Agenda and minutes

To note any apologies; and to welcome Mr David Wherwell as a secondary school governor representative and Mrs Debbie Rock as a primary school governor representative.

Apologies were received from Ms M Chilcott and Ms S Jiggens.

To approve and sign as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 13 March 2014 (copy attached)

The minutes of the previous meeting held on 13 March 2014 were presented.

Amendments to minute no. 15 were proposed, to correct the spelling of Steve Clark’s name, to correct the acronym for WASSH and to correctly identify Peter Biggs as being from the Wiltshire Governors Association (WGA). These amendments were agreed, and the minute amended to read:

‘The Forum noted apologies from the following:

Jan Hatherell (Academy)

Steve Clark (WASSH)

Rev Alice Kemp (Observer)

Peter Biggs (WGA)

Claire Shaw (Wiltshire College)

Julia Cramp (Associate Director: Quality Assurance, Commissioning and Performance, School and Early Years Effectiveness)

The Forum noted the following changes to the membership:

out Alice Kemp (observer)

out Peter Biggs (WGA Secondary)

out Anne Ferries (WGA Primary)

out Claire Shaw (Wiltshire College)

in Amanda Burnside (Wiltshire College)

in Tracy Cornelius (PHF).

The Forum noted that Sue Jiggens would advise in future on filling the vacancies for Primary and Secondary Governors.’

Resolved:

To agree and sign the minutes as a true record of the meeting held on 13 March 2014, subject to the amendments detailed above.

Liz Williams noted that the terms of reference for working groups had not yet been circulated to Schools Forum members, and these would circulated shortly.

To receive any declarations of disclosable interests or dispensations granted by the Standards Committee

Ms Sidmouth declared an interest in agenda item 15, being a headteacher of special school mentioned in the report. She declared that she would participate but not vote.

Mrs Rock declared an interest in agenda item 16 being a term-time only employee.

There were no Chairman’s announcements.

To agree a process for conducting School Forum business in confidential session.

Kirsty Butcher, Senior Democratic Services Officer presented the report which detailed the process for consideration of confidential reports at Schools Forum meetings.

It was agreed that any confidential documents circulated via email would be password protected and the password sent in a different email.

Resolved:

Schools Forum agreed to adopt the process for conducting School Forum business in confidential session as detailed in paragraph of to the report and incorporate it into the School Forum’s Terms of Reference.

To receive a verbal update from the Service Director for Commissioning and Performance, Department for Children and Education.

Julia Cramp, Associate Director - Commissioning, Performance and Schools Effectiveness drew attention to the SEN and Disability reforms effective from 1 September 2014. Work was continuing on the local offer, with more information coming soon. A launch event was planned for late September / early October.

In response to questions Julia confirmed that details of the local offer would be available before next term, when schools were required to display on their websites together with the schools SEN statement. It was agreed that the Code of Practice and pro-forma would be re-circulated to all schools.

Julia noted that the Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) had started a project to re-commission children’s healthcare services, and were hoping to get input from schools on this. Their aim was to try and get a single organisation to provide services, rather than the 5 in existence at present.

The emotional well-being and mental health strategy was being refreshed and would go out for consultation. The focus would be on early intervention, with the message being that all have a role to play.

To receive a report on the outturn position for 2013-14

Liz Williams, Head of Finance presented the report which detailed the final outturn position for the dedicated schools budget in 2013-14.

The final budget had been adjusted to reflect all Academy recoupment, and key variances in Early Years, High Needs, maternity services and Personal Education Plans were explained.

In response to questions Liz confirmed that the recoupment by the Education Funding Agency (EFA) for high needs places was higher than originally estimated as academies did not move on to the place plus system until September 2013. This meant that a higher amount needed to be recouped for the first 5 months of the year.

Schools Forum noted the outturn position for the Dedicated Schools Budget in 2013-14 and the proposals for utilisation of the DSG reserve in 2014-15.

To receive minutes, reports and/or verbal updates from the following working groups:

The report from the School Funding Working Group was presented

Schools Forum noted the minutes of the School Funding Working Group meetings and the recommendation from the meeting of 31 March that any additional funding received as a result of the DfE proposals for Fairer Schools Funding in 2015-16 be allocated to schools through increases to Age Weighted Pupil Units (AWPU’s).

The report of the SEN Working group was presented.

Schools Forum noted the minutes of the SEN Working Group.

The Chairman explained that the Schools Services Working Group had met that morning to discuss HR prices and payroll schemes. A payroll proposal had been passed to the Council’s Corporate Leadership team, which suggested holding prices at 2013-14 levels. The next year would be used as a discussion year.

