Agenda item

The report of Grant Davis (Schools Strategic Financial Support Manager) seeks to outline the DfE’s funding proposals for schools and high needs in 2024-25.

Grant Davis, Schools Strategic Financial Support Manager, referred to the report which outlined the Department for Education (DfE) funding proposals for schools and high needs in 2024-25, which were published in July 2023. It was emphasised that the report was being presented to draw the Forum’s attention to the proposals rather than for consultation and decision making, as all funding decisions related to the 2024-25 year would be taken following the announcement of the 2024-25 funding settlement. The following was then highlighted:

·       Paragraphs 3 to 7 of the report provided some background to the report with regard to the Government’s pledges to increase core school funding in 2023-24 and 2024-25 following the additional school funding awarded during 2020-21 and 2022-23.

·       Paragraphs 8 to 15 detailed the funding proposals for 2024-25 and it was noted that the 2024-25 year would be the second transition towards the direct schools National Funding Formula (NFF). It was highlighted that Wiltshire’s local school formula already mirrored the NFF and so any future tightening of the formula would have a minimal impact upon Wiltshire schools.

·       The table in Paragraph 11 was highlighted as showing the indicative Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) Block allocations, based upon October 2022 census data. However, it was noted that the Early Years Block figures had been replicated from the 2023-24 allocation to provide a view of the overall quantum of funding for 2024-25, as the Block was still subject to further work by the DfE and in-year changes.

·       Paragraph 12 listed the changes to the 2024-25 funding formula from the 2023-24 formula, and Appendix 1 highlighted some of the subtle key changes to the funding criteria of the NFF.

·       Officers confirmed that Schools Forum Members would continue to retain their role in determining the school funding allocation methodology. However, Members were reminded that the Government had confirmed its intention to move to a single direct NFF by 2027-28 and would therefore have the ability to determine every school’s budget centrally.

·       Paragraph 16 set out a table detailing the NFF funding values for schools for the 2024-25 year.

·       Members were informed that a number of funding decisions that the Forum had made for the 2023-24 year would have to be taken for the 2024-25 year, as listed in Paragraph 17 of the report.

·       The budget setting process for 2024-25 was then detailed, with the calculation shown in Paragraph 21 of the report.

·       Growth Funding, Initial Modelling, De-Delegation, and Notional SEN were then explained, as per Paragraphs 22 to 27 of the report. The highlights of which being:

o   The level of Growth Funding required, and the size of the Growth Fund for 2024-25, would be determined later in the year with confirmation of the Growth Funding criteria, to ensure compliance with the NFF criteria.

o   Initial modelling of the Schools Block demonstrated that the NFF was affordable and therefore the full NFF could be implemented, based on the October 2022 census data.

o   Schools Forum would take any de-delegation decisions on behalf of maintained schools, based upon the results of the consultation responses.  Furthermore, maintained schools voting Members had agreed that de-delegation of services would continue as it had in 2022-23 and previous years, and included the de-delegation of funding to support School Improvement Services.

o   Mainstream schools and Academies would continue to receive the Notional SEN budget and would be expected to use this budget to meet the needs of pupils with low cost, high incidence SEN and to contribute the first £6,000 of provision for all pupils with high needs.

·       Appendix 1 of the report was then highlighted, and officers explained in further detail: Exceptional Circumstances, Growth Funding, Falling Rolls Funding, Notional SEN, and Split Site Funding, as per the relevant Paragraphs within the Appendix.

·       It was then confirmed that a Disapplication Request had been submitted to the DfE, as in previous years, under funding for ‘Exceptional Circumstances’. The Disapplication relates to those schools that don’t have facilities for holding whole school events and were required to hire village halls, playing fields and so forth. Whilst the DfE had set the threshold of the rental being greater than 1% of the schools budget, it was confirmed that Wiltshire would request setting the threshold at 0.75% of the schools budget share.

·       Members were then asked to consider the following:

a)       Under the funding guidance for 2023-24, the Schools Forum would continue to be able to transfer up to 0.5% of their Schools Block allocation to other Blocks of the Dedicated Schools Grant if they so wished.

b)       As Wiltshire already mirrored the National Funding Formula (NFF), alongside over 66% of Local Authorities in England, a decision regarding continuing to follow the NFF would need to be confirmed, however Members were informed that no impact from the tightening requirements was likely to be felt in Wiltshire if that decision was agreed.

Following which, it was:

Resolved:

The Schools Forum noted the content of the report.

A further note:

Following the meeting, on the 6 October 2023, the Department for Education announced that an unforeseen error had occurred in the calculation of ‘School’ funding for the 2024-25 year. Incorrect pupil forecasts had been used to calculate the school funding rates and as a result, Wiltshire would see a reduction in the Schools Block funding of £3.3m; approximately 1% of the Schools Block. Full details and a revised report will therefore be presented at the next meeting of the Schools Forum on 5 December 2023. A letter from the Permanent Secretary to the Chair of the Education Select Committee confirming this information is attached to these minutes.