The North Northamptonshire Schools Forum was scheduled to discuss updates on various funding blocks, including High Needs, Dedicated Schools Grant, and Early Years. The forum was also set to review school monitoring reports and consider budget updates for the upcoming academic year.

High Needs Block Update

The meeting was scheduled to include an update on the High Needs Block, which has been under significant financial pressure. The report pack indicated that the government has announced plans to support local councils with High Needs deficits, with Phase 1 addressing historic deficits accrued up to the end of the 2025-26 financial year. Local authorities with a deficit will be eligible for a High Needs Stability Grant covering 90% of the deficit, provided they develop and submit an approved Local SEND reform plan to the Department for Education. This reform plan is to be developed collaboratively by local area partnerships, including schools, health, early years settings, and post-16 providers. The council was also required to provide a report to the Department for Education based on a review of its forecasting, monitoring, and financial controls.

Dedicated Schools Grant Update

An update on the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) for the 2025-26 financial year was scheduled. The report indicated a total DSG deficit budget of £19.410m, with a forecasted in-year overspend of £23.770m at Quarter 3. The Schools Block was forecasting an underspend of £1.933m, primarily due to reduced spending on planned growth. However, the High Needs Block remained the main pressure, forecasting an overspend of £6.293m over its agreed deficit budget. The report detailed the breakdown of spend on High Needs Block areas, with significant pressures identified in Alternative Provision (£2.569m overspend), Special Schools (£1.667m overspend), and Other areas (£1.389m overspend). Mitigations proposed included establishing a High Needs Funding Project Board, maximising the utilisation of the SEN Inclusion Fund, and accelerating the development of Alternative Provision and SEND units.

Schools Monitoring Update

The forum was scheduled to receive an update on the monitoring of maintained school budgets for the 2025-26 financial year, as at the end of January 2026. As of Period 10, nine schools had been identified as operating in deficit. The report provided a detailed breakdown of income and expenditure for individual nursery, primary, secondary, and special schools, highlighting their opening revenue balances, P10 income and expenditure, in-year variances, and forecasted year-end positions. Several primary schools, including Broughton Primary, Corby Old Village Primary School, and South End Junior School, were shown to have significant negative year-end forecasts.

Early Years Block Update

A verbal update was scheduled regarding the Early Years Block budgets for 2026-27. The report pack indicated that increased allocations were expected to allow for higher hourly rates, an increase in the Disability Access Fund, and an uplift to the Early Years Pupil Premium. Funding for the SEN Inclusion Fund (SENIF) was also noted to have increased in response to rising demand. The centrally retained proportion was set to reduce to 3%, enabling continued delivery of statutory duties.

Pupil Growth Fund Update

The meeting was scheduled to consider the proposed Pupil Growth Fund policy and budget for 2026-27. The Growth Fund is designed to support schools experiencing in-year growth in pupil numbers due to basic need, housing development, or demographic change. The proposed policy was set to continue the existing approach to eligibility, funding thresholds, and timing of allocations, with the budget aligned to the Schools Block modelling. The report pack indicated committed spend for 2025-26 was £1,514,254, with allocations for primary and secondary schools across Corby, Kettering, Wellingborough, and East Northants.

2026/27 Budget Update

A verbal update on the 2026/27 budget was scheduled.

Minutes of Previous Meeting

The minutes of the previous Schools Forum meeting held on 15th January 2026 were scheduled for review and confirmation. A key discussion point from that meeting concerned the 2026-27 Dedicated Schools Grant settlement, where members noted concerns about funding increases not fully offsetting cost pressures and queried the apparent contradiction between housing growth and overall reductions in mainstream pupil numbers. The forum had resolved to note the 2026-27 DSG settlement.

Urgent Business

A slot was allocated for any urgent business that needed to be raised.