Agenda and draft minutes

To note any apologies, substitutions and changes to the membership of Schools Forum.

Apologies for absence from Members were received from:

• Aileen Bates
• Jo Grenfell
• Trudy Srawley
• Ros Sutton
• David Whewell
• Nicola Whitcombe

Further apologies were noted from:

• Councillor Suzanne Wickham (Portfolio Holder for SEND and Inclusion)

The Chair noted the following Membership changes:

• Members were informed that Ros Sutton had tendered her resignation from the Schools Forum, therefore officers would be seeking a replacement Primary School Governor Representative. The Chair thanked Ros for her time and effort throughout her time as a Member.

To approve as a correct record and sign the minutes of the meeting held on 12 December 2024 (copy attached).

The minutes of the previous meeting held on 12 December 2024 were considered. Following which, it was:

Resolved:

The Schools Forum approved and signed the minutes of the previous meeting held on 12 December 2024 as a true and correct record.

To receive any announcements from the Chair.

The Chair informed Members that the Admission Appeals Team at Wiltshire Council were currently recruiting for volunteers to sit on their Independent School Appeal Panel. It was explained that the Panels heard and determined appeals submitted by parents or guardians as a result of being refused a place for their children at their preferred school. Furthermore, the Panels not only played an important role in considering the needs of both schools and children, but was also a rewarding way of giving back to the community and developing new skills.

Members were encouraged to share the opportunity with colleagues and to contact Democratic Services on the following email address for further information and advice: educationappealsadmin@wiltshire.gov.uk

Please note that the closing date for applications is Sunday 16 February 2025.

To note any declarations of interests.

There were no declarations of interest.

Schools Forum welcomes contributions from members of the public who are able to ask questions or make a statement in relation to the responsibilities and functions of the Forum at each meeting. A maximum of 15 minutes will be allocated to this at the start of each meeting, and each question or statement should last no longer than 3 minutes.   Please register with the Officer named on this agenda, and in accordance with the deadlines below.

Statements

Members of the public who wish to submit a statement in relation to an item on this agenda should submit this electronically to the Officer named on the agenda no later than 5pm on Tuesday 21 January 2025.  Statements must not be defamatory, frivolous, offensive, vexatious, unlawful or otherwise improper. They must not name or identify individual service users, members of staff or members of partner agencies.

Questions

Those wishing to ask questions are required to give notice of any such questions to the Officer named on the front of this agenda no later than 5pm on Thursday 16 January 2025 to allow a response to be formulated.  Questions are limited to a maximum of 2 per person/organisation. A response will be given as either a direct oral answer or a written reply. Questions must not require the disclosure of confidential information.  The Chair’s ruling on rejection of a question is final.

There were no questions or statements submitted.

The Forum will be asked to note the minutes/updates from the following meetings:

·      Early Years Reference Group – 9 January 2025 (to follow)

·       Joint meeting of the School Funding Working Group and SEN Working Group – 14 January 2025 (to follow).

The Chair raised the updates from the last meeting of the Early Years Reference Group held on 9 January 2025, and the previous joint meeting of the School Funding Working Group and SEN Working Group held on 14 January 2025.

There being no questions or comments on the updates, it was then:

Resolved:

The Schools Forum noted the updates from the previous meeting of the Early Years Reference Group held on 9 January 2025, and the previous joint meeting of the School Funding Working Group and SEN Working Group held on 14 January 2025.

The report of Liz Williams (Finance Lead – High Needs Sustainability) and Ben Stevens (Inclusion, SEND and AP Transformation Lead) seeks to update Schools Forum on the draft revised SEND Sustainability Plan which was submitted to the Department for Education in December 2024.

