The Schools Forum of Buckinghamshire Council met on Tuesday 21 April 2026 to discuss the Dedicated Schools Budget, including revenue budget monitoring for the 2025-26 financial year and an update on the High Needs Budget for 2026-27. The meeting also included a verbal update on the SEND Reform Plan.

Dedicated Schools Budget - Revenue Budget Monitoring 2025-26

The Schools Forum was scheduled to receive a report on the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) revenue budget monitoring for the 2025-26 financial year, as of Period 10. The report indicated that the overall budgeted in-year deficit for the DSG was £22.9m, primarily stemming from spending pressures within the High Needs Block. Variations in other blocks were noted as minor and manageable within the year. The cumulative DSG reserve deficit was forecast to be £47.4m as at 31 March 2026. A High Needs Stability Grant was mentioned, which would effectively fund 90% of this projected deficit, subject to certain conditions, leaving a £4.74m deficit for the Council to fund.

The report detailed variances within the High Needs Block, including increased unit costs for Special School top-ups, higher volumes of pupils attending out-of-borough special schools, and an increase in alternative provision pupil volumes. Conversely, there were favourable variances due to lower unit costs and pupil volumes in independent schools, and lower costs for mainstream top-ups for pupils with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs).

High Needs Budget Update 2026-27

An update on the High Needs Budget for 2026-27 was scheduled, following the latest funding settlement and clarifications from the Department for Education (DfE). The DfE had temporarily suspended the high needs national funding formula, with allocations for 2026-27 based on 2025-26 figures, resulting in no uplift to the High Needs Block funding. This led to a revised deficit budget of £30.3m for 2026-27, with an additional £4m savings target.

The DfE announced the High Needs Stability Grant, which would fund 90% of deficits up to the end of the 2025-26 financial year. For Buckinghamshire, this meant £42.6m of a projected £47.4m deficit would be funded, leaving £4.74m for the Council to cover. The grant's payment was contingent on the submission and approval of a Local SEND Reform Plan, developed collaboratively by local partnerships.

The report outlined projected pressures for the High Needs Block in 2026-27, including an increase in demand, uplifts and fee increases, and commitments related to CSBG grant mainstreaming. Savings proposals were also detailed, focusing on promoting independence for post-18 students, retaining primary children within mainstream schools to release special school places, increasing autism capacity in mainstream settings, reviewing the Portage Service, and delivering additional places in special schools and Alternative Provision Resource (APR) units for SEND.

The meeting was also to consider the government's White Paper, Every Child Achieving and Thriving, which proposed reforms to the SEND system and significant additional funding nationally over three years. This included an Inclusive Mainstream Fund for schools and Expert at Hand funding for local authorities and Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) to provide specialist support. The White Paper also outlined plans for 10,000 more SEND places and legislation to address concerns about the independent specialist sector.

Verbal Update on SEND Reform Plan

A verbal update on the SEND Reform Plan was to be provided by Dan Barton, Service Director for Education and Inclusion, and Aman Sekhon-Gill, Service Director for SEND & Inclusion. This update would likely cover the implications of the government's SEND reforms, as detailed in the Every Child Achieving and Thriving White Paper, and the development of the local SEND reform plan required to access the High Needs Stability Grant.

Date of Next Meetings

The Schools Forum was scheduled to confirm the dates of its future meetings. These were listed as 30 June 2026, 3 November 2026, 1 December 2026, 19 January 2027, and 22 March 2027.