Purpose

Cabinet is recommended to approve the final
2025/26 Local Funding Formula for 5-16 year olds and note the
changes of the Local Funding Formula from 2024/25.

Content

Cabinet:
 
(1)         
approved the final 2025/26 Local Funding Formula for 5-16 year olds
at Appendix A of the report;

 
(2)         
noted the changes of the Local Funding Formula from 2024/25 as set
out in Appendix A of the report;
 
(3)         
noted the indicative 2025/26 High Needs Block budget in Appendix B
of the report; and
 
(4)         
noted the 2025/26 Early Years Funding Formula for early years
providers at Appendices C of the report.
 
Options & Alternatives
Considered
 
In September 2015
Schools Forum adopted the following principles to be applied to its
funding decisions:
 
•          
Transparency
•          
Fairness
•          
Stability
•          
Support for vulnerable students   
 

In October 2019 Schools Forum noted the direction of
travel towards a NFF and asked officers to model the impact of
moving towards NFF funding figures over a transitionary period. A
task and finish group considered several detailed models and
recommended the adoption of the NFF factors and rates in 2020-21,
coupled with raising the MFG to the then new upper limit of
+1.84%.

These proposals were adopted by Schools Forum in
November 2019 and confirmed by a consultation in late November
2019.

From 2021/22 through to 2025/26 Schools Forum has
reaffirmed its decision on the NFF together with using the maximum
level of MFG available.