Schools Forum

The Schools’ Forum is a meeting of representatives of schools and other relevant organisations which is consulted on, and in some cases decides upon, how the London Borough of Hounslow allocates the funding it receives for providing schools. The meeting is governed by its own constitution, and by the ‘Schools Forum (England) Regulations 2012, both available here http://democraticservices.hounslow.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=294&MId=7375&Ver=4.   Excerpt from Constitution:   “Consultation on the LA’s school funding formula.   2.1.     The LA shall consult the Forum on any proposed changes in relation to the factors and criteria that were taken into account, or the methods, principles and rules that have been adopted, in their formula made in accordance with regulations made under section 47 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998, and the financial effect of any such change. 2.2.     Consultation shall take place in sufficient time to allow the views expressed by the Forum to be taken into account in the determination of the LA’s formula and in the initial determination of schools budget shares before the beginning of the financial year.   Consultation on contracts   2.3.     The LA shall consult the Forum on the terms of any proposed contract for supplies or services (being a contract paid or to be paid out of the authority’s schools budget) at least one month prior to the issue of invitations to tender where the estimated value of the proposed contract is not less than the threshold which applies to the authority for that proposed contract pursuant to regulation 8 of the Public Contracts Regulations 2006 (a).   Consultation on financial issues   2.4.     The LA shall consult the Forum annually in respect of the authority’s functions relating to the school budget, in connection with the following:  

·       Arrangements forthe educationof pupilswith specialeducational needsand in particular the places to be commissioned by the LA in different schools and other institutions and the arrangements for paying top up funding to schools andother institutions;

·       Arrangements for the use of pupil referralunits (PRUs)and theeducation of children otherwise than at school andin particular the places to be commissioned by the LA and by schools in PRUs and other providers of alternativeprovision and the arrangements for paying top up funding to PRUs andalternative providers; ·       Arrangements for early year’s provision; Arrangements for insurance; ·       Administrative arrangements for the allocation of central government grants paid to schools via the authority; ·       Arrangements for free school meals.   Information about consultations   2.6.     The Forum shall inform the governing bodies of schools maintained by the authority of any consultation carried out by the authority under sections 2.1 to 2.5.     SchoolsForum Powers  

2.7       TheForum shallhave powersto agree:  

2.7.1  De-delegationoffundingfrommaintainedprimaryandsecondaryschool,which members will decide on for thephase they represent on Forum

·       contingencies(includingunforeseencircumstances,schoolsinfinancial difficulties and deficits of  closing schools);

·       determiningtheeligibilityof apupilforfreeschoolmeals;

·       licence fees or subscriptions purchasedonbehalfof schools; ·       costs of supply cover (including TUfacilities);

·       supportfor ethnicminoritypupils/underachievinggroups;

·       behaviour supportservices;   2.7.2 Central spend onand thecriteria forallocatingfunding from

·    funding forsignificant pre-16 pupil growthincludingthe qualifyingcriteria;

·   growth  fund  to  enable  schools  to  meet  the  infant  class  size  requirement includingthe criteria;

·   fallingrolls fundfor surplusplacesin goodor outstandingschoolswherea population bulgeis expectedin 2-3 years, includingcriteria;

·    earlyyear’s expenditure.  

2.7.3 Central spend up to the value committed in 2012-13, and wherethere are nonew commitments on: ·    admissions ·    servicingof Schools’ Forum ·    capital expenditure funded from revenue ·    contributiontocombinedbudgets

·    schools budget prudentialborrowingcosts ·    SENtransportcosts  

2.7.4 Proposed carryforward ofdeficits oncentral spendfrom oneyear tothe nextyear to be funded from the schools budget.  

2.7.5 Schemeof financialManagement changesafter thehead andGoverning Bodyof every schoolhas beenconsulted.   2.8    The Forum shall be consulted on:   2.8.1Formula changesincludingredistributions(schoolandearlyyears funding).  

2.8.2The terms of any proposedcontractswithschoolswhicharefundedout of the Schools’Budgetand are in excess oftheEUprocurement thresholds, atleast onemonthinadvanceoftheinvitationtotender

2.8.3Financialissuesrelatingto the arrangements for:

·       pupils with special educational needs;

·       pupilsin pupilreferral units and the education of childrenotherthanatschool;

·       earlyyears’ provision;

·      administeringtheallocationofcentral governmentgrantspaidto schoolsvia the local authority  

2.8.4Such other matters concerningthefundingof schools whichtheLocalAuthority sees fit.   2.8.5Matters of policy with major financial implications.  

2.8.6The establishment of prioritieswherethedraft budgetstrategyindicatesthat additional money isexpectedto become available or wherea shortfallcompared tothecurrentfinancial year is anticipated.  

2.8.7Forum membership issues,including determiningvoting arrangements andterm of office of members, and appointment of non-schools members.   2.8.8Proposed exclusions from theMFG for applicationtothe DfE.     The Clerk to this Committee is Joti Patel, who can be contacted on 020 8583 3356, or at joti.patel@hounslow.gov.uk