Agenda and minutes

The Chair reminded Members of the need to declare any knows interests in any matter to be considered at the meeting. No declarations were made.

The Chair advised that Andrew Henstridge, a valued member of Schools Forum, had sadly recently died. The Chair, together with Rhian Cockwell expressed her and Schools Forum’s condolences to Andrew’s family and members were asked to keep the school and his family in their prayers. Rhian Cockwell reflected on his life and work within the community and confirmed that he would be greatly missed by all.

To receive the minutes of the meeting held on 19^th January 2021.

Resolved – That the minutes of the meeting held on 19^th January 2021 be confirmed and signed as a correct record.

The Chair welcomed Graham Davis, Andy Steel, Debbie Brown and Jacqui Watt to the Forum. She also confirmed that new nominations will be sought for secondary (James Povoas), Early Years (Jo Morris Golds) and Governor (Ray Williams) representatives as they were coming towards the end of their current tenure.

Resolved – That the Head of Access and School Partnerships be requested to review membership and update the Committee at the next meeting of the Forum.  

No public questions were asked or submitted for this meeting.

The Strategic Commissioner: Early Years and Childcare submitted a report regarding the consultation undertaken and advised members that the early years funding rates paid to providers during 21/22 need to be agreed. She explained that this was the follow-up from discussions undertaken at the last Schools Forum meeting. The Forum noted that early years and childcare providers positively engaged in this consultation, resulting in an increase of respondents by 96% from the 20/21 consultation exercise. They further noted that 95% of the 3 and 4 year old funding from the government was passed to early years providers. The Strategic Commissioner: Early Years and Childcare advised that 85% of funding must be passed onto providers as a base rate, with the remaining 10% available to be allocated as supplements.

Resolved – (1) That  following consultation with Early Years and Childcare providers for the 3 and 4 year old funding rate, Schools Forum support Option 1 (no change - continue to apply flexibility supplement to pay same rate currently paid resulting in forecast deficit of £248,348).

(2) That Schools Forum notes:

a)      That further consultation will be carried out around inclusion funding.

b)      The existing funding model will be retained until at least September 2021.

The Head of Access and School Partnerships and the Head of Finance: Children Services submitted a joint report updating members on the 2021-22 budget relating to the Schools block and the Central School Services Block. The Head of Finance: Children Services referred to the 2020-21 budget monitoring position and confirmed that the overall value of the 2020-21 retained Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) budget was £37.862m. This was based on information available at the end of December 2020. It was noted that the projected out-turn position was forecast to be £3.167mabove the overall budget. The Forum heard that the pressure included a £2.38m pressure relating to High Needs Tops ups and Post 16 High Needs provision and that the forecast was based on known and agreed placements as at the end of December 2020. The Head of Finance: Children Services explained that this figure included a budgeted High Needs deficit of £1.469m. There was also a £0.786m pressure relating to Early Years. This was due to additional costs to support the Early Years settings through sustainability payments due to Covid-19. The brought forward deficit was £1.679m and the in-year deficit was £3.167m, resulting in a total DSG forecast deficit of £4.846m.

The Head of Finance: Children Services referred to the 2021-22 schools block budget and discussed the options agreed at Schools Forum at their meeting on 8^th December 2020.  She drew attention to the differences between the National Funding Formula, the Local agreed funding formula for the 2021-22 and the values of the Local formula for 2020-21. She advised that on the 11^th February 2021, a letter was received from the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) who advised that following the disapplication request, the Minister had rejected the request. The Minister acknowledged that this was the first year Swindon was in a deficit and encouraged the Local Authority to work more collaboratively with Schools Forum and other key stakeholders to improve engagement and gain support.

The Head of Finance: Children Services also appraised members of the Central Schools Service Block Budget 2021-22. It was noted that there were currently 24 maintained schools with 7,073 pupils and that based on the agreed rate, the contribution for the Education Function Charge from Maintained schools for 2021-22 would be £120.2k. 

The Head of Access and School Partnerships gave a presentation on the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) recovery plan (attached). The presentation sets out the impact of the disapplication decision and the need to agree activities for the recovery plan, with potential investment from the High Needs block. School Forum were asked to volunteer to sit on further task and finish groups to work on the detailed actions set out in the DSG recovery plan strategy in January 2021 in line with the Minister recommendations.

