To receive disclosures of interests from Members on matters to be considered at the meeting. The disclosure must include the nature of the interest.

An interest must also be disclosed in the meeting when it only becomes apparent to the member during the meeting.

Ian Morrel declared interests for agenda items 7, 9 and 10.

That the minutes of the meeting held on 9 March 2022 be signed as a correct record.

The Business Advisor (Schools) reported on progress made on “Action” items from the 12 January meeting. He reported that:

·         The minutes do not record any formal resolutions with items “for action”. However, they do record themes for further discussion, which come back to the Forum within reports to this meeting. This includes the High Needs Block working group (discussing the surplus balance).

·         Regarding Item 614, and the request for an impact evaluation of the School Improvement Monitoring and Brokering Grant (SIMB), the Business Advisor is seeking this from the Assistant Director, School Improvement.

·         Regarding Item 613, the Assistant Director, SEND and Inclusion, responded to the questions and comments that the Forum asked at the March meeting relating to the 2020/21 Exclusions Report, as recorded in the minutes. He provided some further information on how formula funding, and Pupil Premium Grant, is adjusted following permanent exclusion. He also advised that both Bradford Alternative Provision Academy and Park Aspire offer a small number of ‘step out’ places, for schools to commission directly with these settings. In response, the Chair advised that a member had asked at the March meeting for clarity on how these places can be accessed. The Chair suggested this matter will be included in discussions under agenda items 8 and 9. The Vice Chair agreed, adding that discussions should focus on a necessary review, which he has previously argued for, looking at how ‘step out’ (prevention places) provision is linked to the availability / sufficiency of funding, in that the net cost of such provision on schools is currently quite prohibitive. Within this review, the strategic impact of weighting such provision and funding for early intervention, in the primary-phase, must also be evaluated.

The Business Advisor reported on other matters arising:

·         Scheme for Financing Schools April 2022: There were no directed revisions to the Scheme for April 2022 and therefore, our Scheme for maintained schools remains unchanged, except for a minor adjustment to the remove reference to the Salix Loan scheme (which has ceased). The formal adoption of the IRFS 16 reporting standard for leases by maintained schools has now been postponed until April 2024. Guidance is to be provided however, on how authorities can adopt the standard earlier than this.

Resolved –

(1)       That progress made on “Action” items and Matters Arising be noted.

(2)       That the minutes of the meeting held on 9 March 2022 be signed as a correct record.

Members will be asked to consider any issues raised by schools.

No matters were raised and no resolutions were passed on this item.

No resolutions were passed on this item.

There are no new allocations for consideration at this meeting.  

No allocations for 2022/23 were presented and no resolutions were passed on this item.

No resolutions were passed on this item.

The Business Advisor (Schools) will present a report, Document OI, which provides an update on the Forum’s membership and composition and how the Local Authority will now seek to refresh the Forum’s membership.

Members are asked to approve the proposed approach to the election of the Chair and Vice Chair of the Schools Forum for the 2022/23 academic year.

This report presents the annual update of the Forum’s Conduct of Meeting and Procedures document (Appendix 2). Forum Members are asked to consider and to approve Appendix 2.

Recommended –

(1)       The Schools Forum is asked to consider and to note the information provided.

(2)       The Schools Forum is asked to approve the proposed approach to the election of the Chair and Vice Chair of the Schools Forum for the 2022/23 academic year.

(3)       The Forum is asked to approve Appendix 2 (Forum Conduct of Meetings and Procedures) for the 2022/23 academic year.

(Andrew Redding – 01274 432678)

The Business Advisor (Schools) presented, Document OI, which provided an update on the Forum’s membership and composition and how the Local Authority will seek to refresh the Forum’s membership for the 2022/23 academic year. Members were asked to approve the proposed approach to the election of the Chair and Vice Chair of the Schools Forum. Members were also asked to comment on, and approve, the Forum’s Conduct of Meeting and Procedures document for 2022/23 (Appendix 2).

The Academies member, representing Special School Academies, confirmed that Michelle Farr has been elected to replace him as representative.

Forum members did not have any further comments on this report and did not ask any questions.

Resolved –

(1)       That the information presented in Document OI be noted.

(2)       That the proposed approach to the election of the Chair and Vice Chair of the Schools Forum for the 2022/23 academic year be approved.

(3)       That Appendix 2 (Forum Conduct of Meetings and Procedures) for the 2022/23 academic year be approved.

LEAD:            Business Advisor, Schools.

The Principal Officer (Schools) will present a report, Document OJ, which provides an update on the DfE’s published response to the consultation on the completion of the ‘hard’ National Funding Formula reforms, with changes to be implemented for the 2023/24 financial year.

Recommended –

The Schools Forum is asked to consider and to note the information presented.

