The Education Board of Southend-on-Sea Council met to discuss the establishment of a Southend School Forum and Education Strategy Group, and to approve the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) Early Years funding rates for 2024/25. The board also reviewed the overall DSG budget for 2024/25.

Establishment of Southend School Forum and Education Strategy Group

The Director of Education, Early Years and Inclusion provided a verbal update on the proposals to establish a Southend School Forum and an Education Strategy Group. The Director mentioned that a workshop will be held with headteachers to establish the Terms of Reference for the Schools Forum. Elections are planned for the summer period, with the first formal meeting of the Schools Forum set to commence in September 2024.

The board resolved to note the progress towards the establishment of the Schools Forum and Education Strategy Group, as well as other associated groups such as the SEND Partnership and Early Years Forum.

Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) Early Years Funding 2024/25

The board considered a report from the Senior Finance Business Partner on the 2024/25 Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) budget Early Years funding rates. The board approved the following funding rates:

• 3 & 4-year-old funding:

  • Uplift the EY Provider base rate to £5.30 per hour.
  • Uplift the eligible deprivation rate to 49p per hour.
  • Move to a 97% EY provider passport rate, retaining an additional £181,000 per annum for EY Centrally retained support.

• 2-year-old disadvantage entitlement funding:

  • Uplift the EY Provider base rate to £7.82 per hour.
  • Retain the existing 99.3% EY provider passport rate.

• New 2-year-old eligible working parent funding:

  • Set the EY Provider base rate at £7.48 per hour.
  • Implement with a 95% EY provider passport rate.

• New 9-month to 2-year-old eligible working parent funding:

  • Set the EY Provider base rate at £10.20 per hour.
  • Implement with a 95% EY provider passport rate.

• Special Education Needs Inclusion EY Provider support Fund (SENIF):

  • Implement across all funding streams at 1.4% of total funds available within that stream.

It was also noted that from 1 April 2024, the early years pupil premium (EYPP) rate is set at 68p per hour for eligible children, and the Disability Access Fund (DAF) is set at £910 per annum per eligible child.

Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) Budget 2024/25

The board reviewed a report from the Senior Business Finance Partner on the 2024/25 Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) budget, including the DSG Individual School budgets for 2024/25. The board noted that the budget had been set in accordance with the approved funding principles from the 13 December 2023 DSG Education Board finance reports.

For more details, you can refer to the Minutes Public Pack 23012024 Education Board and the Report of Senior Finance Business Partner.