The Head of Access and School Partnerships responded to questions regarding the following: 

·        The working relationship between the Inclusion Forum and Special Educations Needs Resourcing and Assessment Panel (SENRAP).

·        How the work of the Special Educational  ...  view the full minutes text for item 35.

The Head of Statutory SEND Services: Children Services and the Head of Finance: Children Services submitted a joint report updating members on the 2020-21 and 2021-22 High Needs budget position. The Head of Statutory SEND Services: Children Services gave a presentation (attached).  She drew attention to the monitoring position and referred to movement since the last report. She drew attention to the forecasts of the High Needs top ups, High Needs contingency, Post 16 provision and school exclusions that saw a reduction of £117k in funding from schools due to the pandemic and resulting national lockdowns.  With regards to the High Needs Budget for 2021-22, it was noted that the net movement since the January estimate was a reduction in forecast (from £1.373m to £1.283m).

The Head of Statutory SEND Services: Children Services confirmed that as part of the Department for Education’s review of the high needs national funding formula, a six-week consultation was launched on 10 February 2021. This was due to close on 24 March 2021.

The consultation also contained questions that were linked to the SEND review currently underway. Schools Forum noted that the review aimed to address some of the challenges faced in implementing the reforms and improve the services available. She explained that the SEND Strategic Board was submitting a response on behalf of the Local Authority and recommended that a small task group of Schools Forum members be set up to review the consultation questions and subsequently to submit it on behalf of the Forum.  

Schools Forum further noted that the F40 group will also be submitting a response to the consultation.

Resolved – (1) That Schools Forum notes:

a)      That the latest projection on the 2020-21 High Needs budget is a forecast out-turn position of £2.55m deficit. 

b)      The High Needs block budget for 2021-22 is £38.787m.

c)      That the High Needs block will have a built in deficit for 2021-22 of £1.283m.

d)      That there is currently a High Needs National funding consultation.

(2) That Schools Forum will align with the Local Authority and the F40 group in its submission of a response to the High Needs National funding consultation.  

(3) That the Chair leads on the small task group of Schools Forum members to be set up to prepare a response to the consultation.

The Director: Inclusion and Achievement referred to the information cascaded to members prior to the meeting regarding the F40 group (details here).  She explained that the F40 group was launched more than 20 years ago with the aim of influencing significant change in the way government allocates funding to local authorities and schools. The group is made up of 42 local authorities who are among the lowest funded for education in England. She referred to the four activities of the F40 group.  These were:

1.      Changes to the National Funding Formula to make it fairer, more easily understood and transparent. 

2.      At least £5.5b additional school funding (above full inflation increases) in 2022/23, for Early Years, Primary, Secondary, 16-19, and High Needs up to age 25. 

3.      A guaranteed rolling, three-year funding programme to enable education providers to budget ahead.

4.      Schools recompensed for Covid expenses relating to additional teacher costs, a reduction in nursery attendance, heating and cleaning, PPE, and extra learning and catering resources, with 75% of lost income met.

She explained that Swindon was not the only authority with a deficit and referred to the work being undertaken by the group. She drew attention to the documents circulated before the meeting and hoped that they would help the task group in its completion of the High Needs National funding consultation document. The Director: Inclusion and Achievement concluded by confirming that she will cascade information from the F40 group to all members and she would welcome any thoughts, suggestions, recommendations, or feedback members would like her to bring up at future F40 meetings.

An updated list of actions is included with these minutes.

The Forum received an updated report advising on the status of outstanding issues and requests for information.

Resolved – That the report on the status of outstanding issues and Group requests for information be noted.

Here are the provisional dates for the meetings during the next Municipal year. These will be presented to Annual Council in May 2021 for confirmation.

·         6^th July 2021

·         12^th October 2021

·         18^th January 2022

·         1^st March 2022

Please note that an extra meeting has been set up to review the Dedicated Schools Grant – Funding Principals and related items. This has been provisionally set for 7^th December 2021.