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How schools are funded

Get a whistle-stop tour of how your school is funded, including what additional streams of funding are available, so you're clear on what elements make up your school finances.

Last reviewed on 10 January 2023See updates
School types: All•School phases: All•Ref: 41151
Contents
  1. The national funding formula (NFF)
  2. Mainstream schools additional grant for 2023-24
  3. How maintained special schools are funded
  4. Other streams of funding

As a governor, you don't need to understand the intricacies of how schools are funded or how funding formulas work. 

However, the board is responsible for financial oversight of the school. This overview will help you understand your school's financial position. 

The national funding formula (NFF)

Note: this section applies to mainstream schools only – if you're in a special school, your funding is allocated differently (see the section below).

LAs allocate your school's core budget using a local funding formula

Local funding formulas are decided in collaboration with your local schools forum (a