Regulation 25 Split sites factorI1
England and Wales
In determining budget shares for primary and secondary schools (other than special schools, pupil referral units and nursery schools), excluding any amount to be allocated in respect of nursery classes or community early years provision in those schools, a local authority must determine additional funding for each school with a split site by calculating, for each of the school’s eligible sites other than the main site—
a basic eligibility factor; and
a distance funding factor,
and adding the two factors together.
The basic eligibility factor referred to in paragraph (1)(a) is a single per site sum determined by the local authority and applied to each of the school’s eligible sites up to a maximum of three sites.
The basic eligibility factor determined under paragraph (2) must be no more than 2.5% above or below the amount which would be produced by multiplying the basic eligibility factor set under the national funding formulaf1 (which for the financial year beginning with 1st April 2026 is £55,100) by the ACA applying in relation to the local authority in question, except where the local authority is a fringe authority, in which case the ACA used as the multiplier is the lowest ACA applying in relation to that local authority.
The distance funding factor referred to in paragraph (1)(b) must be calculated for each eligible site which is more than 100 metres by road from the main site, up to a maximum of three sites, according to the formula A x B where—
A is the distance weighting for each eligible site—
where a site is 500 metres or more by road from the main site, A = 1; and
where a site is less than 500 metres by road from the main site, A is calculated according to the formula 1 - ((500 - C) / 400) where C is the distance by road in metres from the main site; and
B is a single per site amount determined by the local authority.
The amount determined under paragraph (4)(b) must be no more than 2.5% above or below the amount which would be produced by multiplying the distance funding factor set under the national funding formulaf2 (which for the financial year beginning with 1st April 2026 is £27,600) by the ACA applying in relation to that local authority, except where the local authority is a fringe authority, in which case the ACA used as the multiplier is the lowest ACA applying in relation to that local authority.
Where a school has more than three split sites, the calculation of the distance funding factor in respect of each site must be based on the distance from the main site of each of the three sites which are furthest from the main site.
For the purposes of this regulation—
a school has an eligible split site if it has at least one site other than the main site which—
is separated from the school’s main site by a road or railway and can only be accessed by crossing or walking alongside the road or railway; and
has a building on it which is—
owned and maintained by the school; or
rented, controlled and maintained by the school; and
which is used, during the majority of school hours, for the education of 5- to 16-year old pupils attending the mainstream school; and
“road” means a road to which the public has 24-hour vehicular access.
Annotations
Commencement
- I1
Reg. 25 in force at 11.2.2026, see reg. 1(2)
Footnotes
- f1
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The national funding formula basic eligibility factor is referred to at paragraph 4.10 of the document entitled “Schools block national funding formula 2026 to 2027: technical note”, published on 19th November 2025, which can be found at https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6920955d25317fc65a5cfddc/2026-2027_NFF_schools_block_technical_note.pdf. A printed copy may also be inspected at the Department for Education, Sanctuary Buildings, Great Smith Street, London SW1P 3BT upon request.
- f2
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The national funding formula distance funding factor is referred to at paragraph 4.10 of the document entitled “Schools block national funding formula 2026 to 2027: technical note”, published on 19th November 2025, which can be found at https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6920955d25317fc65a5cfddc/2026-2027_NFF_schools_block_technical_note.pdf. A printed copy may also be inspected at the Department for Education, Sanctuary Buildings, Great Smith Street, London SW1P 3BT upon request.