The Schools Forum meeting scheduled for 20 January 2026 was set to address the financial planning and operational aspects of Barnet's education system. Key discussions were expected to revolve around the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) forecast outturn for 2025-26, the proposed budget for 2026-27, and the allocation of central school services. Additionally, the forum was scheduled to review updates on Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) provision and consider proposals for the notional SEN budget formula and the distribution of Fair Funding.

2025-26 Dedicated Schools Grant Forecast Outturn

The meeting was scheduled to receive an update on the 2025-26 Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) forecast outturn. This report, presented by Adam McPhail, was expected to detail the projected financial position of the DSG at the end of the financial year. The forecast indicated a projected DSG reserves carried forward into 2025-26 of £2.637m. The report highlighted an adverse variance of £5.668m against the budget, largely driven by a projected overspend of £5.928m on the High Needs Block. This overspend was anticipated to be funded from the reserves brought forward. The report also noted the planned use of reserves for migrant families and therapies, with a projected carry-forward balance of £2.208m after these allocations.

2026-27 Budget Proposal

A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to the 2026-27 budget proposal, which included the 2026-27 Minimum Funding Guarantee. This report, presented by Sharon Palma and Adam McPhail, outlined how Barnet is funded through the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) and detailed the allocation across the four blocks: Schools Block, Early Years Block, High Needs Block, and Central School Services Block. The proposal indicated an overall increase in DSG allocation of £26.650m (5.3%) for 2026-27 compared to the previous year. Key features of the National Funding Formula (NFF) for 2026-27, which Barnet mirrors in its local formula, include minimum per-pupil funding levels and the rolling of grants such as the Schools Budget Support Grant (SBSG) and National Insurance Contribution Grant (NICs) into the DSG. The report also detailed proposed formula factor rates, Growth Fund criteria, and the Growth Fund amount for approval.

2026-27 Central School Services Block

An update and decision were scheduled regarding the 2026-27 Central School Services Block (CSSB). This report, presented by Sharon Palma and Adam McPhail, detailed the CSSB allocation of £2.555m, representing a net increase of £0.013m compared to 2025-26. The CSSB covers historic commitments and ongoing responsibilities, with historic commitments reducing by 20% for 2026-27. Ongoing responsibilities include funding for duties related to admissions, Schools Forum administration, and copyright licensing. Schools Forum was asked to approve the expenditure line items comprising the 2026-27 CSSB budget.

2026-27 De-delegation

The meeting was also scheduled to discuss and decide on the 2026-27 De-delegation rates. This report, presented by Sharon Palma and Adam McPhail, outlined the proposed rates for services such as Behaviour Support, Narrowing the Gap, Trade Union Duties, Additional School Improvement Services, and School Contingency. The report noted that the overall de-delegated amount was projected to be lower than the previous year due to a reduction in pupil numbers. However, an uplift to the de-delegation rates was proposed to ensure minimal impact on service budgets, bringing the 2026-27 total to £1,094,844. Schools Forum was asked to approve these proposed rates. Additionally, the report addressed services previously funded from the Education Services Grant, with the de-delegation budget fixed at £0.700m.

SEND and AP Update (including High Needs Block)

An update on Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and Alternative Provision (AP) in Barnet was scheduled, presented by Kim Miller. This report covered the proposed approach to the funding model for the Early Years SEN Inclusion Fund (EY SENIF) for 2025-2026, following a consultation with early years providers. The reforms aim to streamline access to support, improve decision-making, and reduce administrative delays. The report also provided an update on Barnet's High Needs Block (HNB), which continues to face significant pressure, with a projected overspend of £5.94m by the end of 2025-26. The report detailed the drivers of this pressure, including high-cost independent placements, rising EHCP demand, and insufficient specialist provision. An update on the in-house therapy service, funded through a spend to save approach, was also included, highlighting its support for tribunals, schools, and the ICE Project.

Proposals for the Notional SEN Funding Formula and Distribution of Fair Funding

The meeting was set to consider proposals for the formula for notional SEN funding and the distribution of Fair Funding from the financial year 2026-27. This report, presented by Jacob Davies, highlighted findings from a review of Barnet's current notional SEND formula, which indicated it was not fully compliant with guidance and was not in line with statistical neighbours. The proposal was to adopt the formula used by Lewisham for calculating the notional SEN budget from FY 2026-27, which is expected to provide more notional SEN funding to Barnet schools. Additionally, the report proposed changes to the Fair Funding formula eligibility criteria, reducing the proportion of the notional SEN budget schools must use before becoming eligible for Fair Funding from 60% to 50%. Schools Forum was asked to approve these proposed changes.