The Education Board meeting scheduled for 22 January 2026 was set to cover a range of topics concerning the City of London Corporation's educational initiatives and financial management. Key discussions were expected to include updates on the City Premium Grant, adult skills and apprenticeships, and the evaluation of the Cultural & Creative Learning Fund. The Board was also scheduled to consider the revenue budget for 2026/27 and receive updates on the Education Strategy's first year of implementation.

City Premium Grant 2024/25 Update

The Board was scheduled to receive an update on the City Premium Grant (CPG) for the 2024/25 academic year. This grant aims to support 'additionality' to the education offer of schools within the City of London Family of Schools, meaning it should not be used for basic school needs. The CPG is divided into three streams: Disadvantaged Pupils Grant, Partnerships Grant, and Strategic Grant. For the 2024/25 academic year, the Strategic Grant focused on five themes: Mental Health & Wellbeing, Employability, Oracy, Environmental & Outdoor Learning, and Personal Development. The report was expected to highlight key statistics from the 118 CPG-funded projects, popular themes, and learnings from the process's third year of operation. The recommendation was for members to note the findings presented in the report.

Adult Skills Education and Apprenticeship Update

An update was scheduled on the City of London Corporation's adult skills education and apprenticeship programmes. The report was to cover the apprenticeship recruitment and training overview, including the City of London's apprenticeship programme coordinated by the Learning and Development Team. It was also to detail the training provided by the Adult Skills Team for apprentices at Levels 2 and 3, and occasionally Level 4, in areas such as Business Administration, Customer Service, Accounting, Payroll, and Data Technician. The report was expected to review achieved qualification grades, employment outcomes for apprentices, and assess the impact of apprenticeship training.

Apprenticeship Levy Spend Update

The Board was scheduled to receive an update on the City of London Corporation's apprenticeship levy spend. This report was to provide a comprehensive overview of the organisation's approach to maximising the benefits of the apprenticeship levy, focusing on how it supports both new talent and the ongoing development of current employees. The levy is a government initiative requiring large employers to contribute 0.5% of their pay bill towards apprenticeship training. The report was expected to analyse recent and forecasted levy expenditure and provide recommendations for optimising apprenticeship and upskilling initiatives.

Cultural & Creative Learning Fund 2024/25 Evaluation Report

This report was to present key information regarding the second year of the City's Cultural and Creative Learning (CCL) funding model. £184,534 was awarded to 11 projects, with a small underspend on one project. The report was to summarise findings from partner evaluations, highlighting themes such as the impact of multiple engagement points, the involvement of families and communities, the importance of cultural access and autonomy for young people, and the benefits of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) opportunities for teachers. The recommendation was for members to note the findings.

Revenue Budgets 2026/27

The Board was asked to consider the provisional revenue budget for 2026/27. The proposed budget of £3.191 million represented an increase of £30,000 compared to the original budget for 2025/26, primarily due to a 3% inflation uplift on local risk budgets and adjustments for the July 2024 pay award and National Insurance contributions. The report sought approval for the provisional budget for submission to the Finance Committee and authorised the Chamberlain to revise budgets as necessary.

Education Board Budget Monitoring Report – 2025/26 Period 9

This report was to provide an update on the financial position for Period 9 of the 2025/26 financial year. It was to outline current expenditure and financial activity across the Education Board's strategic areas, highlighting spend to date, forecast outturn for Local and Central Risk budgets, and key grant funding. The report indicated that expenditure was broadly in line with planned allocations, with a balanced outturn forecast for the year-end.

Education Strategy 2024-29 - Year 1 Update

The Board was scheduled to receive an overview of the first year of delivery for the Education Strategy 2024-29. The report was to summarise activity across five priority areas: Supporting Educational Excellence, Reinforcing Safety, Health and Wellbeing, Embracing Culture, Creativity and the Arts, Promoting Personal Development, and Improving Employability. It was to highlight key outcomes such as strengthened collaboration, enriched cultural access, improved employability pathways, and enhanced educational experiences. The report was also to note early learnings and areas for improvement, including longer-term impact evaluation and progression routes.

Primary Arts Quarterly Report - December 2025

This report was to provide a quarterly update on the delivery of the second year of the Primary Arts programme for the City Educational Trust Fund. It was to detail the programme's launch, uptake by schools across London, and the delivery of various strands including Go & See, In-Schools Touring, Masterclasses, Come & Try, the Cultural Education Leadership Programme, and special school engagement. The report was expected to highlight key achievements, programme delivery, booked places, and uptake by borough.

The meeting also included standard agenda items such as apologies, declarations of interest, and the approval of previous minutes. A motion was scheduled to exclude the public for discussions on non-public agenda items, which included minutes and updates on the City Educational Trust Fund and charities finance.