Agenda and draft minutes

Schools' Forum - Thursday 16th January, 2025 3.00 pm

Venue: Online

Contact: George Vincent  Email: george.vincent@milton-keynes.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

SF36(a)

Apologies for Absences

Minutes:

Apologies had been received from Victoria Courtis and Alison Talbot.

SF36(b)

Disclosures of Interest

Minutes:

There were none.

SF36(c)

Minutes and Matters Arising pdf icon PDF 92 KB

Minutes:

The Minutes of the meeting held on 12 December 2024 were agreed as an accurate record. There were no matters arising.

SF37

Item 2a - Forecast Outturn 2024-25 pdf icon PDF 243 KB

Minutes:

The Item was introduced by Sonia Hattle, Assistant Director of Finance, the following points were highlighted to the Forum:

·      There had been no funding adjustments to the DSG allocation since December.

·      The surplus balance for 2024/25 was expected to be about £5.8m, a decrease of approximately £0.7m from the previous year.

·      There was an expected carry forward into 2025/26 for the Schools Block of just under £0.8m with an in-year underspend of £0.721m.

·      Expected carry forward into 2025/26 of £1.9m for the Early Years Block with an in-year overspend of £1.1m.

·      That there was a predicted carry forward for the High Needs Block into 2025/26 of just over £3m with in-year predicted overspend of £0.3m. It was emphasised that this was due to an increase in the carry forward from the previous year by £1.2m, an in-year overspend of £1.5m on the high needs block, and an adverse movement of just under £0.3m from period 8 to period 9, predominantly related to independent school placements.

A member sought clarification as to how the forecasted surpluses would be spent, and was told by officers that the schools block surplus would be used to reduce expected pressures, and that the HNB surplus would be held as a contingency in anticipation of expected volatility.

Actions:

1.      The Forum noted the report.

SF38

Item 2b 2025-26 Budget pdf icon PDF 288 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The item was introduced by the Assistant Director of Finance, who advised members that the purpose of the report was to inform the Schools Forum of the distribution of the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) for the financial year 2025/26. An overview of the report was provided, with an outline of the contents of the annexes provided, further detail was included in the report, which is available to view here.

The annexes were introduced individually by officers and are detailed below.

Item 2b – Annex A – Dedicated Schools Grant Income.

That there was a total Budget of £407 million, which was a £40 million increase from the previous year.

The teachers' pay additional grant, teachers' pension, and core schools budget grant had been rolled into the national funding formula for 2025/26.

Detailed breakdowns and allocations were discussed and can be found set out in the report.

A member inquired whether the increase in the total budget and the implications of rolling the teachers' pay additional grant, teachers' pension, and core schools budget grant into the national funding formula and whether this actually represented an increase in funding for schools.

Item 2b Annex B – Central Schools Expenditure, Growth and De-delegation.

Members were informed that central schools expenditure included admissions costs, schools forum, education welfare, asset management, statutory and regulatory duties, and centrally employed teachers' pension contributions.

It was clarified to the Forum that the decision made on 17 October 2024 for additional places for Watling Primary school had been incorrect, as it had stated 180 places rather than 240. Members were asked to vote upon the correct total, and upon being put to the vote, it passed unanimously.

Item 2b – Annex C – Primary and Secondary Schools Budget Shares

Members were told that:

·      The funding formula was continuing to transition to the national funding formula and the minimum funding guarantee.

·      The minimum funding guarantee is set at 0%, ensuring schools receive the same amount per pupil as the previous year.

·      Detailed breakdowns of funding rates and allocations were provided.

In response to a member, officers advised that the number of schools attracting the minimum funding guarantee increased from 10 to 16, with the total protection amount rising from £58,000 to £124,000. A member commented that this was relatively low given the number of settings and amounts of funding.

Item 2b – Annex D – Early Years Block Funding 2024/25.

The following points were highlighted:

·      The full increase in government funding rates is passed on to providers, with 97.6%. of total funding passed out to providers.

·      Maintained nursery schools would continue to receive supplementary funding, which has increased.

·      Early years pupil premium and Disability Access Fund (DAF) rates had increased.

A vote was taken to approve an increase in central expenditure by £0.1m to accommodate increased pressures and staffing demands, which was unanimously agreed upon.

Item 2b Annex E – High Needs Budget 2025/26

The following points were highlighted:

·      That the final allocation of funding for the high  ...  view the full minutes text for item SF38

SF39

Early Years Reference Group

Minutes:

The Group had not met since the last meeting of the Forum.

SF40

High Needs Reference Group

Minutes:

Katie Burgess, Management Accountant provided an update to members on the recent meeting of the High Needs reference Group. The Forum were told that the Group had looked at and agreed the Draft Budget for 2025/26 including a prudent level of reserve. It was highlighted that the key priorities for 2025 were discussed  and idenfitied. The Forum noted that it had been agreed that a working group would be set up to consider how spends across special and maintained schools could be managed going forward.

SF41

Forward Planning

For the foreseeable future the school’s forum meetings will be held virtually and take place via Teams.

• Proposed Date 10 July 2025

Draft Outturn 2024/25

Final Budget 2025/26

Government Updates

Scheme for Financing Schools

• Proposed Date 16 October 2025

Forecast Outturn 2025/26

Budget Setting 2026/27

Government Updates

• Proposed Date 11 December 2025

Forecast Outturn 2025/26

Annual Report on Early Years

Annual Report on Alternative Provision

Annual Report on High Needs

Government Updates

Budget Setting 2026/27

• Proposed Date 15 January 2026

Forecast Outturn 2025/26

Final Budget Setting 2026/27

Government Update

Minutes:

Actions:

1.      The Forum noted the future meeting dates and items.

 

 

THE MEETING WAS CLOSED AT 15:37