Pre-16 schools funding: local authority guidance for 2024 to 2025
Source: gov.uk (2025-10-21)

Local authority guidance for implementing the funding system for the 2024 to 2025 financial year

The Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) closed on 31 March 2025. All activity has moved to the Department for Education (DfE). You should continue to follow this guidance.

Schools revenue funding operational guide: 2024 to 2025

Local authorities and schools forums should use this guidance to plan the local implementation of the funding system for the 2024 to 2025 financial year.

Growth and falling rolls fund guidance: 2024 to 2025

Local authorities should use this guidance when setting up funds for growth or falling rolls. The guidance includes examples of approved criteria.

The notional SEN budget: operational guidance

This guidance has been written to help local authorities comply with the notional SEN budget requirement. Local authorities are required to identify a notional amount to guide mainstream schools in their spending to meet the costs of additional support for the school’s pupils with special educational needs.

Disapplication proforma: 2024 to 2025

There is now a digital form for all disapplication requests and it is important that local authorities complete all relevant forms before submitting. Further guidance is available in local authority disapplication request: completing the form (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pre-16-schools-funding-local-authority-guidance-for-2024-to-2025/guidance-for-completing-the-disapplications-form).

All safety valve local authorities should contact xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx) to discuss the appropriate route for submitting requests before proceeding.

Please refer to the movements between blocks section (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pre-16-schools-funding-local-authority-guidance-for-2024-to-2025/schools-operational-guide-2024-to-2025#movements-between-blocks) for further information on block transfer requests, including details of the supporting evidence we would expect to be submitted as part of the request.

Allowable factor value ranges: 2024 to 2025

We have published a spreadsheet which shows the allowable factor value ranges for each local authority in 2024 to 2025.

Further information

Read the high needs funding 2024 to 2025: operational guide (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/high-needs-funding-arrangements-2024-to-2025) for information for local authorities, schools and colleges about high needs funding arrangements for the 2024 to 2025 financial and academic year.

You can read the national funding formula for schools and high needs (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-funding-formula-tables-for-schools-and-high-needs-2024-to-2025) for further details of the NFF funding system for 2024 to 2025.

View the provisional national funding formula allocation tables (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-funding-formula-tables-for-schools-and-high-needs-2024-to-2025) for schools, high needs and central school services blocks for 2024 to 2025.

Read the schools operational guide: 2023 to 2024 (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pre-16-schools-funding-local-authority-guidance-for-2023-to-2024) for information about planning the local implementation of the funding system for the 2023 to 2024 financial year.

The authority proforma tool (APT) is designed to support local authorities in modelling different options for their funding formulae. It is also how local authorities submit details of their schools funding formulae to us, in accordance with arrangements set out by the Secretary of State for Education. The information submitted in the APT also allows us to calculate academy budgets and recoupment deductions to dedicated schools grant allocations. The APT for 2024 to 2025 (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/how-to-complete-the-authority-proforma-tool-apt-2024-to-2025) is now available for local authorities to download.