The Principal Finance Officers (Schools) and the Business Advisor (Schools) will present a report, Document OB, with Appendices 1-5.

Appendices 1a, 1b and 1c show the indicative values of allocations to be delegated to individual primary and secondary maintained schools and academies within the Schools Block.

Appendix 1d provides an analysis of the change in cost of Schools Block formula funding following the use of the data collected in / based on the October 2021 Census. Modelling previously presented to the Forum has been based on October 2020 Census data.

Appendices 2a, 2b and 2c show the proposed indicative rates of funding for early years settings for the 2022/23 financial year. These rates are shown, prior to the completion of the consultation on our Early Years Single Funding Formula (which closes on 24 January).

Appendix 3 provides a more detailed analysis of how the High Needs Block planned budget has been constructed at individual setting level. Please note that Appendix 3 does not show the values of allocations that high needs providers will actually receive in 2022/23 (as these will be based on monthly occupancy during the year).

Appendices 4 and 5 show the draft Primary and Secondary and Early Years pro-formas, which summarise the Authority’s proposed formula funding arrangements. Please note that these pro-formas are subject to the final decisions and recommendations to be made by the Schools Forum, under agenda item 11, as well as to the finalisation of our early years funding arrangements, following the closure of the consultation on 24 January.

Recommended –

The Forum is asked to note the information provided. This will inform decisions and recommendations to be made under agenda item 11.

(Andrew Redding – 01274 432678)

The Business Advisor (Schools) presented, Document OB, with Appendices 1-5.

Appendices 1a, 1b and 1c showed the indicative values of allocations to be delegated to individual primary and secondary maintained schools and academies within the Schools Block. Appendix 1d provided an analysis of the change in cost of Schools Block formula funding following the use of the data collected in / based on the October 2021 Census. Appendices 2a, 2b and 2c showed the proposed indicative rates of funding for early years settings for the 2022/23 financial year. Appendix 3 provided a more detailed analysis of how the High Needs Block planned budget has been constructed at individual setting level.  Appendices 4 and 5 showed the draft Primary and Secondary and Early Years pro-formas, which summarised the Authority’s proposed formula funding arrangements, which will be subject to the final decisions and recommendations to be made by the Schools Forum, under agenda item 11, as well as to the finalisation of early years funding arrangements following the closure of the consultation on 24 January.

The Business Advisor highlighted Appendix 1d, which presented the cost of change by factor for the Schools Block funding formula, when the October 2021 dataset has been used. The Business Advisor highlighted key themes, especially the increased spending through the Free School Meals factors and the continued (though smaller) reduction in spending through the SEND low prior attainment factor. In total, formula funding costs £0.947m more when using the October 2021 dataset, compared with the cost when using the October 2020 dataset. As such, we were right to be concerned about this, when we set out our consultation in the autumn term. However, the Business Advisor also explained that, although this is a significantly increased cost, there is sufficient headroom within our 2022/23 Schools Block to afford this position, when combined with the allocation of a small amount of brought forward balance. As such, we do not need to look for options to secure affordability and we do not need to move away from the proposal that we made in the autumn term, which was to continue to fully mirror the DfE’s National Funding Formula in 2022/23.

Forum members did not ask any questions and did not make any comments.

Resolved –

That the information presented in Document OB be noted.