The Schools Forum met on Wednesday 8 July 2026 to discuss the forward plan of reports for the upcoming year, review the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) outturn position for 2025-26, and consider the 2026-27 funding update. The meeting also included a review of children's services fees and charges for 2026-27 and an update on school balances.

Forward Plan of Reports 2026-27

The Schools Forum was scheduled to note the Forward Plan of reports for the coming year, which outlines the anticipated agenda items for the 2026-27 period. This plan includes standing items such as updates on the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) and National Funding Formula reviews. The plan also details specific meeting dates for the upcoming financial year, ensuring that the Forum meets the minimum requirement of four meetings annually.

2025-26 Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) Outturn Position

A report was presented detailing the outturn position of the 2025-26 Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG). The report indicated a projected deficit of £18.08m for the financial year, contributing to an accumulated DSG deficit of £27.0m. The Schools Block showed a slight underspend of £0.24m, while the Central School Services Block (CSSB) had an overspend of £1.66m, largely due to costs associated with school reorganisation. The High Needs Block (HNB) showed a significant overspend of £16.04m, attributed to increased demand for Education Health Care Plans (EHCPs) and SEN support. The Early Years Block was projected to have a full spend. The report also highlighted that the government would cover 90% of Local Authorities' High Needs DSG deficits as at the end of 2025-26, conditional on the approval of a Local SEND Reform Plan.

2025-26 Revenue & Capital School Balances

The Schools Forum was scheduled to review the maintained schools' balance position for the financial year ending 31 March 2026. The report indicated an overall decrease in the school reserve ledger balance from £6.4m to £2.9m. This reduction was attributed to various cost pressures faced by schools, including staffing, declining pupil numbers, increased energy costs, inflation, and pay awards. The report noted a continued risk to the financial sustainability of maintained schools due to the reduction in balances. It also detailed the revenue balance position for different school phases, showing a decrease in overall surplus. The capital balance position for maintained schools, related to Devolved Formula Capital (DFC), showed no significant issues.

2026-27 Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) Funding Update

The meeting was to receive an update on the current funding position of the 2026-27 Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG). The report outlined the initial allocations for the Schools Block, Central School Services Block (CSSB), High Needs Block (HNB), and Early Years Block (EYB). A notable increase was seen in the Early Years Block allocation, while the Schools Block allocation reflected a decrease in pupil numbers. The report also detailed the de-delegated allocations retained by the Local Authority for 2026-27, showing a reduction compared to the previous year. The High Needs Block allocation was set to increase, but projected in-year deficits were anticipated due to continued demand for EHCPs and SEN support. The Early Years Block allocation was also set to increase, with a higher pass-through rate to Early Years providers.

Children's Services fees and charges 2026/27

The Schools Forum was asked to note the proposed increases in fees and charges for various services provided by Children's Services for the financial year 2026-27. These increases were intended to reflect inflationary changes and ensure full cost recovery for the authority. The report detailed proposed adjustments for services such as Attendance and Advisory, Secondary Inclusion, Educational Psychology and Wellbeing, Restorative Approaches, Schools Outreach Counselling, Performance Analysis Service, Royal Greenwich Music Service, Governor Services, and School Improvement. An inflationary adjustment of 3.8% was generally proposed, with specific considerations for full cost recovery where applicable.

Attendance Record

The Schools Forum was to review the attendance record of its representatives for the 2025-26 period. This item, a standing agenda item, allowed members to note and review who had attended previous meetings. The report included a detailed breakdown of attendance for each meeting throughout the year.