Dear Colleague SUNDERLAND SCHOOLS FORUM You Are Invited
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To all members of the Sunderland Schools Forum Together for Children Sunderland Civic Centre Burdon Road Sunderland SR2 7DN Tel: 0191 520 5555 Web: www.togetherforchildren.org.uk Date: 4 th December 2017 Our ref: DM/GB Dear Colleague SUNDERLAND SCHOOLS FORUM You are invited to attend a meeting of the Schools Forum to be held from 8.30 am on Thursday 7th December 2017 (and is scheduled to end no later than 11.00 a.m.). The meeting will be held at Pallion Futures Centre (Link School Business Centre), Waverley Terrace, Sunderland SR4 6TA. A G E N D A 1. STANDING ITEMS 1.1 Apologies 1.2 Minutes of previous meeting held on 14th November 2017 (attached) 1.3 Matters Arising 2. MAIN AGENDA ITEM 2.1 Budget Planning Framework 2018/19 (Presentation) David May 3. REPORTS FOR INFORMATION/DISCUSSION AND DECISION 3.1 Schools Block – School Funding Formula 2018/19 David May 3.2 Growth and Falling Rolls Funding Report 2017/18 (report to follow) Alan Rowan 3.3 High Needs Block (report to follow) Annette Parr 3.4 Early Years Block (Presentation) David May 4. DATE AND TIME OF NEXT MEETING Thursday 18th January 2018 – 8.30 a.m. The agenda items for the next meeting in accordance with the work plan is: • Budget Planning Framework 2018/19 • Schools Block 2018/19 o Individual School Budget Share – Impact Analysis o Schools Block Return to EFA • High Needs Block 2018/19 • Early Years Block 2018/19 • Central Services Block 2018/19 • Dedicated Schools Grant Forecast Outturn 2017/18 Yours faithfully Gordon Brown Finance Assistant Direct Line 0191 561 4346 E-mail [email protected] Working on behalf of Sunderland City Council. www.togetherforchildren.org.uk Sunderland Schools Forum - Membership and Voting Rights (September 2017) No Representing Member Voting Rights NB: M denotes mandatory place 1 2 3 4 5 6 Schools Members 1 Maintained Primary Sunderland South Catherine Jones 2 Maintained Primary Sunderland North Joan Lumsdon 3 Maintained Primary Hetton/Houghton Sarah Nordstrom 4 Maintained Primary Washington Louise Wiegand 5 Maintained Sector School Governor Michael Hartnack 6 Maintained Catholic School Headteacher Ann Blakey 7 Maintained Special Headteacher (M) Celia Wright 8 Maintained Secondary Headteacher (M) Dean Juric 9 Maintained Sector School Governor Simon Tate 10 Maintained Nursery Headteacher (M) Julie Heron 11 Maintained Pupil Referral Service Headteacher (M) Donna Walker Academy Members 1 Academy Primary – Headteacher / Representative Alison Hodgson 2 Academy Primary - Headteacher / Representative Sharon Richards 3 Academy Primary - Headteacher / Representative Julia Belshaw 4 Academy Primary - Headteacher / Representative Emma Swansbury 5 Academy Secondary – All Through Rachel Donohue 6 Academy Secondary – Voluntary Aided Monica Shepherd 7 Academy Secondary – 11 to 16 Howard Kemp 8 Academy Secondary – 11 to 16 Steve Wilkinson 9 Academy Secondary – 11 to 16 Graham Patterson 10 Academy Secondary – 11 to 16 Paula Hegarty 11 Special Academy (M) Mick Little Non-Schools Members 1 Private, Voluntary & Independent Nurseries Nadia Ross 2 Private, Voluntary & Independent Nurseries Norman Vincent 3 Post 16 Provision Vacancy 4 Teacher Associations Nancy Wakeham 5 Roman Catholic Diocese Dominic Curran 6 Church of England Diocese Gill Booth Together for Children officers & Councillors Director of Finance David May (0191 561 1826) Principal Accountant Deborah Orr (0191 561 1412) Director of Education Simon Marshall (0191 561 1356) Vulnerable Children Service Manager Annette Parr (0191 561 1584) Lead Member Children’s Services Cllr Louise Farthing MEMBERSHIP VOTING RIGHTS (1) Scheme for Financing Schools (Maintained) (6) All other Schools Forum Decisions: (2) Schools Block Funding Formula a. Central expenditure relating to schools block (3) De-delegation maintained primary b. Deficits on central expenditure to be funded from following year's DSG (4) De-delegation maintained secondary c. Voting procedures (5) Early Years Single Funding Formula MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE SUNDERLAND SCHOOLS FORUM HELD ON TUESDAY 14TH NOVEMBER 2017 AT PALLION CENTRE, SUNDERLAND The following members of the Forum were present Julia Belshaw (Primary, Academy) Gill Booth (Church of England, Diocese) Dominic Curran (Catholic, Primary) Gill Grice (Secondary, Academy) Michael Hartnack (Primary Governor, Maintained) (In the chair) Julie Heron (Nursery, Maintained) Alison Hodgson (Primary, Academy) Catherine Jones (Community Primary, Sunderland South, Maintained) Dean Juric (Secondary, Maintained) Howard Kemp (Secondary, Academy) Joan Lumsdon (Community Primary, Sunderland North, Maintained) Sarah Nordstrom (Community Primary, Hetton/Houghton, Maintained) Emma