Agenda and minutes

To agree the procedures for the operation of remote meetings.

RESOLVED -

THAT the guidance be noted.

To note the Schools Forum membership list and any updates.

Luca Salice had stepped down as a governor at Torriano and Brecknock and was therefore no longer a member. Claire Burns would be stepping down as head teacher at Emmanuel Primary and would therefore no longer be a member. Members gave thanks for their contribution to the Forum.

RESOLVED -

THAT the membership list be noted.

Apologies had been received by Vijita Patel and Colin Reader.

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’.

Broadcast of the meeting

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.”

Next meeting on 13 September 2023

The next meeting of Schools Forum would be the first meeting of the 2023-24 academic year and hold the annual elections for Chair and Vice-Chair. The meeting would be held fully in-person at the Town Hall.

Officer updates

The Chair welcomed Vikram Hansrani in his new post of Director for Education Commissioning and Inclusion, replacing Pauline Maddison in her interim post. The Chair noted that it was Eve Sticker’s last meeting before leaving Camden and her post of Director of Early Intervention and Prevention. The Chair thanked outgoing officers for their contribution to the Forum.

To consider and approve the minutes of the meeting held on 7 February 2023.

In response to members, it was noted by officers that there would be a formal update report on the food catering contract, outlining the progress and range of options, to the September Forum meeting. It was noted this report would include how the Greater London Authority (GLA) announcement of universal free school meals (FSM) grants would affect Camden’s position and how schools would have the opportunity to engage in the process.

RESOLVED -

THAT the minutes of the last meeting held on 7 February 2023 be approved as a correct record.

There was no urgent business.

This report provides the financial outturn position for 2022/23. It explains the closing position at which there was an overall £6.05m underspend across the Designated Schools Grant (DSG) blocks. with individual schools balances marginally increasing by £0.03m. 

The report also updates the forum on the latest funding situation for the current financial year, 2023/24, and outlines the range of current pressures resulting from the current economic climate, conflicts, emergencies and ongoing “real terms” funding constraint including the most recent update on the National Funding formula (NFF).

The report outlines current funding arrangements for the next few years from the current planned transition to a “hard” national funding formula (NFF) which has currently been delayed to April 2024 at the earliest. It also outlines the measures that the authority, in conjunction with Schools Forum, headteachers and Camden Learning have taken to support schools through this transition and to help schools to continue to prepare for reductions in real terms funding.

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

The Team Leader Schools and Designated Schools Grant (DSG) presented the report which updated the Forum on the financial outturn position for 2022/23, funding for 2023/24, existing spending pressures, 2023/24 onwards, recent Education Skills and Funding Agency (ESFA) grant announcements, and further support to schools.

The Chair thanked officers for the report and invited questions and comments from the Forum. The following was discussed:

-       In relation to section 3.1 b), high needs block (HNB) forecast, it was clarified by officers that the £5 million underspend was in addition to the current £8.7 million underspend, therefore the total end of year position would be c. £13 million.

-       In relation to the Mainstream Schools Additional Grant (MSAG), it was confirmed that the MSAG amounts had already been included in the schools budgeting and calculations. MSAG would cover pay awards of over 4% for teachers, but did include not support staff.

-       In relation to section 6.6-6.9, GLA primary FSM grants, it was confirmed by officers that the grant money would firstly be paid to the Council who would then distribute to schools. Officers explained the potential negative impact a universal offer could have on maintaining levels of registration of FSM and the effect this would have on pupil premium funding for schools. Camden were in talks with the GLA in how best the Council can manage the grants when considering the indirect effects. The GLA told the Council they should find creative ways of encouraging parents to register for FSM and officers asked the Forum for suggestions and ideas. Officers confirmed that one route the Council would take was requiring eligible parents to register for FSM as part of the Holiday Activities and Food programme (HAF) sign-up.

-       Officers referred to section 8, the finance comments in the report, that the Forum should start to consider the appropriate actions to manage the level of DSG reserves. When reserves were above 5%, Councils were contacted by the ESFA to question their status and planning. Camden was currently on c. 20%, with the HNB accounting for half of that (10% of the total). Officers confirmed that reserves could be used into different spending areas and were not ringfenced to specific spending.

-       Members stated they should be using the reserves to serve the current need for additional resources in schools and they asked officers how the process of forming proposals could begin. Officers responded that the Forum needed to discuss how to manage the reserves with the education department. Having been suggested by the Director of Education Commissioning and Inclusion, and supported by members, it was agreed that a sub-group of the Schools Forum be established to inform spending proposals and recommendations.

Action by: Director of Education Commissioning and Inclusion

-       Members agreed they would like an update of the Council structure, showing which officers managed different areas in education, to inform the Forum on who could  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.

This report provides a briefing on the following:

-       the HNB outturn for 2022/23

-       an update on the HNB position for 2023/24

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

The Director of Early Intervention and Prevention introduced the report which set out HNB outturn for 2022/23 and an updated HNB position for 2023/24. In addition, the following was outlined:

-       Peter Grey would be presenting proposals and recommendations in June 2023 on his work at Camden Council on sustainable financial modelling and contingency planning and included focus groups with head teachers. It was suggested, the final proposals and recommendations could be considered by the Forum.

-       In relation to section 4, the SEN2 return, it was noted this data set was the largest return to date because the requirements had recently been broadened by the DfE.

The Chair thanked officers for the report and invited questions and comments from the Forum. The following was discussed:

-       In relation to section 4, members stated they would like Educational Needs Grants (ENGs) to be included in the data, because otherwise the real level of Camden’s additional needs was not reflected; the lowering number of educational health and care plans (EHCPs) were attributed to the increase in ENG provision. A significant rise in additional needs had been observed in schools, however the trend was not recorded by the number of EHCP. In response to a member asking if the government was aware of the ENG system in Camden and if it resulted in lesser funding, officers responded that Camden was positively referenced by the government using this system and was acknowledged by the DfE to be ahead of the curve. It was stated that SEN2 did not currently pick up ENG as a pre-statutory intervention, but was expected to in the furture.

-       Members raised the experience of financial difficulties for Early Years settings due to the lack of SEND budget and increase in the number of SEND children. They also noted the effect of lack of resources for that age group and would carry with children through the key stages. Officers suggested that the proposed sub-group could look into long-term planning and growth in this areas to bring back recommendations to the Forum.

RESOLVED –

THAT the updated High Needs Block position, as detailed in the report, be noted.

To note all meeting dates for academic year 2023/24, that will take place at 6.00pm on:

-       13 September 2023

-       1 November 2023

-       5 December 2023

-       6 February 2024

-       4 June 2024

The next Schools Forum meeting is on 13 September 2023 and will be held in-person at the Town Hall.

The following meeting dates for the 2023-24 academic year were noted:

-       13 September 2023

-       1 November 2023

-       5 December 2023

-       6 February 2024

-       4 June 2024

There was no urgent business.