This meeting of Lewisham's Schools Forum was about the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) for 2025/26, how Lewisham Learning would be funded in 2025/26, and the membership of the Schools Forum.

Dedicated Schools Grant

The Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) for 2025/26 was £395.95 million, representing an increase of £34.88 million from 2024/25. However, this included 'notional funding' for academies, which means that this figure is likely to change.

The Schools Block, which funds the Schools Funding Formula and Basic Need, was worth £257.08 million, a nominal increase of £16.41 million from 2024/25. However, £13.508 million of this related to the streamlining of grants relating to the full year effect of the 2024/25 teachers' pay award and pensions grant. The growth fund was £911,941.

The report also provided detail on the Minimum Funding Guarantee (MFG). Schools Forum was asked to agree to set the MFG at -0.15%. This was described as being affordable, meaning that every school would receive at least the amount prescribed by the National Funding Formula, plus any applicable MFG uplift. Schools Forum was asked to note that the DfE 'are keen to see the elimination of funding to schools via the MFG as those schools on MFG are in in receipt of funding greater than the NFF'. Currently 34 schools in Lewisham receive MFG funding, 9 of which receive more than £100,000.

Schools Forum was asked to approve a transfer of 0.5% of the Schools Block to the High Needs Block. This is the maximum allowed transfer.

The High Needs Block, which funds services associated with Special Education, was worth £83.96 million in 2025/26. This was an increase of £5.01 million from 2024/25. The report pack notes that:

The High Needs Block continues to be the main area of concern. Since 2018, Schools Forum has supported the operation of a High Needs Working Group to support and aid development of a mitigation plan.

The Early Years Block, which funds early years provision, was worth £51.96 million in 2025/26. This was an increase of £13.53 million from the previous year. However, this funding is provisional and will not be finalised until June or July 2026. The report notes that:

Funding for 2025 shown below is based on the current number of part time pupil equivalents and is likely to change as a consequence of the final numbers.

The pupil premium will continue in 2025/26. The October 2024 census will be used to calculate how much each school will get. In 2024/25 Lewisham schools received £15.5 million in pupil premium funding.

Lewisham Learning

The report pack contains a proposal for how Lewisham Learning would be funded in 2025/26. The report describes Lewisham Learning as:

...a partnership of Lewisham schools and the Local Authority. The purpose of the partnership is to improve school performance amongst member schools.

It is overseen by the Lewisham Learning Strategic Board, which:

...provides overall strategic direction and approves an annual work programme including the monitoring of the budget.

The report notes that Lewisham Learning's funding has reduced in recent years because of the increasing number of schools in the borough that have academised. Schools Forum was asked to approve one of two options: either to continue funding the programme at the same level as in 2024/25, or to reduce funding from £402,268.00 to £367,328.00. If the first option were approved, the report proposed that the shortfall would be made up by charging special schools £5,013, nursery schools £3,347, and academies £26,640. The impact assessment for the second option notes that it would lead to:

Lighter touch monitoring more dependent on desk top analysis than the deployment of school improvement partners.

and

Significantly less support and challenge for schools currently categorised as needing a Medium/ High level of support potentially leaving them vulnerable to further decline and special measures.

Membership of Schools Forum

The membership of the Schools Forum was also discussed. The report pack confirmed that the forum has 23 members, 15 of which represent schools. The number of school representatives from each phase is calculated using the proportion of pupils who are educated in maintained and academy schools in Lewisham. Schools Forum was asked to note that because of the academisation of a number of schools since the last meeting, 'the one post was shifted from Primary to Academy.' No other changes to the membership were deemed necessary.

Schools Forum was also asked to note that the terms of office of Manda George, headteacher of Torridon Primary School, and Cathryn Arnold-Kinsey, headteacher of Clyde Nursery School, were coming to an end. The forum also had 9 vacancies. This means that after January 2025 the forum would have 11 vacancies.