EAL funding 2015-16

For 2015-16 the government has identified a minimum funding level for this EAL factor within its calculations for identifying the sums which should be made available to local authorities. Click here for more information

• The minimum funding levels for English as an additional language 2015-16 will be: Primary £466 Secondary £1,130
• This minimum funding level will apply to pupils with EAL who entered the English state school system in the past three years. DfE (July 2014): Fairer schools funding: arrangements for 2015 to 2016

However there is no compulsion for local authorities to include an EAL factor, nor for the value of this to be at the minimum level or above

Under the current system, there is no accountability mechanism regarding schools' use of this funding. Schools are not required to use this funding to meet the needs of bilingual pupils. This contrasts with the requirement on schools to fully account for their use of pupil premium funding annually and to evaluate its impact.

The local schools forum continues to be allowed to 'de-delegate' LA maintained school funds to finance a local specialist EAL service.