The Schools' Forum was scheduled to discuss the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) for the 2026/27 financial year, including proposed formula values for allocating funds to schools. The meeting agenda also included a review of the 2026 work programme and meeting dates for the forum.

Setting the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) 2026/27

A significant portion of the meeting was scheduled to focus on the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) for the 2026/27 academic year. This involved informing the Schools Forum of the DSG settlement figures received from the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) on 17 December 2025. The forum was also set to consider proposed formula values for the allocation of these funds to schools.

The report indicated that the total DSG allocation for Northumberland for 2026/27 was £374,951,618, an increase of £26,531,412 from the previous year. However, a like-for-like comparison of the Schools Block DSG showed an increase of 0.97%, attributed in part to falling pupil numbers in mainstream schools. The report detailed changes in pupil numbers, noting a fall of 529 pupils between October 2024 and October 2025, impacting funding by over £3 million. Key factors contributing to this decline included a falling birth rate and an increasing number of students in special schools.

The DSG is divided into four blocks: Schools, High Needs, Central School Services, and Early Years.

Early Years Block

The Early Years Block was scheduled to receive £54,186,625 for 2026/27. The agenda outlined proposed funding principles for this block, aiming to maximise base rates for providers, maintain and introduce deprivation supplements for 2, 3, and 4-year-olds, and maintain the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Inclusion Fund. The report highlighted an average increase of 5.17% in early years funding, intended to help providers manage rising staffing costs and support disadvantaged children. Specific hourly rates for different age groups and entitlements were detailed, with increases proposed for 3-4 year olds, 2-year-olds, and under 2-year-olds.

High Needs Block

The High Needs Block was set to receive an indicative allocation of £63,797,742 for 2026/27, an 8.6% increase on the previous year. This figure was subject to deductions by the ESFA for direct funding of places in academies and independent learning providers. The total High Needs funding available after these deductions was £59,319,742, before a proposed transfer from the Schools Block. The detailed breakdown of this funding was scheduled to be presented at a later meeting.

Schools Block

The Schools Block was allocated £254,598,886 for 2026/27. The report noted that the final settlement was £2.363 million less than previously indicated, largely due to the fall in pupil numbers. A decision was to be made regarding a 0.5% transfer from the Schools Block to the High Needs Block, amounting to £1,271,296. The agenda also addressed the need for 20 additional year 7 places at Seaton Valley High School, to be funded from the Growth allocation. The report detailed proposed formula values for Northumberland, aiming to reduce the gap between these and the National Funding Formula (NFF) rates. The Minimum Funding Guarantee (MFG) was proposed to be set at 0% to provide maximum support to schools.

De-Delegation

The meeting was scheduled to consider the de-delegation of funding for certain services from maintained schools. These services included a Contingency Fund for School Restructure and Re-organisation costs, Determination of Free School Meal Eligibility, Trade Union Facility Time, and English as an Additional Language (EAL) services. The total estimated cost for these services for 2026/27 was £411,488. A specific proposal was to increase the per-pupil rate for Trade Union Facility Time from £3.25 to £5.00 for the financial year 2026–2027.

2026 Work Programme and Meeting Dates

The Schools Forum was also scheduled to review its work programme and meeting dates for 2026. This included confirming dates for future meetings, such as the one on 25 February 2026 to discuss individual budgets within the DSG, and a face-to-face meeting on 15 July 2026 to analyse school balances. Other scheduled discussions for the year included updates on the National Funding Formula and SEND.