The Ealing Schools Forum was scheduled to discuss the financial outlook for schools in the borough, including the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) outturn for the previous financial year and projected funding for the next three academic years. A key focus was the financial health of individual schools, with a review of school balances and deficit recovery plans.

School Funding 2025-26 to 2027-28

The forum was scheduled to consider the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) outturn for the 2025-26 financial year, which indicated an overspend of £12.480m, increasing the overall DSG deficit to £18.121m. The report detailed the variances by DSG block, with the High Needs Block showing a significant overspend.

The meeting was also set to address school balances as of 31 March 2026. Provisional figures showed that 49 schools (73%) closed with a surplus balance, while 18 schools (27%) were in deficit, an increase from the previous year. The total deficit for these schools amounted to £6.345m. The report outlined the council's monitoring requirements and support for schools in deficit, including the provision of School Resource Management Advisor (SRMA) deployments.

A significant part of the discussion was expected to focus on the control of surplus balances. The report detailed the Balance Control Mechanism (BCM), which allows for the clawback of excessive uncommitted balances from schools. The report recommended applying this mechanism to schools with increasing excessive balances over two consecutive years, with potential clawback amounts illustrated for specific schools. The proposed use of any clawback fund was to support high needs pressures or future school organisation changes.

The forum was also to be informed about the DSG funding decisions for 2027-28, including consultations on the local formula for the Schools Block. This included considerations for the Inclusive Mainstream Fund, the Income Deprivation Affecting Children Index (IDACI), and the anticipated increase in free school meals (FSM) eligibility. The report also touched upon premises factors, growth and falling roll funding, and the Minimum Funding Guarantee (MFG).

Furthermore, the meeting was scheduled to review centrally retained and de-delegated budgets for 2026-27, covering areas such as education functions, contingencies, and trade union facility time. The report highlighted a sustained reduction in mainstream primary school reception pupil numbers over the past decade, impacting funding and leading to ongoing reviews of schools at risk.

The report also provided an update on high needs funding pressures and the High Needs Stability Grant, which aims to cover up to 90% of high needs-related DSG deficits accrued up to the end of 2025-26, subject to the approval of the local SEND reform plan. The council's submitted Local SEND Reform Plan forecasts an increase in Education, Health and Care plans (EHCPs) but at a slower rate, with a forecasted overspend on the high needs block in 2026-27 of £15.000m. The forum was asked to provide feedback on continuing a 0.5% transfer from the Schools Block to the High Needs Block.

The report also referenced the legal implications of the Schools Forums (England) Regulations 2012 and the DfE's operational and good practice guide for schools forums. It also outlined the implications of the Equality Act 2010, particularly concerning the duty to have due regard to the need to eliminate unlawful discrimination, advance equality of opportunity, and foster good relations.

Membership

The Ealing Schools Forum was scheduled to note the current membership of the forum.

Minutes

The forum was scheduled to approve the minutes of the previous meeting held on 29 April 2026.