finalised statement of Special Educational Need. With regard to CRISP profiles that are

already within the system we are aware that due to previous SEN funding arrangements

some children will not have a statement of SEN but have support cost in excess of £6000.

Where this applies schools will receive the allocation of TOP UP funding without the need to

request a statement of SEN. This cohort of children, recognised as having high needs, will

need to be brought in line however in future years and will been included in the LAs

conversion to Education, Health and Care Plans.

How TOP UP will be paid

All schools should submit their CRISP profiles to SENAR via CRISP online. All CRISP profiles

will continue to require contribution with colleagues from appropriate support services

before they are agreed by SENAR. TOP UP is provided in ‘real time’ so begins when a

statement has been finalised and ends when a child leaves the school. For those children

who already have a statement of SEN and are eligible for TOP UP, funding will begin from

the 1st

April 2014. Schools will receive their TOP UP allocation on a termly basis.

For schools who have connectivity issues with BCC

The LA is working hard to re-connect a number of schools to CRISP online and SENCOzone.

Further information regarding an interim solution for connectivity to CRISP online will be

supplied in a separate briefing.

Review of CRISP funding rates

Following feedback from schools the LA will review CRISP funding rates with a view of

addressing the increase in complexity of need displayed by some children in mainstream

settings. The review will take place between now and the end of the summer term with

planned implementation of new funding rates from 1st

September 2014.

CRISP and Resource Base funding

CRISP will continue to be used to determine TOP UP funding allocations for resource base

provision. From 1st

April 2014 there will be no change, in that schools will receive allocation

based on the ‘whole’ CRISP to determine individual pupils TOP UP rates. Resource bases

also receive a block of place funding at the beginning of the financial year which equates to

£10,000 per commissioned place. Having secured support from Special School Heads to

implement a banded funding approach to determining TOP UP from April 2014, the LA will

look towards implementation of a banded funding approach in resource bases for 2015/16.

Where to go for more information

Colleagues in SENAR and Access to Education teams will be happy to talk you through the

changes outlined above. Additional information can be found on SENCoZone and on the

new A2E website at accesstoeducation.birmingham.gov.uk

Please note: This information does not apply to Birmingham’s high need funding

arrangements for nursery, special schools or Post 16 provision.

Simon Wellman

Head of Service

Please reply to: People Directorate Special Educational Needs Assessment and Review Telephone : 0121 303 1888 1 Lancaster Circus Facsimile : 0121 303 2668 P O Box 16289 Birmingham B2 2XN www.birmingham.gov.uk

Peter Hay, Strategic Director, People Directorate

Figure 1. Figure 2.

Thread 4 5 6 Thread 4 5 6

1 1

2 2

3 3

4 4

5 5

6 6

7 7

8 8

9 9

10 10

11 11

12 12

13H Hearing A 13H Hearing A

B B

13V Vision A 13V Vision A

B B

14 Fine Motor 14 Fine Motor

15 15

16 16

17 17

National Curriculum National Curriculum

Curriculum Plans Curriculum Plans

Classroom Organisation Classroom Organisation

Sensory Sensitivity Sensory Sensitivity

Assessment Assessment

Concentration Concentration

Understanding Language Understanding Language

Using Language Using Language

Interaction with Peers Interaction with Peers

Interaction with Adults Interaction with Adults

Emotional and behavioural Emotional and behavioural

Health and medical Health and medical

Gross Motor Gross Motor

Partnership with Parents Partnership with Parents

Recreation / Non-Teaching Recreation / Non-Teaching

From April 2013 ‘Top Up’ was allocated on CRISP bands and

threads that traditionally signalled high cost, low incidence

need (i.e. yellow boxes).

From 1st

April 2014 the ‘whole CRISP’ will determine if Top Up

is required. Top Up will only be provided where the total cost

of SEN support is above £6000.