The Lincolnshire Schools' Forum met on Monday, 19 January 2026, to discuss the school funding arrangements for the upcoming academic year, including the National Funding Formula and early years funding. The forum also reviewed proposals for the de-delegation of maintained primary school budgets and received updates on school improvement initiatives and the status of academies and trusts within the county.

School Funding Arrangements 2026/27

A key item on the agenda was the school funding arrangements for 2026/27, as detailed in a report by Elizabeth Bowes, Strategic Finance Manager. The report provided an update on the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) allocations for Lincolnshire, which include the Schools Block, Central School Services Block, High Needs Block, and Early Years Block. The overall core schools funding has increased nationally, but the report indicated that for Lincolnshire, the increase in the Schools Block, after accounting for grant incorporations, was modest. A significant point of discussion was the projected decline in primary-aged pupils within Lincolnshire, which is expected to reduce primary funding levels. The report also highlighted the cash-flat settlement for high needs funding, adding pressure to this area, and outlined the council's proposals for managing any affordability gap when adopting the National Funding Formula (NFF). This included adjustments to Age Weighted Pupil Unit (AWPU) values and the proposed continuation of a 0% Minimum Funding Guarantee (MFG). The forum was also asked to agree to a 0.5% transfer from the Schools Block to the High Needs Block to support financial stability in the latter.

Early Years National Funding Formula

Geraldine O'Neill, Sustainability & Development Manager, presented a summary of the early years national funding formula for 2026/27. The report detailed the indicative Early Years block funding for Lincolnshire and outlined the seven funding streams it supports, including entitlements for different age groups and the Disability Access Fund. The forum was asked to seek agreement on the allocation and distribution of centrally retained budgets within this block.

De-delegation of Maintained Primary School Budgets 2026/27 and 2027/28

Mark Popplewell, Strategic Finance Lead – Children's Services, presented proposals regarding the de-delegation of certain budgets for maintained primary schools for 2026/27 and 2027/28. The report explained the framework for de-delegation, which allows maintained schools to retain control over specific funds. For 2026/27, proposals included continuing a hybrid model of support for schools, with a per-pupil rate for contingency and school improvement services, as well as specific allocations for financial support to schools facing staffing changes and for the Ethnic Minority and Traveller Education Team (EMTET). The report also detailed the proposed budget for internal audit services for maintained schools, which operates on a three-year cycle. The forum was asked to agree to these proposals for 2026/27 and support the arrangements for 2027/28 in principle.

Schools Sector Led Update

Geraldine Willders, Head of Service for School Strategy, provided an update on the sector-led approach to school improvement in Lincolnshire. The report highlighted the performance data for 2025, comparing Lincolnshire's outcomes in early years, phonics screening, Key Stage 2, and Key Stage 4 against national and statistical neighbour averages. It noted areas of strength, such as the performance of vulnerable children, and areas for improvement, particularly for disadvantaged pupils in reading and mathematics at Key Stage 2. The update also covered the work of the Lincolnshire Education Group (LEG) and the Partnership of Schools Group (PSG), focusing on strategic priorities for school improvement. Specific initiatives discussed included a leadership development project, which pairs experienced headteachers with new leaders, and the Gainsborough Aspiration Project (GAP), aimed at improving educational outcomes in the area through collaborative working. A similar project has also been initiated in Skegness. The report also detailed the ongoing work of the L.E.A.D. Teaching School Hub Lincolnshire.

Academies and Trust Update

Mark Popplewell, Strategic Finance Lead – Children's Services, presented an update on the number of academies and pupils in academies within Lincolnshire as of 1 January 2026. The report indicated that two primary schools had converted to academy status since the previous report, increasing the number of primary academies to 132. The data showed a significant shift towards academy status, particularly in the secondary sector, where 96.3% of schools were academies. The report also listed the academy trusts with the most academies in Lincolnshire and provided a breakdown of schools in single-academy trusts versus multi-academy trusts.

Lincolnshire Schools' Forum Work Programme

Rachel Wilson, Democratic Services Officer, presented the Lincolnshire Schools' Forum Work Programme. This item provided an opportunity for forum members to discuss potential items for future meetings, which would then be included in the Work Programme. The agenda for future meetings, including discussions on SEND Reforms, revised schools budgets, and annual reports on Early Years and Special Educational Needs, was outlined.