Liz Williams, Finance Lead – High Needs Sustainability, alongside Ben Stevens, Inclusion, SEND & AP Transformation Lead, updated the Schools Forum on the draft revised SEND Sustainability Plan which was submitted to the Department for Education (DfE) in December 2024. The following was then highlighted:

• The background to the report and confirmation of the DfE payments were detailed as per Paragraphs 2 to 10.
• It was then reiterated that a revised version of the sustainability plan, subject to Cabinet approval, had been drafted for submission to the DfE in response to the fact that the Council was not on track to meet Agreement Condition 2 to reduce the cumulative deficit. Furthermore, due to the significant backlog and the increases in Education Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) post-pandemic skewing the initial modelling, significant revisions to the plan were necessary and as such, the Council was now seeking agreement from the DfE to extend the plan to a 7-year period as opposed to a 5-year period.
• Officers highlighted that Paragraphs 11 to 17 of the report alongside Appendix 1 provided further details on the factors driving the overspend in the High Needs Block (HNB).
• Despite this, officers drew attention to the fact that the Council had made significant process in clearing the EHCP backlog, therefore even though the backlog was at its lowest level since 2020, more plans had been brought forward as a result.
• It was confirmed that eight short-term interventions had been developed and subsequently mapped onto the revised forecast, but it was emphasised that all 8 interventions continued to place the needs of children and young people at the centre and were grounded in an invest-to-save approach.

During the discussion, points included:

• It explained that the reasons as to why Wiltshire Council was in a different position to that of its statistical neighbours were complex, and that officers were working hard to analyse the data to fully understand the causations and differences. It was further noted that some Local Authorities saw an earlier increase in the number of EHCPs and could therefore put mitigations in place to soften the impact post-pandemic.
• Members queried what the additional risks were to extending the process by two years, to which officers reassured Members that although the assumptions built into the plan were ambitious, numerous actions were being undertaken to enable officers to build capacity into the system. Furthermore, the High Needs Sustainability Board also met regularly to deliver a further layer of scrutiny and support.
• It was emphasised that one of the reasons officers had taken the decision to extend the plan by two years was to ensure that the experiences or outcomes for children and young people with SEND, their families, and schools were not compromised. As such, officers provided further assurance that any and all children and young people who met the EHCP threshold, regardless of the increased number of plans and backlog, would be recognised and that through the plan children, young people, and Mainstream Schools would be provided with  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

The report of Ben Stevens (Inclusion, SEND and AP Transformation Lead) seeks to update Schools Forum on the progress made in developing the new Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP) top-up funding scheme, including the responses received during the consultation process.  The report is to follow.

Ben Stevens, Inclusion, SEND & AP Transformation Lead, alongside Liz Williams, Finance Lead – High Needs Sustainability, updated the Schools Forum on the progress made in developing the new Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP) Top-Up Funding Scheme, including the responses received during the consultation process. The following was then highlighted:

• Members were reminded that the consultation ran over seven weeks and was conducted via an online survey and three consultation events to facilitate more in-depth feedback, with the results of such detailed under Sections 4 and 5 of the report. Thanks were given to those who responded to the consultation.
• It was explained that Council’s were responsible for deciding how top-up funding was allocated, and that Wiltshire had not reviewed the “banding” system since 2016. As such, the system had not kept pace with rising costs and evolving needs, leading to financial pressures on schools and at times, inconsistent support.
• Officers highlighted the primary objectives of the project as per Section 1 of the report, alongside the proposed model for EHCP funding under Section 3 of the report.
• Officers then detailed the key findings and themes as listed under Section 6 and how these informed the 10 recommendations as per Section 7. It was then highlighted that the scheme would be submitted to the February 2025 meeting of Cabinet for approval and would present a clear draft of the proposals, the implementation plan, and financial values. Furthermore, officers were intending for all children in Special Schools to be on the new banding system by September 2025, with all new plans being put on the new system from that point, and then all other existing EHCPs by April 2026.

During the discussion, points included:

• The importance of developing a more flexible and responsive scheme without increasing an administrative burden was emphasised, particularly when considering that a child’s circumstances/level of support needed could change throughout their schooling years.
• The challenges around recruitment within the sector were raised and how these impact on the delivery on provision within schools, and it was noted that officers were in discussions with the Recruitment Team at the Council to assess how best to recruit to and support colleagues in both Mainstream and Special Schools to ensure that the right people were in the right posts.
• It was noted that many schools, particularly Special Schools, relied on top-up funding as one of their main sources of income, and Members queried how the migration between the two top-up funding systems would impact on budget planning. Officers reassured Members that they did not expect there to be a reduction in funding as a result of the transition and emphasised that no firm figures would be published until officers were content that the new system would work at both a child and school level. As such, officers advised Members to model any budgets based on the current system until such time that each tranche of the new system was implemented.
• It was explained that the top-up funding review was a  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.

