Agenda and minutes

To elect a Vice-Chair for the duration of the 2022/23 academic year.

Proposed by Alan Chesters and seconded by Rob Earrey, Daniel Silverstone was elected as the Vice-Chair of Schools Forum for the duration of the 2022-23 academic year.

RESOLVED

THAT Daniel Silverstone be appointed as Vice-Chair of the Schools Forum for academic year 2022/23.

To agree the procedures for the operation of hybrid meetings.

RESOLVED

THAT the guidance be noted.

To note the Schools Forum membership list and any updates.

The following updates were given:

·       Deborah Isaacs was a new primary governor representative.

·       Jemima Wade should be recorded as a head teacher representative.

RESOLVED

THAT the membership list be noted.

Apologies had been received from Jane Hindle, Perina Holness, Councillor Boyland and Nick Smith.

There were no declarations.

Broadcast of the meeting

The Chair to announce the following: ‘In addition to the rights by law that the public and press have to record this meeting, I would like to remind everyone that this meeting is being broadcast live by the Council to the Internet and can be viewed on our website for twelve months after the meeting. After that time, webcasts are archived and can be made available upon request.

If you have asked to address the meeting, you are deemed to be consenting to having your contributions recorded and broadcast, including video when switched on, and to the use of those sound recordings and images for webcasting and/or training purposes.’

The Chair announced the following:

“In addition to the rights by law that the public and press have to record this meeting, I would like to remind everyone that this meeting is being broadcast live by the Council to the Internet and can be viewed on our website for six months after the meeting. After that time, webcasts are archived and can be made available upon request.

If you have asked to address the meeting, you are deemed to be consenting to being filmed and to the use of those images and sound recordings for webcasting and/or training purposes. If you are addressing the Committee your contribution will be recorded and broadcast.”

To consider and approve the minutes of the meeting held on 13 September 2022.

RESOLVED

THAT the minutes of the last meeting held on 13 September 2022 be approved as a correct record.

There was no urgent business.

To agree the updated Schools Forum terms of reference.

RESOLVED

THAT the updated terms of reference be agreed.

This report provides an overview of responses from primary and secondary schools in relation to proposals regarding the local funding formula for schools for 2023/24. These proposals were reported to the Forum at its September’s meeting. These proposals recommended, subject to any statutory National Funding Formula (NFF) requirements, no significant change to the formula and forum was favourable to the proposals presented. Schools Forum previously agreed the proposal subject to any significant objections from schools during the consultation period and that the responses should be reported back at next meeting. There were no significant number of requests from schools to change this during the consultation period. There was no significant number of responses to the general comments question as detailed in Appendix 2. However, any current and future comments will be passed on to the appropriate service for consideration and response. The Forum is now asked to confirm its earlier approval of the September 2022 consultation document.

Consideration was given to a report of the Head of Education Commissioning and School Organisation.

The Schools Budget Financial Advisor introduced the report. In addition to the report, he and the Interim Director of Education Commissioning outlined the following:

·       There was a low number of responses (as set out in Appendix 1). This was expected because it was a continuation of approach, with no change to the local formula for 2023/24, recommended.

·       In consideration of the comments from one school on section 2.7, it was noted that Camden’s allocation of budget for deprivation was more generous than the National Funding Formula (NFF) and in-line with other London authorities. If the Council was to provide more resources to the one school, having allocated already through the formula of deprivation, it would be counter to the Camden Education Strategy (Building Back Stronger).

The Chair thanked the Schools Budget Financial Advisor for the report and opened the Forum to comments and questions:

·       It was confirmed that in relation to section 2.7, the reference to deprivation in the report was not in relation to Pupil Premium, but graded levels of deprivation.

·       There was support from Forum Members of the disapplication of Early Years NFF and the need of support 2-year-old places. A Member noted that those schools still providing was at the cost of other parts of the school budget and that there may come a point it was not viable to continue.

·       It was raised by a Member that at the last meeting officers implied that the Government would need to react to inflationary pressures on schools budgets. Taking into account the turbulence since, he asked if the expectation had changed. In response, it was confirmed that the previously announced an increase in NFF would not change. As outlined at the previous meeting, however there are currently many changes within national Government and this may have implications for policies, which may include education. At this stage, it was difficult to predict further changes beyond those already confirmed.

RESOLVED

THAT The Schools Forum

a)    Confirm its acceptance of the formula proposals set out in the consultation report following the positive endorsement from the level of response and those schools that responded;

b)    Provide any additional comments on the proposals;

c)    Endorse to continue the agreement for the Early years team to apply to the Education Schools Funding Agency (ESFA) for a disapplication from the Early Years funding regulations on the calculation of the hourly rate for 3 and 4 year olds in order to continue to pay providers a sustainable rate for 2 year olds; and

d)    Note any additional Schools funding information.

This report provides a briefing on the following; an update projection on the HNB outturn for 2022/23; an update on strands of the HNB transformation work and special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) strategy refresh; and an outline of the position for 2023/24.

Consideration was given to a report of the Director of Early Intervention and Prevention.

The Director of Early Intervention and Prevention introduced the item. The report outlined the HNB Funding Position, the initial approach for 2023/24, and wider updates (including updates on the HNB Transformation & SEND strategy).

The Chair thanked the Director of Early Intervention and Prevention for the report and opened the Forum to comments and questions:

·       In relation to increased spending for Special Educational Needs (SEN) support in section 1.8a, it was confirmed that the rise in spending could be accounted to the rise in costs and was not an increase in the number of children supported. The increased costs could be partially attributed to the increase staffing costs and independent sector charges. It was noted that there were drastically fewer children being placed out of borough. Following a Members request, it was agreed that data would be presented at a future on the trends of increasing spending for maintained and independent schools over the past few years.

Action By - Director of Early Intervention and Prevention

·       In relation to the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Strategy in section 3.1-3.5, a Member stated that there were many positive statements to agree with within the Strategy, but additionally noting that it was now the implementation plan that required focus. He stated that governors were still slightly resistant in signing-off the Service Level Agreement (SLA) until it could be demonstrated as a coherent package.

·       In relation to primary Pupil Referral Units (PRU), and specifically Robson House, a Member raised concern for the uncertain future and continuation of the service due to schools deciding they would no longer pay-in; for reasons of financial pressures whilst not regularly using the service. There were ongoing discussions with Council officers in how to sustainably fund those provisions going forward.

·       In relation to Autism Education Trust (AET) training on section 3.4, a Member stated that it would be useful to understand the increase in young people with ASD and that schools would welcome further support in this area.

·       In relation to budget reserves on section 1.7, it was confirmed that the implementation plan of the SEND Strategy was being costed in the final stages, in which more detail of the future of reserves would form a part of.

RESOLVED

THAT the report be noted.

To note the upcoming Schools Forum meeting dates for academic year 2022/23:

·       6 December 2022

·       7 February 2023

·       6 June 2023

The following meeting dates for the 2022-23 academic year were noted:

·       6 December 2022

·       7 February 2023

·       6 June 2023

There was no urgent business.