Agenda item

The Chair indicated that the Executive Member for Children’s Services, Councillor Prue Bray, had offered to attend future meetings of the Schools Forum.

Lynne Samuel provided an update regarding the National Funding Formula – Growth Fund and also Falling Rolls.  A query had been raised previously through Schools Forum on the National Funding Formula and inequity for maintained schools and academies around Growth Fund.  Information reviewed had not suggested a particular issue.  However, in order to ensure this was further explored, it was proposed that the issue be further reviewed as part of the work of the Schools Block Task & Finish Group at the early stages of 2023/24 budget setting.

The Forum was informed that a further consultation had been published on the National Funding Formula which ran until early September( Implementing the direct national funding formula - Department for Education - Citizen Space).  Carol Simpson, who had originally raised the query regarding the National Funding Formula confirmed that the new consultation document had referred to her concern.  She questioned whether guidance on implications of the questions, particularly around the High Needs Block, would be provided.  Lynne Samuel commented that she would look at this once officers had digested the consultation.  Carol Simpson confirmed that she was of the view that the issue could be considered by the Task and Finish Group.  If schools did not fully understand the implications, it would be difficult to respond.  Carol Simpson indicated that the Institute of School Business Leaders had previously provided guidance.  It was proposed that a group of Forum members meet online in early September to discuss responding to the consultation.  Carol Simpson, Julia Mead, and Derren Gray agreed to be part of this.

With regards to the High Needs Block, a series of online weekly training sessions would be run from mid-August onwards to improve knowledge and information sharing.  Colleagues elsewhere in the Council had also expressed an interest in attending and sessions would initially be limited to six attendees to enable greater focus.  Dates would be published shortly, and information provided as to how to book on to the sessions.  A request had been received from other Council colleagues for a general training session on Schools Finance.  Forum members would also be welcome to attend this training.

It was proposed that a Task and Finish Group for High Needs Budget Setting for 2023/24 be established. 

In response to a question from the Chairman regarding external Foundry funding and the High Needs Block, Lynne Samuel clarified that there was not a large amount of current income which came into Foundry College from outside the Borough.  The predominance of its funding came from the Wokingham High Needs Block.  Officers would be meeting later in the week with Foundry to understand how the year’s finances were progressing against assumptions made at the budget setting process.

Education Welfare Services and an explanation of how the team was structured and functioned, had been a long standing matter arising.  The Chairman requested that this be brought to the Forum’s October meeting.  Sal Thirlway commented that the White Paper had been issued which made significant changes to the Education Welfare Service, so the October meeting was timely.

Brian Prebble provided an update on falling rolls.  The Admissions Working Group had looked at the different formula and whether any schools would meet that criteria.  None currently did.  The criteria was very strict and a pattern over three years was required.  Katherine Vernon added that in order to receive funding it was expected that a school’s numbers would get back to normal after a maximum of three years.  The Chairman commented that the demographic shift in the Borough was having a detrimental impact particularly on primary schools as the younger population was moving out of the town centre to newer development areas.  Sal Thirlway commented that the development of the Admissions Group would help to keep the issue on the agenda.   The Chairman asked that the Admissions Group consider innovative approaches to mitigate what is a growing problem.