To consider the budget for 2025-26.

The following update reports provide details on the overall funding settlement on each of the funding blocks, the decisions will be made after consideration of all the update papers via the decision matrix.

Grant Davis, Schools Strategic Financial Support Manager, introduced the item which would provide details on the overall funding settlement on each of the Funding Blocks and emphasised that the decisions for each of the Funding Blocks would be made during Agenda Item 10, School Budget Decisions 2025-26, after consideration of each of the update reports.

The report of Grant Davis (Schools Strategic Financial Support Manager) seeks to update Schools Forum on the revenue funding settlement and the budget setting process for 2025-26.

Grant Davis, Schools Strategic Financial Support Manager, presented the report and updated the Schools Forum on the revenue funding settlement and budget setting process for 2025-26. The following was then highlighted:

• The funding changes for 2025-26 were briefly detailed as per Paragraphs 4 to 12 of the report in which it was highlighted that the 2025-26 year represented the first year of school funding since the general election in July 2024. As such, the Government had pledged to boost schools funding with an increase of £2.3bn (3.5%) into the overall Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) compared to 2024-25, with £1bn committed to High Needs and SEND, and the remaining £1.3bn for schools.
• Specific reference was made to Paragraph 11 of the report in which it was noted that the Schools Block of the DSG had been awarded an increase of 0.5% for the core funding factors compared to the 2024-25 year. In response, it was highlighted that representations had been made to the Department for Education (DfE) that that level of increase was unsustainable for schools.
• Paragraphs 13 to 16 discussed the National Funding Formula (NFF), and it was confirmed that 2025-26 would be another ‘soft’ year with the Schools Forum retaining their role in determining the school funding allocation methodology. The DfE had further confirmed their intention to move to a ‘hard’ NFF by 2027-28, however it was reiterated that as Wiltshire’s local school formula already mirrored the NFF, any tightening of the formula would have a minimal impact on Wiltshire schools.
• Paragraph 17 referred to the Minimum Funding Guarantee (MFG) and it was reiterated that during their December 2024 meeting, the Schools Forum had agreed to set the threshold at the maximum 0.0%, subject to affordability
• Officers then listed the changes to the main formula as per Paragraph 18.
• As per Paragraph 21, it was confirmed that the Pupil Premium Grant (PPG) funding would continue in the 2025-26 year with the numbers of eligible PPG pupils taken from the October 2024 census, however rates for the next year were yet to be determined.
• The school revenue funding settlements for each of the Funding Blocks were then detailed as per the order listed in the report.
• It was confirmed that the provisional DSG allocation for Wiltshire Council was £551.890m, an increase of £58.429m from 2024-25, with the Tables in Paragraphs 22 and 24 showing the year-on-year split of funding between Blocks.
• Paragraph 27 detailed pupil movements year-on-year and it was highlighted that Wiltshire was continuing to see a drop in the birth rate for children starting Primary School which was indicative of the change in demographics within the County.
• Paragraphs 29 to 34 provided updates on the Central School Services Block (CCSB), HNB, and Early Years Block (EYB).
• Paragraphs 35 to 36 referred to Funding Block transfers and Paragraphs 37 to 41 referred to the budget setting process for 2025-26, with Paragraph 39 detailing the breakdown in the calculation for the Schools Block funding available for distribution to schools. It  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9a

The report of Grant Davis (Schools Strategic Financial Support Manager) seeks to update Schools Forum on issues relating to the schools delegated budget for 2025-26 and the decisions that need to be made as part of the budget setting process.

