Enfield Council is proposing to transfer 0.5% of its Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) Schools Block, equating to £1.656 million, to the High Needs Block for the 2026/27 financial year, pending approval from the Schools Forum. This move aims to provide additional support to mainstream schools and academies with a higher-than-average number of pupils with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs).
The transfer is intended to support mainstream schools with high numbers of pupils with Education, Health and Care plans.
The decision was discussed at the Schools Forum meeting on 3 December 2025, where members were asked to agree to the proposed transfer. According to the 2026/27 DSG Block Transfer report, the Department for Education (DfE) allows local authorities to transfer up to 0.5% of the Schools Block to another DSG block, subject to Schools Forum approval.
The council proposes allocating the funds outside the standard school funding formula, targeting mainstream schools and academies exceeding the average number of EHCP pupils. The allocation is based on £6,000 for each funded number above the average. The expected average used to allocate the funding is recalculated each year based on the agreed cash limit and number of EHCPs. The report clarified that the allocation methodology would remain consistent with previous years.
A consultation was conducted with schools regarding the proposed transfer. While a majority of the 23 respondents supported the move, some raised concerns about potential income loss for schools with low SEND needs and perceived disadvantages for schools with average EHCP numbers but high overall SEND numbers. The 2026/27 DSG Block Transfer report summarised these consultation responses, noting concerns about insufficient information on the proposal's impact, potential loss of income for schools with low SEND needs, and perceived disadvantages for schools with average EHCPs but high SEND numbers. The document does not specify how the council will address these concerns.
