Agenda and minutes

To agree to apply the Council’s procedure rules for remote meetings to this meeting.

RESOLVED

THAT the guidance be noted.

To note the Schools Forum membership and any updates.

Rob Earrey confirmed that he and Katy Forsdyke had been re-nominated as Schools Forum members.

It was also confirmed that Nick John, Head Teacher Acland Burghley School, had agreed to join the Schools Forum.

Margaret Harvey and Jane Hindle had sent apologies for absence. Kate Frood and Vijita Patel gave apologies for lateness.     

No declarations were made.

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 six months after the meeting. After that time, webcasts are archived and can be made available on DVD 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.”

Any other announcements

The Chair announced.

 “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 on DVD 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.”

Other announcements

That there would be a report to the council’s Cabinet meeting on the school organisation arrangements for Carlton School and Rhyl School.

To Note: All

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on Wednesday 4^th November 2020.

RESOLVED

THAT the minutes of the meeting held on Wednesday 4^th November 2020 be approved as a correct record.

To Note: All

There was no urgent business

Report of the Director of early Intervention and Prevention, Supporting People

This report is to ensure the Schools Forum continues to be consulted on financial issues relating to arrangements for pupils with special educational needs, including the arrangements for paying top-up funding.

Consideration was given to a report of the Director of Early Intervention and Prevention that was part of the continuing consultation on financial issues relating to arrangements for pupils with special educational needs, including the arrangements for paying top-up funding. The report provided an update since the Forum had met four weeks ago, with the key actions for this term and next term outlined on pages 28-32 of the report.  

The Forum discussed the following in response to the report;   

·         Engagement with schools leadership was underway and suggestions about enhancing the process would be welcomed

·         The Education Strategy Board was developing key themes. The participation of schools in the process and the borough wide collaboration of schools would be key   

·         Post 16+ work would be part of the secondment modelling and would include Westminster Kingsway 

·         The Thomas Coram Centre had not been included in consultations to date and would be contacted for a meeting in the next week. Early Years was an important part of the Education Strategy and the future of education in the borough      

·         The role of governors would include their support and challenge about the process. More parent carer engagement and inclusion was  needed and steps were being taken about how to develop this role 

·         More clarity on the plans for the high needs block would emerge following on from the engagement that was taking place

·         An FAQ document was being prepared and would be circulated to the Schools Forum before the end of term. 

There would also be a further report back in February. Options for an additional meeting date between the scheduled Forum dates in February and June 2021 would be considered.

 RESOLVED

THAT the report be noted

Action By:  Director of Early Intervention and Prevention

Report of Head of Education Commissioning and School Organisation - Supporting People

This report provides an overview of responses from primary and secondary schools in relation to proposals regarding the local funding formula for schools for2021/22. These proposals were reported to the forum at its meeting in November. These proposals recommended no significant change to the. Forum agreed to the proposal subject to any significant objections from schools during the consultation period.

There were no significant requests from schools to change this during the consultation period. There was no significant response to the general comments question. However, any future comments will be passed on to the appropriate service for consideration and response.

Consideration was given to a report of the Head of Education Commissioning and School Organisation that provided an overview of responses from primary and secondary schools in relation to proposals regarding the local funding formula for schools for2021/22. These proposals were reported to the Forum  meeting in November and there had not been any significant changes or response since that meeting.

Reference was made to a discrepancy in question 1 on page 103 that did not correspond with the table on page 104. The Forum was told that this would be amended.

There were no further comments on the report

RESOLVED

THAT formula proposals set out in the consultation report, following the positive endorsement fromthose schools that responded, be accepted.

To Note: All

Action By: Head of Education Commissioning and School Organisation

Report of Head of Education Commissioning and School Organisation - Supporting People

At the recent November meeting, forum was presented with the proposed consultation document to be sent to schools relating to the funding arrangements for 2021/22. Forum confirmed its agreement to consulting on the proposal that there should be no change to the current funding formula used for the distribution of funds to schools for 2020/21. There were no significant objections raised from the consultation.

