A message from Christine McInnes:

23 January 2026 weekly update

23 January 2026

This week, Christine updates on the DfE budget announcement, the process for mainstream top up for EHCPs and the CYP Neurodiversity Transformation Steering Group.

Dear Colleagues,

DfE budget announcement - clarification

Per head Primary and Secondary School funding is set to increase for most schools by around 2% whilst the High Needs Block has been frozen at 2025-26 levels. Some of the consideration of the implications can be seen in this week’s CYPE Committee report – link below.

Update on the process for mainstream top up for Education Health and Care Plans (EHCP)

This note relates to funding arrangements for children with EHCPs in mainstream schools only (it does not relate to funding of children in a Specialist Resource Provision or Special School).

KCC is currently engaged with schools in the implementation of a new funding system to support our collective SEND duties. Since September 2025, an interim process has been in place to determine the funding contribution to schools for children with an EHCP. This quick guide summarises how the interim process is working and what schools should expect as the development of the new banding model continues.

Future process: banding system update

We had originally intended to put forward proposals to transition to a new banding system to determine future funding contributions for children with an ECHP in mainstream schools from 2026, however we have decided to delay the proposals for any further changes in mainstream funding arrangement until after the DfE has announced their future SEN reforms (expected in the Spring). In the meantime, we will continue to pilot the use of the Banding system with the intention of consulting on our future approach during 2026/27.

As a result, the interim process is expected to be in place until August 2027 (subject to future Department of Education (DFE) announcements and requirements). This is an extension to dates previously communicated.

This is a developing system and the Council will continue to respond and refine the process during this period. Our aim over the next 18 months is to further embed the new Community of Schools model and provide stability over current arrangements. We are planning on keeping areas of change to a minimum, but will continue to respond to issues as they arise. Based on feedback we have received from schools, areas of possible refinement include: circumstances where a protected payment may be amended and whether further protections to small schools (to be defined) should be provided.

Summary of the Interim Process for mainstream top-up funding:

Date EHCP was issued	Process for mainstream top-up funding
EHCP issued prior to December 2024	Schools will continue to be paid based on a protected payment until August 2027. Where the protected payment is greater than £6,000 this funding will follow the child if there is a change in mainstream school. Where the protected payment is funded from the Community budget (less than £6,000) this has been protected at 75% for 2025-26 academic year. The level of protection for 2026-27 is under review and we are taking on feedback from our Schools Funding Forum to inform our approach.
EHCP issued since December 2024	The Council will review the ECHP and estimate the Council’s contribution if assessed under the old top-up arrangement (schools are still expected to meet at least the first £6,000 of additional support). If the Council’s contribution is assessed to be under £6,000 schools will be advised to consider their whole school offer in delivering the requirements of the EHCP and, if required further support can be sought through the Professional Resource Group or your local Community (please note, Community of Schools can consider either group or individual requests for financial support). If the Council’s contribution is assessed to over £6,000 schools will be paid directly by the Council. Schools will receive an email confirming outcome of the funding review. Please note, schools are not expected to provide any further information. Please note, we are working through EHCPs in a priority order and so schools may not yet have received a communication (see below).

Date EHCP was issued

Process for mainstream top-up funding

EHCP issued prior to December 2024

Schools will continue to be paid based on a protected payment until August 2027.

Where the protected payment is greater than £6,000 this funding will follow the child if there is a change in mainstream school.

Where the protected payment is funded from the Community budget (less than £6,000) this has been protected at 75% for 2025-26 academic year. The level of protection for 2026-27 is under review and we are taking on feedback from our Schools Funding Forum to inform our approach.

EHCP issued since December 2024

The Council will review the ECHP and estimate the Council’s contribution if assessed under the old top-up arrangement (schools are still expected to meet at least the first £6,000 of additional support).

If the Council’s contribution is assessed to be under £6,000 schools will be advised to consider their whole school offer in delivering the requirements of the EHCP and, if required further support can be sought through the Professional Resource Group or your local Community (please note, Community of Schools can consider either group or individual requests for financial support).
If the Council’s contribution is assessed to over £6,000 schools will be paid directly by the Council.

Schools will receive an email confirming outcome of the funding review. Please note, schools are not expected to provide any further information. Please note, we are working through EHCPs in a priority order and so schools may not yet have received a communication (see below).

Further information relating to the Interim Process for determining Mainstream Top Up allocation for children with a new EHCP since December 2024:

Prioritisation

To date, priority has been made to process new plans issued since December 2024, where schools have not previously been in receipt of any funding support. They have been prioritised in the order that the EHCP has been issued. Schools will receive a communication from the local authority confirming the outcome of the review. Where funding is agreed, this will be back dated to either September 2025, or the date the EHCP was issued, whichever is later.

Our next priority group is to review new plans issued since December 2024, who are currently in receipt of community protection payments. Schools should expect to receive a communication as to whether the children will receive a direct allocation from the Council in due course.

As the process becomes more established we are expecting plans to be reviewed at a swifter pace. Conversations about further refinements are ongoing with the Schools’ Funding Forum and further updates will be provided as when further decisions are made.

Committee Meetings

This week I attended Children and Young People’s Cabinet Committee on Tuesday 20 January, the reports are available online and included these agenda items:

Draft Capital Programme 2026-36, Revenue Budget 2026-27 and Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP) 2026-29 (pages 15 to 22)
Performance monitoring (pages 23 to 84)
Proposal to remove Specialist Resourced Provision from River Primary School (pages 85 to 104)
Proposal to increase the capacity at Ebbsfleet Green Primary School (pages 105 to 122)
Best Start Family Hubs Programme grant award (pages 123 to 136)
Special Educational Needs (SEN) funding - 2026-27 payment uplifts (pages 137 to 146).

Scrutiny Committee took place on Thursday 22 January and the agenda included:

SEND Scrutiny - Education Health and Care Plans (deferred from 25 November 2025) (pages 11 to 48)
Short focused inquiry - water quality and supply (pages 49 to 54)
Draft Revenue Budget 2026-27, Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP) 2026-29, Draft Capital Programme 2026-2036, and Draft Treasury Management Strategy (pages 55 to 152).

All the reports are available online

CYP Neurodiversity Transformation Steering Group Meeting

I was really pleased to join this unique multi-agency meeting which has been driving and maintaining an oversight of this joint health and KCC transformation programme. The materials on the Kent NHS website only makes reference to This is me which is one strand of the programme and you may be more familiar with PINS and AET training. Do have a look at the website as there is a wide range of materials including for pupils and parents.

This is a significant transformation programme focused on early identification and intervention in mainstream schools and I look forward to sharing more later in the term.

And finally…

Many of you have instigated phone bans and I am aware discussions have been ongoing within school communities and with government for some time. Last night the House of Lords passed a late amendment to the children’s wellbeing and schools bill to include a clause that would force ministers to enact a social media ban for under-16s. The Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer will now consider whether the bill should include the amendment when the bill passes back to the Commons.

Best wishes

Christine McInnes
Interim Corporate Director, Children, Young People and Education