F Committee: School Forum Meeting Date: 13 January 2015 Title: Annual Review of Suffolk’s Scheme for the Financing of Schools Author: Carole Murton Decision making / Information consultative / information: What is the Forum being asked to decide? 1. The Forum is being asked to note the minor amendments made to Suffolk’s Scheme for the Financing of Schools (Scheme), as set out in Annex A, in order to bring the Scheme in line with DfE 2014 statutory guidance. 2. The Forum is being asked to note the update to Annex A of the Scheme (as set out in Annex B of this paper) to take account of closed schools, schools which have converted to Academy and school name changes between 01 October 2013 and 01 November 2014 and authorise the change to the Scheme. 3. The Forum is being asked to note that the revised Scheme will come into effect on 01 January 2015 and that the next annual review will take place in July 2015. Reason for recommendation 4. The Scheme is the formal document describing the relationship between the Authority and the maintained schools and pupil referral units (PRUs) which it funds. The Scheme contains requirements relating to financial management and associated issues, and is binding on both the Authority and on maintained schools/PRUs. 5. Section 1.4 of the Suffolk Scheme states that the LA will review the Scheme on an annual basis; any revisions identified will then be reported to the Schools Forum. The current Scheme came into force on 01 January 2014 and the annual review is due. 6. The DfE published minor amendments to their Statutory Guidance in February 2014. The Suffolk Scheme needs to be updated to take account of these changes. Future annual updates will take place each July in order to reduce the delay in implementing DfE directed changes. 7. Annex A of the Suffolk Scheme lists all maintained Schools and PRUs as at 01 October 2013. Subsequently a further nine schools have converted to Academy, five schools have closed, two schools have changed their names and two new establishments have opened. The Scheme’s Annex A needs to be updated to take account of these changes. Alternative options 8. There is no alternative option Who will be affected by this decision? 9. All maintained schools and PRUs in Suffolk, and the Suffolk LA. The Scheme does not apply to Academies or Free Schools. Main body of the Report 10. Local authorities are required to publish schemes for financing schools, setting out the financial relationship between them and the schools they maintain. 11. The current Suffolk Scheme came into force on 01 January 2014 following consultation with all Suffolk maintained schools and PRUs during autumn 2013 and formal approval by Suffolk’s School Forum on 13th December 2013. 12. Section 1.4 of the Scheme sets out a requirement for an annual review by the Authority and therefore a review is now due. 13. In past years, the DfE has reviewed their guidance to Authorities during late spring/early summer. This year their update was published on 26th February 2014 and the following minor amendments were made to the DfE’s guidance text: - 2.13: ‘Academies’ added – “These allow schools to spend their budgets on pupils who are on the roll of other maintained schools or academies.” - 11.1: Removed “This provision should not be broadened to attempt to create a general right of access to the school. Statutory guidance on that issue is contained in the Code of Practice on Local Authority/School Relations.” 14. The underlined text needs to be added to Section 2.13 of the Suffolk Scheme as follows: In the 2002 Education Act (section 27) the Secretary of State widened the criteria for ‘the purposes of the school’ to include: - Spending on community facilities and services - Spending on pupils who are on the roll of other maintained schools or academies 15. Suffolk’s Scheme does not include the wording originally used by the DfE for Section 11.1 and therefore no change is required. 16. As set out in Section 1.4 of the Suffolk Scheme, DfE directed changes do not require formal consultation with schools or approval of the Forum. The Section also permits the Schools Forum to authorise changes to the Scheme without formal consultation with schools in certain circumstances, including updates to the list of schools (Annex A) to take account of closed schools, schools which have converted to Academy and school name changes. 17. There have been several changes in school status since Annex A was last revised (01/10/2013). An up-to-date list of current maintained schools and PRUs as at 01 November 2014 is included in Annex A of this paper and needs to replace Annex A of the Scheme. 18. .Annex B includes details of schools which have closed, converted, opened or changed their name since 01 October 2013 and is provided for completeness. 