This report indicates the latest estimate of funding for the schools DSG block – (unchanged from the November’s report) by school and seeks schools forum’s agreement on the amount of DSG de-delegation and ESG retention next year.

The individual schools figures are only indicative of the notional NFF figures to be allocated to the overall schools budget for distribution by the Council via Camden’s local formula. Final individual school budgets will be released to schools pending update of ESFA data (with the November 2020 data) and its use to update the local Camden schools formula using the Authority Planning Tool (APT), which is expected in late December 2020.  

Initial forecasts of the 2021/22 budget requirements from the high needs block are also included to give the total view on planned DSG spend.

The  announcement on funding released in July 2020  indicate  that in 2021/22 for individual schools in Camden the ESFA intend to increase the NFF pupil led funding by 2% from last year. The July NFF figures also indicate for Camden an increase in the DSG High Needs block of £4.3m in 2021/22. Hence total DSG for schools and high needs for 2021/22 are expected to be set at about £117m and £42.6m respectively (after ESFA deductions). Following funding increases in 2020/21 and 201/22 current year spending forecasts in high needs services suggest that they will be within the 2020/21 budget and likewise the 2021/22 budget. A final position on planned spending for 2021/22 will be provided at the next meeting of the forum in February 2021.

New regulations for the funding of early years and 30 hours of free child care for working parents of three and four year olds were introduced from April 2017 and the new Camden early years offer was put in place from September 2017. The Early years service will be reporting to forum on the progress of the current “Early Years offer” and the progress of the recent EY place review consultation under separate cover.  

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

At the recent meeting in November, the Forum had been presented with the proposed consultation document and had confirmed its agreement to consulting on the proposal that there be no change to the current funding formula used for the distribution of funds to schools for 2020/21.

There had been no significant objections raised in the consultation and this report indicated the latest estimate of funding for the Dedicated schools Grant (DSG) block and sought agreement on the amount of DSG de-delegation and Education Services Grant (ESG) retention next year.

In response to questions, the Forum was told that: 

·         All schools would be written to with guidance about planning for pay rises (page 116 of the report)

·         There was a consistent funding position for the  Dedicated Schools Grant  (DSG) but it would be under pressure in the future

·         The Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) was in line with what had been set out in the report

·         There were three schools in Camden operating a Licenced Deficit

·         The impact of Covid-19 on school budgets was being assessed to determine the deficit position of Camden schools and it was unclear what the central government response would be   

·         There were currently reduced numbers of pupils on role at primary schools with the expectation that this will be the case in secondary schools in due course. It was not anticipated that there would be significant reductions and any operational changes would be part of the wider education strategy discussions

·         The de-delegated grant to unions was agreed to by the Forum in recognition of the contribution the unions had made to the success of Camden schools. This was noted and would be communicated to the school unions.   

RESOLVED

(a) THAT the level of reserves to be used to support the funding   allocations to schools as set out in paragraphs 1.15 be noted

(b) THAT the provisional National Funding Formula (NFF) allocations to individual schools discussed in the report in section 1.17 and set out in Appendix 1. Also that these are only indicative NFF allocations and are not yet the final school budgets be noted

(c)  THAT the current forecast spending plans for the high needs and early years blocks as set out in sections 4 and 5 respectively be noted

(d)  THAT the Central School Services Block replacement of the top sliced amounts detailed in section 1.3 be noted

 (e)  THAT the in principle the retention of the funding to contribute to     ongoing services  carried out for schools formerly funded by ESG in 2021/22, as set out in section 1.10 be approved

   (f)    THAT the de-delegated budgets as set out in section 2 be approved

 (g)   THAT the potential effects of the future cost pressures outlined in   section 7 on schools budgets be noted

To Note: All

Action By: Head of Education Commissioning and School Organisation.

To note the date and of the next meeting:

·         Tuesday 2^nd February 2021 at 5pm to 6.45pm

It was noted that the next meeting would take place on Tuesday 2^nd February 2021 with an earlier meeting start time. The meeting time will be 5pm to 6.45pm.

It was requested that the clerk to the Forum send a reminder about the earlier start time before the next meeting.

To Note: All

There was no such business.