Agenda and draft minutes

Apologies were received from Jo Djora, Gavin Smith (Marc Lewis present as substitute), Jeanette Adak and Cllr Reuben Thompstone.  (Cllr Thompstone is no longer the Cabinet member for Children and Education. He is replaced by Cllr David Longstaff w.e.f 22 May 2018 as Lead Member - Children, Education and Safeguarding Committee).

GK greeted the Schools Forum and welcomed new member Jane Harris, governor at Garden Suburb schools and substitute for Nigel Taylor.

Keith Nason – TU de-delegation (not an agenda item at this meeting).

Minutes of Schools Forum on 1^st February 2018.

Agreed as a true and accurate record of the last meeting.

IH presented the breakdown of Early Years central expenditure that was requested by JD at the previous meeting.  The details are:

·         Qualified Teachers employed by children’s centres

·         Targeted EY/ family support focused on vulnerable families

·         Early Years Vulnerable Child funding

·         Statutory services in relation to deliver of EY standards (Early Years Foundation Stage)

·         Specialist support for providers

·         2-year-old placement/brokering services, and eligibility checking/ audit services for the working parent 30 hour offer

·         Statutory data collection requirements for Early Years pupils

KN asked for the amount for education support in children’s centres.  IH confirmed the figure was £304k.

2017/18 Budget monitoring/ Provisional outturn

Reserves and Provisions

Recommendations: We are asking that the Schools Forum:

(i) Notes the 2017/18 DSG provisional outturn figures as shown

(ii) Agrees the DSG carry forward figure of £0.501m to 2018/19

GN presented the end of year budget monitoring position on the DSG. The provisional outturn position has improved since reported at the last Schools Forum meeting, but at present the position does not include any Early Years Block clawback figure as this has not yet been confirmed and is dependent on the pupil numbers recorded in the January 2018 census.  The provisional outturn carry forward is currently £0.501m.

Schools block: there was an underspend on the Schools Block of £0.024m due to NNDR corrections.  There was reduced expenditure on the Growth fund due to bulge classes and expansions that did not materialise.

Central block: had an underspend of £0.061k due to a combination of Schools Forum costs not being invoiced and service vacancies.

Early Years block: There was higher expenditure from the Early Years block to cover increasing in-year pupil numbers.

High Needs block: Pressures in the HN block are £0.342m for additional ARP/Special school places, and £0.910m relating to additional top-up funding and Post16 expenditure.

DSG income: this was reduced by £0.510m due to the 2016/17 EY block adjustment.

GK asked the Schools Forum to vote on the following recommendations:

(i) Note and agree the 2017/18 DSG provisional outturn figures as shown above

(ii) Agree the DSG carry forward figure of £0.501m to 2018/19

Recommendations (i) and (ii) agreed unanimously.

Presentation of the revised 2018/19 draft budget.

Recommendations: We are asking that Schools Forum:

(iii) Notes the revised 2018/19 budget as shown.

CG presented an update on the 2018/19 draft budget. The main change was the academy recoupment calculation on the Authority Proforma Tool (APT).  This had no impact on schools and was just a technical change.

The main changes for Schools Forum to note were:

Line 1.0.1 – Individual Schools Budget (includes funding of EY pupils and SEN places).

·         Early Years expenditure realigned based on 17/18 actual spend and the transfer of

an EY contingency amount into line 1.3.1

·         Schools block corrections to APT and Academy recoupment totals.

·         High Needs places budget realigned to reflect revised HN place funding (Item 6.1

refers)

Lines 1.2.1 – 1.2.3 – Top-Up funding

·         Reduced High Needs top up funding based on actual 17/18 expenditure and the increased in-Borough place numbers transferred into line 1.0.1

Line 1.2.5 – SEN support services

·         Realignment of budgets to reflect actual 17/18 expenditure

Line 1.3.1 – Central expenditure on Under 5s

·         Establishment of EY contingency budget to allow for any EY block adjustment in case of a future DfE clawback. Amount transferred out of Line 1.0.1

Line 1.4.10 – Amended figure in the Growth fund

The S251 return has been submitted as shown in Appendix A, but with some outstanding queries so all figures are subject to confirmation by the DfE.

IK: Queried the addition of the HN block, which suggested an overspend of £0.200m.  CG clarified that within line 1.2.5, there is a £0.200m contribution from the Early Years block for High Needs early years pupils.

ML queried the level of growth funding allocated by the DfE.  IH replied that only bulge classes were shown in the growth fund budget line 1.4.10, new and growing schools funding is allocated within line 1.0.1.

ML stated that schools in Hertfordshire have queried Teachers’ Pension Scheme (TPS) increases when setting multi-year budgets. Academies queried what level of employer TPS should be included in their 5 year plans. IH said he would investigate and advise.

CG stated that for budgeting purposes, the formula funding factor rates in 2019/20 are expected to be the same as 2018/19.

GN advised that no official announcement had been made by the DfE on TPS employer contributions, and that previously expected increases had not been implemented.