19. As set out in Section 1.4 of the Scheme, the Schools Forum may authorise changes to Annex A without formal consultation with schools. 20. The changes set out in points 14 and 17 of this report will be incorporated into the current Scheme, with the new Scheme being published by 01 February 2015. 21. The next Authority review of the Scheme will take place in July 2015. Although this will result in two reviews occurring at close interval it will reduce delays in implementing any DfE directed changes announced in late spring/early summer 2015. Future reviews will take place in the summer term each year. 22. Changes to the Scheme for next year, and future years, will take effect from 01 September where full consultation with schools is not required. If full consultation is necessary then any changes will take effect after the consultation outcomes have been considered by Forum and the necessary changes made to the proposed Scheme. It is hoped that these steps could be successfully concluded before the end of the Autumn Term in order to have the revised Scheme in place for 01 January of the following year. 23. Schools and Governing Bodies will be notified of the changes made to the Scheme, the implementation date and the change to the annual review cycle in an LMS document. ANNEX A: LIST OF MAINTAINED SCHOOLS AND PRUs as at 01/11/2014 LA DfE LA School DfE School Number Number Number Number PRIMARY PRIMARY Aldeburgh Primary School 001 2058 Ilketshall St Lawrence School 048 2088 Barnby & North Cover Community Primary 005 2061 Kelsale CEVCP School 050 3093 The Albert Pye Community Primary School 006 2063 All Saints CEVAP School, Laxfield 056 3331 Ravensmere Infant School 007 2064 Dell Primary School 059 2146 Crowfoot Community Primary School 008 2062 Elm Tree Community Primary School 060 2153 St Benet's Catholic Primary School 009 3333 Fen Park Community Primary School 061 2142 Bedfield C of E VCP School 010 3075 Gunton Community Primary School 062 2920 Benhall St Mary's C of E VCP School 011 3076 Meadow Community Primary School 063 2143 Blundeston C of E VCP School 012 3114 Northfield St Nicholas Primary School 064 2139 Bramfield C of E VCP School 013 3077 Poplars Community Primary School 065 2147 Brampton C of E VCP School 014 3079 Pakefield Primary School 067 2145 Bungay Primary School 015 2067 Roman Hill Primary School 068 2141 St Margaret's Community Primary School, St Edmund's Catholic Primary School, Bungay 016 3334 070 2140 Lowestoft St Botolph's CEVCP School 017 3125 St Mary's RC Primary School, Lowestoft 072 3335 Carlton Colville Primary School 019 2068 Woods Loke Community Primary School 074 2152 Charsfield CEVCP School 020 3081 Oulton Broad Primary School 075 2919 Corton CEVAP School 022 3083 Mellis CEVCP School 080 3096 Coldfair Green CP School 023 2136 Mendham Primary School 081 2096 Sir Robert Hitcham's CEVAP School, Debenham 025 3329 Middleton Community Primary School 082 2098 Dennington CEVCP School 026 3084 Occold Primary School 084 2100 Earl Soham Community Primary School 029 2072 Palgrave CEVCP School 086 3099 St Peter and St Paul CEVAP School 031 3323 Peasenhall Primary School 088 2102 Sir Robert Hitcham's CEVAP School, Framlingham 035 3330 Reydon Primary School 092 2130 Fressingfield CEVCP School 036 3089 Ringsfield CEVCP School 093 3101 Gislingham CEVCP School 038 3116 Saxmundham Primary School 096 2106 Edgar Sewter Community Primary School 041 2080 Snape Community Primary School 097 2108 Helmingham Community Primary School 042 2081 Somerleyton Primary School 098 2109 Holton St Peter Community Primary School 044 2086 Southwold Primary School 099 2111 St Edmund's Primary School, Hoxne 045 2087 Stoke Ash Community Primary School 100 2112 LA School DfE Number Number LA School DfE Number Number PRIMARY Stonham Aspal CEVAP School 101 3327 PRIMARY Stradbroke CEVCP School 102 3102 Beaumont Community Primary School 238 2931 Thorndon CEVCP School 106 3105 Hadleigh Community Primary School 239 2042 Wenhaston Primary School 109 2122 St Mary's CEVAP School, Hadleigh 240 3302 Wetheringsett CEVCP School 110 3108 Henley Primary School 242 2083 Wilby CEVCP School 112 3109 Hintlesham and Chattisham CEVCP School 243 3092 Worlingham CEVCP School 113 3111 Holbrook Primary School 245 2084 Worlingworth CEVCP School 114 3113 Hollesley Primary School 246 2085 Wortham Primary School 115 2126 Broke Hall Community Primary School 249 2194 Yoxford Primary School 119 2128 Britannia Primary School and Nursery 250 2165 Bawdsey CEVCP School 202 3074 Castle Hill Infant School 251 2179 Bentley CEVCP School 203 3117 Castle Hill Junior School 252 2177 Bildeston Primary School 205 2002 The Oaks Community Primary School 253 3344 Bramford CEVCP School 206 3078 Cliff Lane Primary School 256 2159 Brooklands Primary