The Wandsworth Schools Forum met to discuss school funding, special educational needs, and pupil population projections. The forum agreed to set aside £40,000 from the SEN Support fund for Year 3 of the Enhanced Transition Project (ETP). Members also agreed to model the Minimum Funding Guarantee at 0% and -0.5% for a move of 10% (minimum) towards National Funding Formula (NFF), 20% and 100% closer to NFF.

National Funding Formula

The forum discussed the upcoming changes to the National Funding Formula (NFF) for the financial year 2026-27. Abhay Gupta, Strategic Finance Business Partner - DSG & Education, presented a report outlining that local authorities can distribute funding to schools through the NFF or implement a Local Funding Formula (LFF). Local authorities must move their LFF 10% closer to the NFF each year until the two are aligned.

The report noted that the Department for Education (DfE) had delayed the publication of the NFF changes and the Schools Block Allocations for local authorities for FY 2026-27. The forum was asked to help shape the key principles behind the Wandsworth LFF.

The report mentioned the introduction of the School Budget Support Grant (SBSG), which will be incorporated into the NFF for FY 2026-27, along with the National Insurance contributions (NICs) grant.

Historically, Wandsworth's LFF has protected primary schools during periods of falling pupil numbers and has focused on the Free School Meal (FSM) factor for distributing deprivation funding. However, the requirement to move closer to the NFF is diluting these attributes.

The forum was asked to consider modelling the Minimum Funding Guarantee (MFG) at 0% and -0.5% for a move of 10% (minimum) towards NFF, 20% and 100% closer to NFF.

High Needs Benchmarking

Abhay Gupta, Strategic Finance Business Partner - DSG & Education, also presented a report on the High Needs Benchmarking tool provided by the DfE alongside the FY 2025-26 Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) allocation. The tool allows local authorities to compare spending and outcomes related to high needs education.

The report [High Needs Benchmarking][https://democracy.wandsworth.gov.uk/documents/s123793/Item%204.%20High%20Needs%20Benchmarking.pdf] highlighted that Wandsworth's High Needs Block is the 4th highest per primary/secondary pupil nationally. It compared Wandsworth's data with that of its statistical neighbours: Hammersmith & Fulham, Kensington & Chelsea, Merton, Westminster, Camden and Richmond.

Key findings included:

• Wandsworth had 27% more children with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) per 1,000 of the 2-18 population compared to its statistical neighbours.
• Wandsworth supported a higher number of children with EHCPs across mainstream schools, special schools, resource bases, and independent settings.
• Wandsworth spent more per head of 2-18 population for children with EHCPs attending special schools/Alternative Provision (AP) & Pupil Referral Units (PRUs) and mainstream schools.
• Wandsworth spent less on Non-Maintained Special Schools (NMSS) and independent schools per head of 2-18 population, despite having more children attending this type of provision.
• Wandsworth spent more per head of population on SEN Support and inclusion services and AP services, but less on therapies and other health-related services.

Enhanced Transition Project

Andy Fish, Inclusion Service Manager, presented an update on the Enhanced Transition Project (ETP), which provides support to pupils with SEN Support transitioning to secondary school. The project aims to prevent the need for an EHCP by providing targeted support.

The forum agreed to set aside £40,000 from the SEN Support fund for Year 3 of the project.

The report [ETP Report][https://democracy.wandsworth.gov.uk/documents/s123819/Item%205.%20ETP%20Report.pdf] highlighted positive outcomes for pupils in the first ETP cohort, with all 20 pupils continuing to be recorded at SEN Support. Feedback from professionals indicated that the ETP has made it easier to promote existing transition support to schools and has supported secondary schools to develop more effective parent partnerships.

The report estimated the cost avoidance for Cohort 2 to be £120,000 per year, based on the assumption that eight out of 22 pupils were likely to have received an EHCP without the ETP.

Pupil Population Projections

Adam Wells, Head of School Admissions, Place Planning and Exclusions, presented an update on the Pupil Population Projections and Implications report. The report [Pupil Pop Projections - Dec 2025][https://democracy.wandsworth.gov.uk/documents/s123796/Item%206.%20Pupil%20Pop%20Projections%20-%20Dec%202025.pdf] outlined current trends and considered possible future projections and their impact on areas of Wandsworth. All projections are underpinned by Greater London Authority (GLA) population forecasts.

The report noted that birth rates are currently forecast to continue to decrease until at least 2030, which is likely to drive a reduced need for school places. The secondary population is also projected to decline from 2027/28.

To meet the impact of declining need for school places, the council has been reducing the number of forms of entry for schools. Four primary schools have closed in recent years: Broadwater, Christchurch, St Anne's and Goldfinch.

The report provided an update on current and possible future changes to primary school forms of entry by locality. It also noted that a combined reduction in Published Admission Number (PAN) of 272 (9 forms of entry) has been agreed for secondary schools over the period 2022-2024.

Other Matters

The forum also:

• Approved the minutes of the meeting held on 13th October 2025 [Schools Forum draft minutes 13.10.2025][https://democracy.wandsworth.gov.uk/documents/s123567/Schools%20Forum%20draft%20minutes%2013.10.2025.pdf].
• Noted the future scheduled meetings of the Schools Forum on 12th January 2026, 16th March 2026, and 11th May 2026.