School funding update Sharon Bellamy Group Accountant – Schools

Updates on: School funding formula for 2014/2015 Other funding for 2014/2015 Schools’ Forum Looking ahead to 2015/2016 What’s coming up?

School formula 2014/2015 (1) Consulted on 2014/2015 formula over the summer: Provide some stability and reduce further turbulence No changes to formula factors Changes to secondary prior attainment measure – no change to sum allocated Vary pupil numbers for reorganisation of Bedford Academy cluster and schools adding tier groups in September 2014 Minimum Funding Guarantee (MFG) remains at -1.5%

School formula 2014/2015 (2) DfE approved request to vary pupil numbers Schools Forum approved formula at last meeting LA approved formula through Executive meeting DfE approved LA draft formula

School formula 2014/2015 (3) Early Years No changes nationally No changes to Bedford Borough Early Years Single Funding Formula

School formula 2014/2015 (4) High Needs Largely unchanged Special school post-16 place funding £10,000 (same as pre-16) with £1,164 difference added to top-up

School formula 2014/2015 (5) Post-16 No changes Education Funding Agency (EFA) directly notify allocation

Other funding 2014/2015 (1) Pupil Premium Free School Meals Primary£1,300 Secondary£935 Children looked after£1,900 Service childrentbc

Other funding 2014/2015 (2) Devolved Formula Capital No news yet Assume current rates

Timeline December 2013DfE publish October pupil and factor data DfE publish Dedicated Schools Grant allocations January 2014Schools Forum and LA consider final formula and submit to EFA 28 February 2014Formula allocation confirmed to maintained schools 31 March 2014Early Years and High Needs allocations confirmed to all schools 31 March 2014 Post-16 allocations notified to maintained schools (or as soon as released)

Schools Forum (1) 30 September meeting: New chair appointed Vice chair vacancy List of current members

Schools Forum (2) Meeting papers: De-delegation for 2014/2015 Centrally retained Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) for 2014/2015

Schools Forum (3) De-delegation for 2014/2015: Annual vote by phase of maintained school reps: 1) New, reorganised and closing schools 2) Schools in financial difficulty 3) Free school meal eligibility 4) Staff costs – union service 5) Support for minority ethnic pupils and underachieving groups 6) Behaviour support services 7) Libraries and museum services Primary and secondary phases voted to de-delegate

Schools Forum (4) Centrally retained DSG for 2014/2015: Annually agree value of centrally retained DSG: 1.Admissions 2.Servicing of Schools Forum 3.Capital expenditure from revenue 4.Combined budget for targeted work in schools 5.Combined budgets for ICT 6.Schools redundancy 7.Places in independent schools for non SEN pupils 8.Growth fund – small school infant class size and pre-16 growth

Schools Forum (5) EFA recently published: Schools Forum: A guide for schools and academies on its role and their responsibilities a-guide-for-schools-and-academies

Looking ahead to 2015/2016 (1) DSG for YR to Y11 will grow at more than flat cash per pupil nationwide Pupil Premium will grow in real terms

Looking ahead to 2015/2016 (2) National Fair Funding Formula (NFFF) to be introduced (schools block only) No significant changes to High Needs (allow 2013/14 reforms to bed in) No national formula for Early Years yet Post-16: o Funding protection from 2010 changes ended o Funding protection from 2013/14 changes continue to 2015/16

Looking ahead to 2015/2016 (3) Government consultation on how to introduce a NFFF (for 2015/2016 only): o amount of local discretion o factors to use o transitional protection (minimum funding guarantee) Ministers very aware of need to avoid excessive turbulence

Looking ahead to 2015/2016 (4) DfE timetable June to late 2013Finalise NFFF proposals Early 2014Public consultation Spring 2014Adjust proposal as necessary Spring/Summer 2014Announce NFFF policy Summer 2014 to Spring 2015LAs to decide on school-level budgets April 2015Schools receive new budgets

What’s coming up ? Local authority / school deadlines: 6 Decforecast out-turn (presented at next governor’s meeting) 1 Febtransfer funds to LA balance sheet Early 2014DfE 2015/16 funding consultation 31 MarSFVS submission

Any questions?