Schools Forum Training June 2017 David Blakesley (Finance Manager)

Purpose of Course To provide an overview of the role and responsibilities of Schools Forums To give an understanding of the financial issues discussed at Schools Forums To try to answer any questions from members!

School Forum Regulations Issued by DfE LAs have responsibility for establishing Schools Forums LAs have responsibility to provide Forum with support, information and guidance to carry out their functions and responsibilities Regulations cover: Establishment, constitution, meetings and proceedings Functions & Consultation Forum & Members’ Expenses

Functions Formal method for LA’s to consult with schools. Changes to the funding formula (Reports & Working Group) Financial Issues (Quarterly Revenue Monitoring Reports) Annually on issues related to the schools budget (Annual Budget Report) Changes to the Fair Funding Scheme for Financing Schools – statutory / optional (eg. changes to Surplus Balance policy for schools)

DfE Guidance Operational & Good Practice Guide School Forum Powers & Responsibilities Self Assessment Toolkit

Membership No minimum size (to accommodate small LAs) No maximum size Need to have full representation for various types of schools, academies and Pupil Referral Units Authorities set the policy on including non-schools members (e.g. Church Dioceses) except: Must have a Early Years PVI representative on Forum Must have a 14-19 representative (subject to change)

Schools Members Represent specified phases or types of schools Must contain representatives from primary and secondary schools Members in each group should be broadly proportionate to the ratio of pupils Must include representatives from special schools and nursery schools if maintained by LA. Authority has the discretion to further divide the groups (e.g. Governor members within groups) Must also include academy and PRU members Membership structure should reflect most effectively the profile of schools across the LA to ensure no in-built bias.

Schools Members continued. Term of office must be stipulated – 2 years from April 2017 for current members. If a member resigns from or no longer occupies the office which they represent, they cease to be a member on Schools Forum. Each group or sub-group is responsible for their election process (where required). Authority must appoint a replacement when vacancy arises. LA provides support to the election process. Must record the process by which elections are operated.

Non-schools Members May number no more than 1/3rd of total membership. LA should ensure that the needs and interests of all pupils are adequately represented on Forum. Length of office is at the discretion of the authority but is usually consistent with schools members Elected members who hold an executive role are barred from being a member Officers employed by the authority who have a role in strategic resource management are barred from membership. Officers = those whose role involved management of or advice on schools funding, Director of Children’s services and those who are under the line management of the DCS.

Observers Any elected member or LA officer who is not a member is entitled to attend and speak at Forum. CYPS Director, or representative, and LA Finance representatives School Business Managers (by election process) Education & Skills Funding Agency also has observer status Other observers at Forum’s discretion (e.g. Trade Unions) LA must make a record of the composition of the Schools Forum. Observers can participate in discussions but have no voting rights

Procedures Meeting is quorate if 40% of the total membership is present Forum must elect a chair from its own members (must not be an elected member or an officer of the LA). Term of office is 2 years. Forum must decide voting procedures. Majority voting, Chair has casting vote. Proceedings of the Forum are not invalidated by defects in the election or appointment of any member, Chair or vacancy. Forum meetings are now open to the public and Forum papers have to be published on the LA’s website All members are entitled to vote where a vote is suggested. This includes substitutes who might be in attendance but excludes observers. The main restriction is funding formulae voting – only maintained schools, academies, PRUs and Early Years representative can vote. Also restrictions on de-delegation for example.

Other procedural matters Attendance of LA officers for specific reports Supported by a specific officer – David Blakesley (Finance Manager – LOCYPS) Clerk to Schools Forum – Rebecca Brookes (Senior Finance Officer – LOCYPS) rebecca.brookes@doncaster.gov.uk Reports circulated the week before Accurate record of the meetings is taken and distributed at next Forum meeting Schools Forum budget is £35,630 for 2017/18

Communication Agenda, Papers & Minutes of the Schools Forum must be published on the LA’s website A summary newsletter is also sent out to all schools Schools and individuals are referred to the website to obtain any further information they require (full minutes etc).

Relationship with Local Authority In order to have an Effective Schools Forum the following are important: Partnership Effective support Openness Responsiveness Strategic view Challenge and Scrutiny Working Groups - Formula / High Needs / Surplus Balances

Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) Statutory guidance concerning what can be funded from DSG Grant Terms & Conditions School & Early Years Finance Regulations DSG Split into 3 blocks: Schools Block High Needs Block Early Years Block

Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) Schools Block DSG funds: Individual Schools Budget shares Schools Central expenditure (allowable under DfE or SoS Approval) Maintained Primary de-delegated budgets Early Years Block DSG funds: 3 & 4 year old nursery education 2 year old nursery education Central Early Years – staff / contingency (Forum Approval)

Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) High Needs Block DSG funds: EHC plans/Statement top-up funding for schools Special Schools ARC’s Pupil Referral Units Learning Centres Pupils educated out of area Special Post 16 institutions & FE College Top-Up HI, VI, Behaviour & ASD school support / Pre School Inclusion

Schools Forum Involvement - Example Schools Funding Formula Reforms: Working Group set up 13/14 (continued annually) Consultation / letters to all schools Report taken & discussed at Forum Sector approval of any de-delegation Approval of Growth Fund Agreeing new factor inclusion – EAL (15/16)

Topics discussed at Forum LA reports or as requested by Forum: Constitution of School Forum – to be reviewed Dedicated Schools Grant budget (Feb) Dedicated Schools Grant revenue monitoring Financial Regulations & Fair Funding Scheme Surplus school balances (ongoing) DSG year end under/overspend Approval of Central Early Years & School budgets

Topics discussed at Forum cont… Growth Fund National Funding Formula Future Developments in High Needs Provision Other specific topics as requested or tabled

Questions ?