Grant Davis, Schools Strategic Financial Support Manager, presented the report and updated the Schools Forum on the issues relating to the Schools delegated budget for 2025-26 and the decisions that would need to be made as part of the budget setting process. The following was then highlighted:

• Paragraphs 2 to 4 detailed the main considerations for Members, with officers drawing particular attention to Paragraph 3 which listed the notable changes to the main funding formula for 2025-26.
• Paragraphs 5 to 9 were discussed and referred to the National Funding Formula (NFF) where officers again emphasised that based upon the School’s Block allocation, the formula was fully affordable for the 2024-25 financial year, applying all the NFF factor values.
• Paragraphs 10 to 15 referred to the Growth Funding and Falling Rolls Allocations for 2025-26 and it was noted that for a second year, the Department for Education (DfE) had issued funding to Local Authorities (LAs) based on falling rolls. However, it was reiterated that at the December 2024 meeting of the Schools Forum, Members had decided to not introduce a Falling Rolls Fund for 2024-25 based on a number of factors. Furthermore, at the December 2024 meeting, Members confirmed the criteria for allocating Growth Funding.
• Paragraphs 16 to 20 were then briefly detailed referring to the historical position and affordability considerations.
• The Minimum Funding Guarantee (MFG) was then discussed as per Paragraphs 21 to 24, and it was noted that at the December 2024 meeting, Members had agreed to set the MFG at the 0.0% level, subject to affordability.
• Sparsity and Split Site Funding were then briefly discussed as per Paragraphs 25 to 31 and officers noted that Members had agreed to mirror the NFF sparsity changes within the Wiltshire formula. Furthermore, it was highlighted that the DfE had determined that funding for split sites would be based upon a two-pronged criterion: Basic Eligibility and Distance Funding. Paragraph 31 detailed the implications of such on those applicable schools in Wiltshire.
• Paragraphs 32 to 35 referred to Minimum per Pupil Funding Levels (MPPFL) and it was highlighted that as the NFF was embedded, the quantum of funding awarded through the MPPFL, and the number of schools eligible to receive funding, should continue to decrease.
• Finally, Members were informed that on Monday 20 January 2025, after the publication of the agenda, the DfE requested that a new Disapplication Request be submitted in respect of funding being allocated to schools which did not have their own hall or playing field and were therefore required to rent facilities to hold whole school events. It was explained that in line with DfE Guidance, this would only apply to schools where the rent exceeded 1% of their School Budget Share and that this applied to 7 schools in Wiltshire. As such, officers had included a supplementary recommendation for Members to ratify the decision and approve the submission a new Disapplication Request to fund those schools impacted as an exceptional circumstance.

There being no questions or comments, it  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9b

The report of Liz Williams (Finance Lead - High Needs Block Sustainability) seeks to update Schools Forum on issues related to the high needs block for 2025-26 and the decisions that will need to be made as part of the budget setting process.

Liz Williams, Finance Lead – High Needs Sustainability, presented the report and updated the Schools Forum on the issues relating to the High Needs Block (HNB) for 2025-26 and the decisions that would need to be made as part of the budget setting process. The following was then highlighted:

• Reference was made to the discussions had under the previous Agenda Items, SEND Transformation Update, and Education, Health, and Care Plan (EHCP) Top-Up Funding – Consultation Report.
• Paragraphs 4 to 6 of the report outlined the HNB provisional allocations, with Paragraphs 7 to 9 and Appendix 1 detailing the proposed HNB budget for 2025-26. It was highlighted that the proposed budget reflected the updated Safety Valve Agreement Plan, submitted to the Department for Education (DfE) in December 2024. Specific reference was made to Paragraph 9 of the report which listed the assumptions accounted for within the proposed budget for 2025-26.
• Paragraphs 10 to 12 of the report detailed the Schools Block Transfer in which it was highlighted that the proposed budget accounted for the assumption of a transfer of £0.914m from the Schools Block, the maximum affordable transfer without impact on National Funding Formula (NFF) rates for schools, and as agreed in principle by the Schools Forum during their December 2024 meeting. It was further highlighted that following a discussion at the High Needs Sustainability Board in December 2024, it was decided that the decision would also need to be ratified by Cabinet at their meeting on 21 January 2025.
• Finally, it was noted that the current forecast spend on the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) reserve was £66.232m at 31 March 2025, after Safety Valve payments, with the proposed budget for 2025-26 increasing this to £96.045m by 31 March 2026. As such, this presented a significant financial risk to the Council with no announcements from Central Government on if the statutory override on DSG deficits is lifted at the end of the 2025-26 financial year.

