Agenda item

The report of Grant Taylor (Schools Strategic Financial Support Manager) seeks to provide Schools Forum with the results of a recent survey with schools relating to the additional costs being incurred by Schools and Early Years Settings.  The report is for information only.

Grant Davis (Schools Strategic Financial Support Manager) referred to the report which shared with Schools Forum the results of a recent survey with schools relating to the additional Covid costs being incurred by Schools and Early Years settings.  Grant highlighted the following:

·       The Director for Education and Skills (Helean Hughes) has regular contact with the DfE to discuss a number of issues including Covid related costs.  A key topic raised by schools and Early years settings is the continuing additional costs pressures  faced since the start of the 2020-21 academic year;

·       A survey was sent to schools and early years settings to give them the opportunity to demonstrate the additional costs that they are incurring which cannot be met from existing resources. The results of the survey will be used to help lobby local MP’s, support the work of the f40 group and ask the DfE for additional funding to support schools through the current pandemic;

·       Over 30 responses had been received and common themes related to cleaning – deep cleans, materials and the increased frequency required, staffing to cover those who were shielding, absent and isolating, PPE costs, catering costs (making arrangements to ensure bubbles can be retained), additional IT costs to enable remote working etc;

·       There were also lost income sources from breakfast and after school clubs, holiday clubs, income from lettings and catering, contributions from ‘Friends’ of the school or PTA organisations and less children on roll due to some parents choosing to home educate;

·       Some organisations had been able to mitigate some additional costs through making savings in some budget areas;

·       The impacts on the schools that had responded where shown in the appendices and there were huge differentials between schools - this information would be shared with the f40 group;

·       Not surprisingly the number of pupils eligible for a Free School Meal had grown significantly during the Covid period.  Given the projected growth in FSM eligible pupil numbers, there was the potential that due to the lag in school funding, schools will be educating significantly greater numbers of pupils eligible for FSM, FSM6 and PPG funding than they are actually funded for.  If there was recognition of this by the DfE this would alleviate a significant additional cost pressure; and

·       The findings from the survey would form part of the Authority’s lobbying with Members, the f40 group, MP’s and other stakeholders to highlight the funding shortfall.

An Early Years representative reported that many early years settings had been unable to continue with their breakfast and/after school club provisions due to mixing of ‘bubbles’ and those were significant losses that were not covered by the Government funding and a risk that the settings could not continue to remain open.

A secondary academy representative asked how any shortfall might be distributed.  Grant Davis responded that funding would be based on October Census data and the Pupil Premium funding based on the January census data and from the DfE’s point of view they might consider that they are short funding against the FSM but with the announcement public sector pay freezes they would recognise the school budgets have some savings and expect  schools to get manage within their allocation.

The Chair agreed that the anticipated shortfall was worrying shortfall and that in the January decision matrix if there was a shortfall, it would be a cost pressure that would need consideration. 

Resolved:

That Schools Forum note the report and support the use of the survey and Free School Meal projections in lobbying for additional funding.