This money comes from the Schools block of the Designated Schools Grant (DGS).

Schools, academies and Free schools all get money for each pupil, based on actual pupil numbers. This is called the Age Weighted Pupil Unit (AWPU) and it is part of schools’ delegated funding. This is the amount of money that is allocated to schools for every pupil on roll. This varies according to age, so primary schools get a different rate to secondary schools.

The national average AWPU funding per pupil is about £4,000, but Local Authorities (LAs) are permitted to choose different rates. But, the minimum for primary (KS1 & KS2) is £2,000 per pupil, and minimum for secondary (KS3 & KS4) is £3,000 per pupil.

In Torbay the AWPU per pupil set for 2022-2023 for:

• primary aged pupils (key stages 1 & 2) at £3,217.00
• secondary aged pupils (key stage 3) at £4,536.00
• secondary aged pupils (key stage 4) at £5,112.00

This funding goes directly to schools, academies and free schools and is used to run the school and to provide support for all pupils (including those with Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities – SEND) so that they can achieve good quality learning outcomes through Quality First Teaching (QFT).

Some of this money is for general SEND provision for example the cost of providing the Special Educational Needs and Disability Coordinator (SENDCO) and some other resources.