There being no questions or comments, it was then:

Resolved:

The Schools Forum noted the assumptions in the High Needs Block for 2025-26 and the mitigating actions which reflect the revised High Needs Sustainability Plan submitted to the Department for Education in December 2024.

The report of Marie Taylor (Head of Finance – Children and Education) seeks to update Schools Forum on issues relating to the Central Schools Services Block (CSSB) budget for the 205-26 financial year and the decisions that will need to be made as part of the budget setting process.

Marie Taylor, Head of Finance – Children & Education, presented the report and updated the Schools Forum on the issues relating to the Central Schools Service Block (CSSB) for 2025-26 and the decisions that would need to be made as part of the budget setting process. The following was then highlighted:

• It was noted that Members approved the proposed budget in principle at the December 2024 meeting of the Schools Forum, with officers noting that the 2024 general election prevented July guidance from being issued.
• As per Paragraph 4 it was confirmed that the Council had received a CSSB allocation of £2.9m which was calculated using the NFF for the CSSB. Funding for agreed historic commitments for 2024-25 was then added to the amount of funding generated by the formula to give the overall total CSSB.
• The funding changes for 2025-26 were the detailed as per Paragraphs 5 to 8, with officers then briefly explaining the function of the CSSB, and the decisions that needed to be made as per Paragraphs 9 to 14.
• Officers then briefly explained the function of the CSSB, and the decisions needed to be made as per Paragraphs 5 to 14, with particular attention paid to Appendix 2 and 3 which outlined the proposed budgets for each of the services covered, ongoing responsibilities, and historical commitments.
• Finally, it was highlighted that due to the 20% reduction in historic commitments, the transfer to support the High Needs Block (HNB) was no longer affordable, with the impacts of such detailed in the Table under Paragraph 14.

There being no questions or comments, it was then:

Resolved:

The Schools Forum noted the changes in the 2025-26 budget proposal for 2025-26 in the table under Paragraph 14 of the report, Page 61 of the Agenda Pack, and considered the required decisions in relation to the Central Schools Block budget for 2025-26 as itemised in Appendix 3 and below:

                                 i.         Section A: Central Copyright Licenses – Consult Only

                               ii.         Section B: Ongoing Responsibilities – Approve on a Line-by-Line Basis

                              iii.         Section C: Historic Commitments – Approve on a Line-by-Line Basis

(The decisions number i – iii above, were made later in the meeting under Agenda Item 10)

The report of Marie Taylor (Head of Finance – Children and Education) seeks to update Schools Forum on issues relating to the early years block for 2025-26 and the decisions that will need to be made as part of the budget setting process for 2025-26.

Marie Taylor, Head of Finance – Children & Education, presented the report and updated the Schools Forum on the issues relating to the Early Years Block (EYB) for 2025-26 and the decisions that would need to be made as part of the budget setting process. The following was then highlighted:

• Paragraphs 3 to 13 detailed the main considerations for Members and noting that in the 2021 Spending Review and Spring budget of 2023, the Government had launched a largescale Childcare Expansion which included increased funding rates and extensions to the age entitlements for parents of eligible children, the full year impact of these now being complete for the 2025-26 financial year.
• It was further explained that to reflect the changing nature of anticipated take up by parents and carers, the Department for Education (DfE) had changed their funding methodology, with Paragraph 4 including further detail. As such, the provisional EYB settlement for Wiltshire was £76.914m with Paragraph 6 showing a breakdown of the different funding elements.
• Paragraph 7 outlined the changes in addition to the funding changes as a result of the ‘Early Years Entitlements: Local Authority Funding Operational Guide 2025-26’ as published by the DfE in December 2024.
• The increased minimum pass-through requirement was explained in line with Paragraphs 8 to 10 and it was noted that Appendix 2 detailed the calculations of compliance.
• Members were then assured that Wiltshire was fully compliant with the data set for funding rates, the requirements for the formula and SEN Inclusion Fund, and that the new expectation would have no impact, with the criterion in place for setting a local formula listed under Paragraph 11.
• It was highlighted that the Early Years Reference Group (EYRG) had met on 9 January 2025, with the funding options considered as attached as Appendix 1 and further details under Paragraphs 14 to 19, including the proposed rates and budget for the 2025-26 financial year.
• Paragraphs 20 to 22 referred to the Special Educational Needs Inclusion Fund (SENIF) of which £0.200m had been earmarked to create a preventative service to support inclusivity in the early years and Primary phase. Furthermore, as part of the preventative inclusive agenda and the recovery actions for the High Need Block (HNB) budget, an additional sum of £0.180m had been ringfenced from the HNB to support children with an Education Health Care Plan (EHCP) in the early years sector.
• Finally, officers briefly detailed the proposals for the Disability Access Fund and Early Years Pupil Premium as per Paragraphs 23 to 31.