(Jonty Holden – 01274 431927)

The Principal Officer (Schools) presented the report, Document OJ, which provided an update on the DfE’s published response to the consultation on the completion of the ‘hard’ National Funding Formula reforms, with changes to be implemented for the 2023/24 financial year.

Forum members did not have any comments on this report and did not ask any questions.

Resolved –

That the information presented in Document OJ be noted.

The Business Advisor (Schools) will present a report, Document OK, which provides an overview of the position of revenue balances held by maintained schools at 31 March 2022.

Recommended –

The Schools Forum is asked to note the information provided.

(Andrew Redding – 01274 432678)

The Business Advisor (Schools) presented a report, Document OK, which provided an overview of the position of revenue balances held by maintained schools at 31 March 2022.

Forum members did not have any comments on this report and did not ask any questions.

Resolved –

That the information presented in Document OK be noted.

The Business Advisor (Schools), together with the Assistant Director, SEND & Inclusion and the Intelligence and Sufficiency Strategic Manager, will present Document OL, which provides an overview of the DfE’s SEND and Alternative Provision Review, which was published on 29 March, as well as the Basic Needs and SEND capital settlements for 2022-2024.

The deadline for responses to the DfE’s consultation on the Review is Friday 1 July. The Schools Forum is asked to consider how it wishes to respond to this consultation, including any key points of feedback that the Forum may wish the Local Authority to include it its response.

The Schools Forum is asked to consider how it now wishes to work with the Local Authority to further review the implications of the Review and the capital settlements on the Dedicated Schools Grant (High Needs Block). This matters be linked to the next agenda item.

Recommended -

(1)       The Schools Forum is asked to consider and to note the information provided.

(2)       The Schools Forum is asked to consider how it wishes to respond to this consultation, including the key points of feedback that the Forum may wish the Local Authority to include in its response.

(3)       The Forum is asked to consider how it now wishes to work with the Local Authority to further consider the implications of the Review and the capital settlements on the Dedicated Schools Grant (High Needs Block).

(Andrew Redding – 01274 432678)

The Business Advisor (Schools), together with the Assistant Director, SEND and Inclusion, presented Document OL, which provided an overview of the DfE’s SEND and Alternative Provision Review, which was published on 29 March, as well as the Basic Needs and SEND capital settlements for 2022-2024.

In the discussion that followed the presentation of the report, Forum members made the following comments and asked the following questions:

·         The member representing Academy Special Schools expressed his concern that Bradford may be excluded from the next wave of SEND free school applications, because we are not currently in deficit. He stated that new school provision is the essential way that high quality holistic learning environments are created. We therefore, need to push back to Government very strongly on this. This was echoed by the Chair, who asked whether the Forum can do anything to raise this issue with the DfE. The Assistant Director, SEND and Inclusion, stated that the Authority is committed to all options for the development of specialist places, including free schools, and that the Authority has already raised our concern with the DfE and ESFA regarding our possible exclusion from the free school wave.

·         The member representing Academy Special Schools stated that the SEND Review is incredibly ambitious and, if successful, could change the SEND and AP landscape. There is strong theme in the Review of ensuring, without legislation, that health agencies pay for the health and therapy support services they are responsible for, irrespective of where these services are needed / delivered. If this theme is delivered in full, this will end how schools are currently subsidising the cost of health and therapy services. Locally, we need to start this transition now. The Strategic Director, Children’s Services, responded that the Authority is in discussion with health colleagues (ICS systems lead), especially in the context of the creation of specialist places.

·         The Assistant Director explained that the DfE’s ‘solutions’, that are expressed within the SEND Review document are: increased standardisation (vs. local discretion); the re-invention of ‘early intervention’; increased partnership; workforce development; increased parental confidence; greater collaboration / co-ordination between SEND and Alternative Provision; return to mainstream inclusion. He emphasised that change in cost is a clear implication of these solutions, especially in the short term, where authorities will be required to invest in early intervention strategies at the same time as meeting the cost of the needs of existing children and young people. These solutions could also mean significant change in costs for schools and for other providers.

·         The Vice Chair expressed his view that there is contradiction within the DfE’s Schools White Paper, between encouraging innovation and independence, and increasing centralisation and standardisation. He asked whether and how the Authority could be impeded by this. He also asked whether developments in Bradford, including the establishment of the Children’s Services Company, provide the opportunity to look at support service delivery innovatively, for example, via the pooling of budgets and staffing resources, the location of health services hubs, the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 625.

Linking with the previous agenda item on the SEND and Alternative Provision Review, the Business Advisor (Schools) will present a report, Document OM, which provides an update on the consideration of the surplus balance that is held within the High Needs Block at the end of the 2021/22 financial year.

