Operational Funding

What is Operational Funding? 

• Operational funding is the money provided directly to the board of trustees at state and state-integrated schools to cover their operating costs.
  It can be used at the board’s discretion.

• Operational funding does not include funding for major property costs, school transport, and the salaries of teachers employed as part of the school’s staffing entitlement. These resources are provided separately.

• Funding is paid quarterly in a bulk grant directly to the board’s bank account, and although the grant is made up of various components, boards are free to decide how the grant should be spent. Funds may be used within the current year or carried over for future years.

• The funding year starts on 1st January and ends on 31st December. Quarterly funding instalments are paid in advance at the beginning of each funding period. 

Entitlement 

• A provisional entitlement notice is issued in mid-September for the next year. This entitlement is calculated using the predicted roll for the following year submitted with the current year’s 1st July roll return via ENROL.

• A new entrant factor for primary schools is added to assist schools to meet the needs of new entrants enrolling throughout the year. Where a July roll is used a new entrant factor of 5/18” Year 1 students is used.

• The annual funding entitlement for primary schools is based on the actual July roll, and for intermediate schools, it is based on the actual March roll.

• Funding for January (OAG1) is generally based on the roll predicted by the school; April (OAG2) is based on the student numbers submitted via ENROL on 1st March; usually, there is no adjustment for pupil numbers for July (OAG3).

• Students numbers submitted via ENROL on 1st July are used to recalculate funding for the October instalment (OAG4). 

 For more information download our handy guide below.