ML stated academies were being transparent about their financial position in their 5-year budget submissions to the DfE, in order to highlight the financial pressures and that the majority expected to be in deficit in 3 years.

GN asked the Schools Forum to:

(iii) Note the revised 2018/19 draft budget as shown in Table 1/ Appendix A

Recommendation: Agreed unanimously.

Presentation of the Local Authority section 251 submission to the DfE.

Recommendations: We are asking Schools Forum to:

(iv) Note that the authority has submitted s251 based on the figure shown

(v) Receive further 2018/19 budget updates at future Schools Forum meetings.

The 2018/19 draft budget figures shown at Appendix A have now been submitted in the local authority Section 251 submission to the DfE showing proposed expenditure for the financial year.

The figures presented at this stage are still draft and will be updated throughout the year when revised allocations are received. The Early Years block allocation will be updated once Early Years pupil numbers from the January 2018 census have been finalised.

GK asked Schools Forum to:

(iv) Note that the authority has submitted s251 based on the figures shown at Appendix A

(v) Receive further 2018/19 budget updates at future Schools Forum meetings

Recommendations: Agreed unanimously

An update on High Needs funding and places.

Recommendations: We are asking Schools Forum to:

(vi) note the place change updates in relation to ARPS

SJ presented a report with an update on High Needs funding and places.  He emphasised the importance of providing more places in Barnet so that there would be less need for OOB placements, which are more expensive.

Update on existing ARPs

Coppetts Wood ARP is changing specialism, phasing out the Speech and Language provision to provide ASC services as this is where additional places are needed.

There is insufficient demand and take-up of places in London Academy’s speech and language ARP.  Only 5 of the 18 ARP places are filled, and it was agreed that it was not sustainable.

London Academy were provided with 3 choices:

·         Reduce the number of commissioned places

·         Change the designation to ASC

·         To close the ARP

London Academy has expressed a preference for option 1.

JH asked over what period have the numbers been taken into consideration.  SJ explained the school showed 3-year trend in under occupancy.  The authority will have the opportunity to review the place numbers at the beginning of the autumn term.

JH asked if place funding could be clawed back.  CG advised that place funding allocation could not be reduced for 2018/19, but the autumn term review will mean a lower amount will be recouped from Barnet in 2019/20.

KN asked how many places London Academy would remain if Option 1 was chosen.

SJ suggested that 5 or 6 places will be needed.

Whitefield are also changing their ARP designation to ASC from September 2018, with increasing pupil numbers year-on-year to a maximum of 28 (Y7 to Y13).

GK suggested the increased numbers may impact Mapledown, who currently use some of the ARP space at Whitefield.  SJ advised that there should be more effective use of the space and greater discussions between schools around inclusion as a result of the enhanced provision.

SH queried whether Whitefield’s ARP building would go ahead then be part of the expected whole school redevelopment.  IH said it would be at least 3-4 years before redevelopment plans are even submitted.

New ARPs

A new ARP has been proposed at Chalgrove Primary School for 14 ASC places. The consultation is complete and next steps involve agreeing design options and seeking planning permission from the Council.

Members asked if Barnet is establishing new provision from which other authorities would benefit, as they only pay top-up funding for their pupils placed in Barnet.  CG advised that Barnet is a net importer of High Needs pupils, but that the HN block allocation from the DfE includes funding transferred to Barnet from other authorities with HN pupils in Barnet ARPs/ Special schools.  It is preferable to provide in-borough places wherever possible as out-borough placements also incur transport costs.

JH asked what happens to top-up funding if a child joins in-year.  GN confirmed that top-up funding follows the child and updated termly to reflect actual pupils.

GK asked the Schools Forum

(vi) To note the place change updates in relation to ARPs;

Recommendation: Agreed unanimously.

Jude Stone stated her membership status was showing as expired. It was agreed that if she is willing to continue it could be renewed.

CG confirmed that a list of current Schools Forum vacancies will be circulated to members, and nominations from schools will be requested for both Headteacher and Governor vacancies.

KN requested provision of Schools Forum training to support new members.  CG will circulate the DfE document showing the role and responsibilities of Schools Forum.

Training will be arranged once additional new members are recruited for the autumn term.

·         Apologies for absence

·         Declarations of interest

·         Minutes of previous meeting

·         Matters arising

·         Items for information:

2017/18 Budget monitoring/ final outturn

·         Towards a National Funding Formula

2018/19 draft budget

High Needs updates

The draft agenda for the next meeting was agreed and CG highlighted that school balances will be included within the 2017/18 budget monitoring agenda item.

Tuesday 10^th July 2018

Thursday 11^th October 2018

Tuesday 11^th December 2018

Thursday 7^th February 2019

Tuesday 7^th May 2019

Thursday 11^th July 2019

                        (Venue for all future meetings to be confirmed)

Tuesday 10^th July 2018

Thursday 11^th October 2018

Tuesday 11^th December 2018

Thursday 7^th February 2019

Tuesday 7^th May 2019

Thursday 11^th July 2019

           (Venue for all future meetings to be confirmed).