The report explains the discussions that have taken place with the Forum’s Working Group, as well as with the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA), since the last Schools Forum meeting.

Recommended –

The Schools Forum is asked to consider and to note the update provided.

(Andrew Redding – 01274 432678)

Linking with the previous agenda item on the SEND and Alternative Provision Review, the Business Advisor (Schools) presented a report, Document OM, which provided an update on the consideration of the surplus balance that is held within the High Needs Block at the end of the 2021/22 financial year. The report explained the discussions that have taken place with the Forum’s Working Group, as well as with the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA), since the last Schools Forum meeting.

In the discussion that followed the presentation of the report, Forum members made the following comments and asked the following questions:

·         A member representing Maintained Primary School Headteachers expressed his disappointment that monies from the surplus balance have not been / are not being injected into schools quickly. He stated that there should be a 4^th strand of allocation, with funds being quickly allocated to support children with needs in schools now. The Business Advisor responded that the rationale for the approach that is set out in the report, in the Authority’s view, is very clear. This rationale covers the retention of the majority of funds, the targeting of funds to 3 main priority areas, and the Authority’s view about not progressing the allocation of funds into schools now in order to further enhance top-up and element 2 funding. The member responded that a 4^th strand of allocation would be targeted to support children with needs in schools now.

·         The Chair responded to express her frustration, regarding the sufficiency of SEND places, and that a strategic plan for the use of a proportion of the balance towards the 3 identified areas is not yet in place. The Vice Chair added that the Forum members that have attended the working group share a frustration, but there needs to be a clear strategic plan, which is going to take a little more time to develop as it is important to get this right.

Following some discussion on next steps, the timing of the plan, and whether the Forum’s working group will meet again, the Forum requested that the Authority presents a plan for the use of the balance (towards the 3 identified areas) to the 6 July meeting, with the working group given the opportunity to meet to contribute to / discuss the plan (including in draft) before this meeting.

The Assistant Director explained that the Authority will seek to respond to this request, but that timescales are short. He emphasised that some of this work is also conditional on receiving advice from the ESFA on the use of High Needs Block funds.

Resolved –

(1)       That the information presented in Document OM be noted.

(2)       That the Authority presents a plan for the HNB surplus balance to the Forum at the 6 July meeting, with the Forum’s sub group to meet in advance of this.

LEAD:            Assistant Director, SEND and Inclusion

Updates on the following Forum standing items will be provided verbally where these have not been covered within other agenda items:

Schools Forum membership

·         Update from the High Needs Block Steering Group

·         Update from the Schools Financial Performance Group (SFPG)

·         Update on School / Academy Budgets

·         Update from the Early Years Working Group (EYWG)

·         Update from the Formula Funding Working Group (FFWG)

·         Update on Primary School Places

·         Update on Academies & Free Schools

The Forum is asked to note the information provided.

(Andrew Redding – 01274 432678)

No further information was presented and no resolutions were passed on this item.

No resolutions were passed on this item.

Members will be asked for any additional items of business, for consideration at a future meeting.

A member asked whether anything has been announced regarding additional funding to support schools with rising energy costs. The Business Advisor (Schools) responded to advise that, although the DfE has indicated that it is looking at this issue, no announcements have yet been made.

No resolutions were passed on this item.

The next Forum meeting is planned for Wednesday 6 July 2022.

(a) Denotes an item for action (including where a formal view or recommendation is required).

(i)  Denotes an item for information.

Signposting of High Needs Information

As per the schedule presented on 14 October 2020, “Forum members are expected to access ‘outside of the Forum meetings’ wider SEND information that is presented to other groups and that is already published, including information presented to the SEND Partnership. The Authority will signpost this information (webpage links) for Forum members at the bottom of agendas.”

·         SEND Partnership Board (minutes of meetings):

https://localoffer.bradford.gov.uk/coproduction--feedback/send-strategic-partnership-board-

Please see the published schedule of meetings – the next Forum meeting is scheduled for Wednesday 6 July 2022. This meeting will be held in person at City Hall.

The provisional dates of meetings for the 2022/23 academic year are as follows:

·         Wednesday 14 September 2022, 8am

·         Wednesday 12 October 2022, 8am

·         Wednesday 7 December 2022, 8am

·         Wednesday 11 January 2023, 8am

·         Wednesday 18 January 2023, 8am  Provisional Meeting

·         Wednesday 8 March 2023, 8am

·         Wednesday 17 May 2023, 8am

·         Wednesday 5 July 2023, 8am

Note: These minutes are subject to approval as a correct record at the next meeting of the Forum.

THESE MINUTES HAVE BEEN PRODUCED, WHEREVER POSSIBLE, ON RECYCLED PAPER