The terms of reference for the group needed to be clarified, including whether the group sat as a sub-group of the Forum.

To discuss proposals to allocate funding to support the transition for high needs pupils in to Reception

Liz Williams, Head of Finance, presented the report which detailed proposals for additional funding to support transition for high needs pupils in to primary schools.

It was proposed that £0.200m be set aside from the DSG reserve to enable the outlined process to be piloted in 2014-15. A review of the costs, number of pupils and outcomes of the proposed scheme would be reported back to Schools Forum in January or March 2015.

The benefit of immediate and staggered support was noted. Some eligible children would be already known through early years settings.

Resolved:

Schools Forum agreed the scheme outlined in paragraph 8 of the report presented and the allocation of £0.200 million from the DSG reserve in 2014-15 to fund it in the current year.

To update Schools Forum on the recent DfE consultation on fairer schools funding, the impact for Wiltshire and the response to the consultation, and to agree how any additional funding should be allocated to schools in 2015-16

Liz Williams, Head of Finance, presented the report which outlined the recent DfE consultation document Fairer Schools Funding in 2015-16, including the response from Wiltshire, and made proposals on how any increase in funding should be allocated to schools in 2015-16.

The DfE provided worked examples based on October 2012 pupil numbers which indicated that Wiltshire could potentially benefit from £5.4 million additional funding, however final allocations for 2015-16 would be based on October 2014 pupil numbers.

In response to questions Liz noted it would be very difficult to get funding right to get the Early Years block on a comparable footing with Gloucestershire’s spend. It was noted that the methodology was not equitable as it still reflected historical spend decisions. The allocation of High Needs was for place numbers at present and not allocated according to the needs of the county. This was only a proportion of the High Needs block.

Resolved:

Schools Forum

a.    Noted the Wiltshire response to the DfE consultation; and

b.    Confirmed that any increase in funding in 2015-16 should be allocated to schools via Age Weighted Pupil Units as a percentage proportionate to the increase in funding received

To confirm the dates of future meetings, as follows:

9 October 2014

11 December 2014; and

To agree the following dates for 2015-16:

15 January 2015

12 March 2015

18 June 2015

8 October 2015

10 December 2015

14 January 2016

10 March 2016

The future meeting dates were presented and it was highlighted that both 9 October 2014 and 11 December 2014 clashed with WASSH meetings, which were scheduled for the last but one Thursday of each term. It was agreed that the December date was not needed and that the October meeting be moved and held on 6 November 2014.

Resolved:

Schools Forum agreed the future meeting dates subject to the amendments detailed above.

There were no urgent items.

To consider passing a resolution, in accordance with the Wiltshire Council Schools Forum Terms of Reference, that the public be excluded during the remainder of the meeting, on the basis that if they were present during the business to be transacted, there would be a likelihood of disclosure to them of exempt information of the following descriptions:

Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority); and for one item

Information relating to any consultations or negotiations, or contemplated consultations and negotiations, in connection with labour relations matters.

Resolved:

Schools Forum agreed to pass a resolution, in accordance with the Wiltshire Schools Forum Terms of Reference, to exclude the public during the remainder of the meeting, on the basis that if they were present during the business to be transacted there would be a likelihood of disclosure to them of exempt information of the following descriptions:

Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority); and for one item

Information relating to any consultations or negotiations, or contemplated consultations or negotiations, in connection with labour relations matters.

To inform Schools Forum of the process for the procurement of SIMS Licences (for maintained schools) from 2015-16

Liz Williams, Head of Finance presented the report which updated Schools Forum on the current position in relation to the procurement of licences for the Schools Information Management System for maintained schools and the options for 2015-16.

Resolved:

Schools Forum noted the issues associated with the procurement of licences for the Schools Information Management System, the options available and supported option 3 as detailed within the report presented.

To update on the review of residential places and the proposals for 2015-16

Liz Williams, Head of Finance, presented the report which updated Schools Forum on the progress of the review of residential places within Wiltshire special schools and outlined a proposed way forward.

The three special schools that provided residential provision were discussed in detail.

Resolved:

Schools Forum agreed the proposal contained within the report presented.

To inform Schools Forum of an issue on the payment of term-time only staff and to agree any actions to be taken. (report to follow)

Liz Williams, Head of Finance, presented the report which provided details around the payment of term-time only employees.

Resolved:

Schools Forum agreed the centrally retained DSG be used as detailed in the report presented.