Swansbury (Primary, Academy) Donna Walker (PRU) Steve Wilkinson (Secondary, Academy) Also in attendance Gordon Brown (TfC Finance) Colin Byers (Minute taker) Pam Davison (Southmoor Academy ) - Observer Cllr Louise Farthing (Lead Member, Children’s Services) John Hope (TfC Finance) Simon Marshall (TfC Director of Education) David May (TfC Director of Finance) Annette Parr (TfC Vulnerable Children Service Manager) Philip Smith (Castle View Academy) - observer Diane Wright (UNISON) – observer Apologies for absence Ann Blakey (Catholic, Maintained) Mick Little (Special, Academy) Lesley Mavin (Special, Maintained) Sharon Richards (Primary, Academy) Simon Tate (Primary Governor, Maintained) Norman Vincent (PVI) Nancy Wakeham (NAS/UWT) Louise Wiegand (Community Primary, Washington, Maintained) Celia Wright (Special, Maintained) Action Points 17/49 Schools Block D May took members through his presentation “School Briefing – Funding Changes 2018-19”. Three briefings for schools and governors were to be held on Thursday 16th November. Page 1 of 3 Action Points Today’s presentation would cover the national funding formula (NFF), formula values, Sunderland context, decisions required and next steps in the process. 26,000 responses had been received on the DFE consultation on the NFF and a full response had since been published. The structure of the funding system was outlined, which would see the allocation of the DSG in four blocks, each with a different formula; schools (SB), early years, high needs (HNB) and central services. The vast majority of the schools block (99.5%) will be ring- fenced and must be distributed through the local formula for schools. With agreement from the Schools Forum, 0.5% could be moved in to other blocks Details were given of the funding formula for each of the four blocks. Information was provided on weightings and values within the NFF. Turbulence needed to be avoided particularly with the low prior attainment factor. Agreement needed to be reached on a move to the NFF with the best option to best protect schools. The Forum was informed of key areas of change. Adjusted baselines would see funding for SEN units & resourced provisions transfer from the HNB to the SB. D May gave details of the proposal to transfer £800,000 from the HNB to SB. A discussion was held around the cost of placements and social care referrals. Following a vote (all in favour, no abstentions), it was agreed that £800,000 (0.5%) be transferred from the schools block to the high needs block. There was an increase in the number of children electively home educated. This was a national issue and was being examined by the Children’s Commissioner. There were concerns that some schools were encouraging parents to home educate as an alternative to exclusion. It was queried if there were protocols in place to enable checks and balances to be made. There were safeguarding concerns about this, as it was often the most vulnerable children that were out of school. It was suggested that this issue could be raised with the SSCB. There were also children who were not recorded on any register. Simon Marshall commented that a full review of alternative provision was on-going. Better processes were required, with an increase in outreach work and Page 2 of 3 Action Points reorganisation of the PRUs, developing a more therapeutic approach, with mental health support. It was proposed to maintain the existing growth and falling rolls fund at £154,867 for 2018/19. This would be discussed further at the December meeting of the forum. In respect of the schools block, do we: • Remove the LAC factor from SFF as funding is provided through the pupil premium plus grant? • Remove use of RPIX and apply to 2017/18 charge as used by the NFF? D May took the group through eight options for the implementation of the national funding formula. Spread sheets were tabled at the meeting showing: • The impact on the factor weightings; • Impact analysis of 2018/19 schools block formula budget. based on the eight options. Following discussion, it was agreed to consult schools on options C, D, F and G. All options had worked on the assumption that 0.5%% had already been transferred from the SB to HNB. The consultation questions for schools/governors were outlined. The next steps of the process were outlined: • Schools Forum meetings on 28th November, 7th December & 18th January 2018. • Potential return requited to DfE by 30th November • Members and Cabinet – December/January • Proforma submitted to EFA – 19th January • Briefing sessions for schools/governors/trade unions – 26th January Page 3 of 3 REPORT TO SUNDERLAND SCHOOLS FORUM REPORT OF DIRECTOR OF FINANCE 7th December 2017 Schools Block – School Funding Formula 2018/19. 1. Introduction 1.1 The purpose of this report