Additional Financial Guidance
Parent's and carers may want to undertake expert advice from a professional – someone who knows your individual circumstances and who therefore knows what you want to achieve. It may even be advisable to consult more than one expert.
The information given below is provided for informative purposes. Slindon College is not able to give specific advice or guidance for individuals.
Potential Sources of Financial Support
Trusts
The Educational Trusts' Forum is an association of educational trusts that work together and individually to provide financial grants to help young people, through supporting their home circumstances and facilitating a good education. Each member charity is independent and has its own criteria for making awards. In some circumstances there will be a pooling of resources between two or more trusts to assist an approved applicant.
Royal National Children's Springboard Foundation is a charity providing disadvantaged and vulnerable young people with the opportunity of a fully funded boarding school education.
The aim of the School Fees Charitable Trust is to help parents who are unable to pay their school fees because of genuine hardship, arising from a sudden and unforeseen change of circumstance over the past 12 months. The School Fees Charitable Trust is funded by the School Fees Insurance product, grants are awarded by a board of trustees and are made to cover the final year of GCSEs, A Levels or equivalent exams. In exceptional circumstances, the Trustees may consider making a grant for a longer period.
Buttle UK is a charity dedicated to helping children and young people who are in crisis reach their potential by providing small but targeted and effective interventions via our Chances for Children Grants. These grants can range from a single item, to larger, more comprehensive grants of up to £2,000 to help remove the material barriers to education, training or wellbeing that a child or young person may be facing. The charity also runs the Boarding Chances for Children Project with the Education Endowment Foundation and the Department for Education. To read more about this click here.
Other trusts cover particular geographical areas, some particular areas of the curriculum such as technology, and others cover industry sectors such as the Motor Trade, Pharmaceuticals, Textile industry or the Navy.
Trusts receive numerous applications for assistance. They are generally more receptive in situations where parents encounter difficulties some years into their son’s privately funded schooling, putting pre-existing school placements in jeopardy, particularly in GCSE years. Many of the grants are modest in size.
Family and Friends
Close family friends, relatives and especially grandparents are often able and willing to help. If funds are available, trusts can be established. Equity in houses can be released.
Local Authority
An Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) is provided by local authorities and outlines any special educational needs a child has, and the provision a local authority must put in place to help them.
Funding from an EHCP may be granted to cover all or part of the child’s school fees. Additional funding may be granted to cover transport, therapy and other costs. Fees payable by local authorities are negotiated separately to reflect the cost of the specific provision agreed under the EHCP and the terms of the contract under which the child is placed.
The Education needs and additional support funded through EHCPs is formally reviewed annually, with review documents submitted to the SEND team at the awarding local authority. Local Authorities do not fund Supplementary Charges.
Slindon College is an approved provider for a number of local authorities including West Sussex, Hampshire, Brighton & Hove, Surrey and some London borough local authorities such as Croydon, Hackney and Slough.
West Sussex Local Offer:
There are charities and support services available to help parents navigate the SEND system and Local Authority process.
Special Needs Jungle
Aim to inform, educate and empower families of children with SEND to self-advocate confidently, so their children get the help they need to live the best life they can.
SOS!SEN
Concentrate on helping people to find their way through the legal and procedural maze for those who try to obtain satisfactory provision for a child’s special needs.
IPSEA
Provides children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities, and their families and carers, to get the appropriate education, training and support.
For more information contact your Local Authority.
More information about Fees.
More information about Supplementary Charges.
More information about Bursaries and Scholarships.