There being no questions or comments, it was then:

Resolved:

The Schools Forum:

1)    Noted the update on the Early Years Block and agreed to the Local Authority preferred proposal:

Local Authority Preferred Proposal

a)    To set the following basis hour provider rates for entitled children:

b)    That the Central Team budget be set at £0.879m.

c)    That  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9e

Schools Forum will be asked to consider the Schools Budgets for 2025-26 and make relevant decisions using the decisions matrix.

The Chair led Members through the decisions to be made, and it was then:

Resolved:

The Schools Forum:

Overall Budget:

1)    Agreed to set the overall Schools Budget at the level of the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) Settlement of £551,890,498, plus the High Needs overspend of £36.513m, totalling to £588,403,498.

Schools Block – Delegated Budget:

2)    Agreed to apply all the funding factors at the 2025-26 National Funding Formula (NFF) rates.

3)    Agreed to set the Minimum Funding Guarantee (MFG) at a level of 0.0%, as being fully affordable.

4)    Agreed the level of the Growth Fund at £0.5m – Split as £0.1m Infant Class Size, and £0.4m Basic Need.

5)    Confirmed transferring 0.236% of the Schools Block to the High Needs Block, £0.914m, as the full NFF was affordable.

6)    Agreed to fund the 7 schools for rent, with a total formula value of £60,955, as an exceptional factor, in line with previous years, and to submit a new Disapplication Request accordingly.

In line with Department for Education (DfE) requirements, please find a record of the votes of all eligible voting Schools Forum Members in attendance below:

7)    Noted that the previously agreed budgets for de-delegation of central services were set as follows:

High Needs Block:

8)    Noted the assumptions in the High Needs Block for 2025-26 and the mitigating actions which reflected the revised High Needs Sustainability Plan submitted to the DfE in December 2024.

9)    Set the MFG uplift at 0.0% for 2025-26, in line with Mainstream Schools.

10) Set the 2025-26 Top-Up rates for Special Schools, Resource Bases, ELP’s (Enhanced Learning Provision in Secondary Schools), and NPA’s (Named Pupil Allowances in Mainstream Schools), to increase by 2.2%. To note: top-up rates will be subject to change during the year following the consultation on changes to Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP) top-up funding.

Central School Services Block:

11) Noted the Local Authority Decision to set the budget at £0.571m for Central Copyright Licences for 2025-26 (Section A).

12) Agreed, as follows, the expenditure for the Central Schools Services (Section B):

13) Agreed, as follows, the central spend on Historic Commitments (Section C):

Early Years Block:

14) Agreed to set the following basic hour provider rates for entitled children:

15) Agreed up to £938 per child for 2025-26 from the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 10.

To confirm the dates of future meetings, as follows, all to start at 1.30pm:

13 March 2025

12 June 2025

9 October 2025

11 December 2025.

The date of the next meeting of the Schools Forum was confirmed as Thursday 13 March 2025 at 1.30pm and was scheduled to be held remotely via Microsoft Teams.

Future meeting dates were confirmed as below:

12 June 2025 – 1.30pm

9 October 2025 – 1.30pm

11 December 2025 – 1.30pm

To consider any other items of business, which the Chair agrees to consider as a matter of urgency.

There we no urgent items.