The Schools Forum of Warwickshire Council met on Thursday 15 January 2026 to discuss the proposed funding formulas for schools and early years for the 2026-27 academic year. Discussions also covered the allocation of the Pupil Growth Fund and an update on the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) Recovery Plan.

Schools National Funding Formula 2026-27

The forum was scheduled to consider the proposed implementation of the National Funding Formula (NFF) for the 2026-27 academic year. The report indicated that the Schools Block DSG allocation for 2026-27 was £522.589 million, an increase of £25.769 million from the previous year. This increase was attributed to higher factor rates, partially offset by a small reduction in pupil numbers. The report detailed changes in pupil numbers by phase, with a decrease in primary pupils and an increase in secondary pupils. Minimum per-pupil funding rates were set to increase for both primary and secondary schools. The report noted that the DSG allocation was not sufficient to fully apply the 'hard' NFF, leading to a proposed reduction in the Age Weighted Pupil Unit (AWPU) rate. The forum was asked to recommend the implementation of the NFF in line with national guidelines, with a recommendation to approve the transfer of 0.5% of Schools Block funding to the High Needs Block, provided it did not affect 'hard' NFF allocations. The report also confirmed that the Department for Education (DfE) had approved a disapplication for the transfer of 0.5% to the High Needs Block, which would affect 'hard' NFF allocations.

Early Years National Funding Formula 2026-27

The meeting was scheduled to discuss the Early Years National Funding Formula for 2026-27. The Early Years DSG funding was set to increase from £96.291 million in 2025/26 to £114.164 million in 2026/27, partly due to an increase in working parent entitlement hours. The central 'top-slice' retention rate for funding was reduced to 3%, and census data requirements were to increase to termly. The report outlined proposed hourly rates for different age groups, including Under 2s, 2-year-olds, and 3- and 4-year-olds, with increases across the board. Two options were presented for allocating additional funding: Option 1, which would allocate the entire increase to the universal rate while keeping the deprivation rate at £0.68 per child, and Option 2, which would mirror the new Early Years Pupil Premium (EYPP) rate of £1.15, allocating slightly less to the universal rate. The Early Years Working Group unanimously recommended Option 1. The forum was also asked to recommend the retention of 3% of funding from various entitlement streams to meet the DfE's minimum pass-through requirement.

Pupil Growth Fund 2026-27

The forum was scheduled to consider the allocation of funding from the Schools Block DSG to the Pupil Growth Fund for 2026-27. This fund is intended to support pupil growth in existing provision and the opening of new provision, aligning with the Warwickshire Education Strategy's priority to ensure sufficient school places. The report highlighted significant growth in pupil numbers across the county, necessitating the delivery and expansion of school places. The finalised growth funding amount for 2026-27 was £2.889 million. The report detailed the current criteria for administering growth funding for primary and secondary schools, including payments for additional classes and forms of entry, as well as protection funding. Proposed uplifts to primary and secondary growth fund payments were included, reflecting an increase in teachers' pay. The report also outlined pre-opening and post-opening funding arrangements for new schools opened under the free school presumption route.

DSG Recovery Plan Update

An update on the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) Recovery Plan was scheduled for discussion. The report noted that the Schools Forum had previously voted to transfer 0.5% of Schools Block funding to the High Needs Block for 2026-27, provided it did not affect 'hard' NFF allocations. While the forum did not support a transfer that would affect 'hard' NFF allocations, a disapplication request was submitted to the Secretary of State. The report confirmed that the Schools Block allocations published on 17th December 2025 indicated that the allocation for Warwickshire would affect 'hard' NFF allocations, and the DfE had approved the disapplication on 8th January. The update also covered national developments regarding SEND reform, including the delayed White Paper and a national conversation on SEND. It mentioned that local authorities would no longer need to cover SEND costs from their general funds after the end of 2027-28, though the practical implementation remained unclear. Locally, the report detailed the continued growth in the EHC plan caseload and projected deficits in the High Needs Block. The creation of resourced provisions in mainstream schools was highlighted as a key mitigation strategy, with plans to increase the number of places.

Forward Plan

The Schools Forum's Forward Plan for 2026-2027 was also scheduled to be reviewed. This plan outlined future meeting dates and the key topics anticipated for discussion, including the DSG 2026-27 Budget, Section 48 – Scheme for Financing Schools, De-delegation, and the National Funding Formula.