Funding & Financial Benchmarking

Stormont's Financial Benchmarking Information

To see last years financial benchmarking information please click here.

How we are funded

Special schools are funded differently than mainstream schools, and so it is not straightforward to make comparisons of cost and value for money when comparing the two.

In terms of SEND funding, mainstream schools receive and amount per pupil/student, a lump sum (‘element 2’) for more commonly occurring (‘high frequency’) SEN and individual ‘top-up’ for students with an EHC plan.

All special schools are funded for an agreed number of places at £10,000 per year and then also receive a ‘top-up’ for each student while they are on roll at the school. The school receives the same level of top-up for each student unless there is an agreed significant temporary need for additional provision, or there is a medical condition, physical or other disability that requires additional long-term support.

In mainstream schools, funding from the EHC Plan often provides support that is additional or different than for the majority of students, typically by intervention or targeted adult support in class. In special schools, the majority of funding received support the universal provision for all students, which will be adaptive to their particular communication & interaction, cognition & learning, SEMH needs, physical and medical needs. Targeted and specialised interventions and provision are generally intended to be time-limited, though they make be cyclical. Some students have needs and/or disabilities that may require longer-term additional support.

The overall financial picture 2025-2026

The school continues to operate within a challenging national funding environment, where funding levels have not kept pace with rising costs. Careful financial planning and regular monitoring remain essential to ensure resources are used effectively to support pupils’ learning and wellbeing.

For the 2025–26 financial year, the school is currently forecasting a small in-year surplus. This reflects additional funding received during the year and the school’s cautious approach to spending, with priority given to essential staffing, teaching, and support services. When combined with funds carried forward from the previous year, the school remains in a stable financial position.

There are some ongoing financial uncertainties linked to wider pressures on local authority funding, particularly for special educational needs provision. The school is working closely with the Local Authority to manage these risks and ensure funding arrangements remain as secure as possible.

Maintaining a sustainable financial base remains a key priority. Financial decisions continue to be closely linked to curriculum planning, staffing, and pupil support, ensuring that available resources are focused on delivering high-quality education and care for all pupils.

 

Number of school employees with a gross annual salary of £120-£130,000: 1

Trade union facility time

Trade Union Facility time for maintained schools in Hackney is determined and paid for at local authority level. For the purposes of transparency this link takes you to the most recent dataset showing staff time allocated to trade union activities. https://hackney.gov.uk/transparency