The Wiltshire Council Schools Forum was scheduled to discuss the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) for the 2026-27 financial year, focusing on budget setting across various blocks. Key discussions were expected to revolve around the High Needs Block, SEND transformation, and the allocation of funding for schools, central services, and early years provision.

SEND Transformation Update

A significant portion of the meeting was scheduled to focus on the SEND Transformation Update, presented by Ben Stevens, Inclusion, SEND and AP Transformation Lead. The report detailed the progress and challenges of Wiltshire Council's plan to address financial pressures within the High Needs Block, which supports children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). The plan, initially submitted to the Department for Education (DfE) in January 2024, aims to create a more sustainable SEND system through a series of invest to save projects.

The report highlighted that while progress has been made in areas such as inclusion and decision-making timeliness, overall demand and financial pressures remain significantly above the levels set out in the Safety Valve agreement. The cumulative DSG deficit is forecast to be substantial, and the plan to balance the High Needs Block has been revised, with the earliest projected balance now being March 2031, two years later than originally planned. This would leave a residual deficit of £123.4 million for Wiltshire Council to manage.

Key areas of focus within the SEND Transformation Programme include:

• Reducing requests for statutory assessment: This involves initiatives like a Team Around the School model and a refreshed Early Help SEND Advice Line.
• Strengthening decision-making at the front door: Early Help is expected to play a greater role in the triage of Education, Health and Care Needs Assessments (EHCNA).
• Increasing the rate of ceased plans: This aims to ensure children and young people move forward successfully, with targeted activity at Annual Reviews and clearer processes for identifying cases suitable for ceasing.
• Reducing Independent and Non-Maintained Special School (INMSS) placements: This is supported by a refreshed approach to sufficiency and a focus on mid-phase step-downs as local maintained specialist placement capacity improves.

The report also touched upon the forthcoming national SEND reforms, expected to be detailed in a White Paper in early 2026, which aim to address rising pressures in the SEND system, including financial strain on local authorities.

School Budget Setting 2026-27

The meeting was scheduled to consider the overall budget for the 2026-27 academic year, with several reports detailing the funding settlement for different blocks of the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG).

Dedicated Schools Grant Budget - Schools Block Update 2026-27 (Delegated Budget)

Grant Davis, Schools Strategic Financial Support Manager, was set to present an update on the schools delegated budget for 2026-27. The report indicated that Wiltshire's Schools Block allocation from the DfE would be £404.792 million. Key changes to the National Funding Formula (NFF) for 2026-27 were noted, including an increase in pupil and school-led funding values of 2.11%, a Minimum Funding Guarantee (MFG) set at 0.0%, and the rolling in of National Insurance and School Budget Share grants. The report suggested that the NFF was affordable within the provided funding envelope, allowing for a £1 million transfer to the High Needs Block.

The report also detailed pupil number movements, growth and falling rolls funding allocations, and the impact of the Minimum per Pupil Funding Levels (MPPFL). Sparsity funding and split site funding were also outlined. A consultation on a potential transfer from the Schools Block to the High Needs Block had indicated that 52% of respondents supported an affordable transfer. The report proposed confirming the application of all NFF factors, setting the MFG at 0.0%, transferring 0.25% (£1 million) to the High Needs Block, and setting the Growth Fund at £0.857 million.

Dedicated Schools Budget - Central Schools Services Block Update 2026-27

Marie Taylor, Head of Finance – Children and Education, was scheduled to provide an update on the Central Schools Services Block (CSSB) budget for 2026-27. The DfE allocation for Wiltshire was £3.006 million, calculated using the national funding formula. The report highlighted that funding for legacy grants, including National Insurance Contributions and the School Budget Support Grant, was being rolled into the CSSB, increasing its overall quantum. However, due to a 20% reduction in historic commitments, a transfer to support the High Needs Block was no longer considered affordable. The report detailed the proposed budget for various central functions, including copyright licences, statutory regulatory duties, admissions, and safeguarding.

Dedicated Schools Budget - High Needs Block Update 2026-27

Liz Williams, Finance Lead – High Needs Block Sustainability, was to present an update on the High Needs Block (HNB) for 2026-27. The provisional allocation for Wiltshire was £85.693 million, a 6.2% increase on the previous year, though this included the consolidation of legacy grants. The report noted that the DfE had suspended the High Needs National Funding Formula for 2026-27, meaning allocations were based on 2025-26 figures without an update for demand or inflation. This suspension meant the funding did not reflect the increased numbers of pupils placed in Wiltshire's special schools and academies.

The proposed budget for 2026-27 reflected updated priorities within the high needs sustainability plan and continued pressures. It was projected that the required budget would exceed the allocation by £64.2 million, even before considering a potential transfer from the Schools Block. This projection included updated forecasts for EHCP numbers, the impact of targeted actions within the sustainability plan, and costs associated with developing new special school and resource base places. The report also highlighted the significant cumulative deficit on the DSG reserve, projected to reach £104.530 million by March 2026, with a further increase anticipated in 2026-27. The ending of the statutory override for DSG deficits in March 2028 was noted as a significant financial risk.

Dedicated Schools Grant - Early Years Block Update 2026-27 (Provisional Allocations)

Marie Taylor was also scheduled to provide an update on the Early Years Block for 2026-27. The provisional settlement for Wiltshire was £90.067 million, a significant increase from £76.914 million in 2025/26, largely due to the full-year impact of extended childcare arrangements. The report detailed changes to the DfE's funding methodology, including a move to termly funding allocations based on census headcounts. A key change was the increase in the minimum pass-through requirement for local authorities from 96% to 97%. The report outlined proposed funding rates for different age groups and entitlements, with the Early Years Reference Group recommending Option 7, which included increased rates for all age groups and a reduced amount for the Special Educational Needs Inclusion Fund (SENIF) to maintain a contingency.

Updates from Working Groups

The Forum was scheduled to receive updates from the Early Years Reference Group (meeting on 7 January 2026) and a joint meeting of the School Funding Working Group and SEN Working Group (held on 14 January 2026). The minutes from these meetings were provided.

f40 MP Briefing Invite - Action for f40

A document was included outlining how individuals could support the f40 campaign for increased and fairer education funding and major reforms in SEND. This included actions such as writing to the Secretary of State for Education and the Chancellor, submitting questions for parliamentary sessions, attending a parliamentary drop-in event, and working with local authorities to secure media coverage.

Confirmation of Dates for Future Meetings

The dates for future Schools Forum meetings were to be confirmed: 26 March 2026, 11 June 2026, 8 October 2026, and 10 December 2026.