The Schools Forum of Barnet Council met on Tuesday 30 June 2026 to discuss the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) outturn for 2025-26, the financial position of maintained schools, and updates on early years funding. The meeting also included a review of the Scheme for Financing Schools and an update on Special Educational Needs and Alternative Provision.

Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) Outturn 2025-26

The forum was scheduled to receive an update on the 2025-26 Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) outturn. The report indicated a final DSG allocation for the London Borough of Barnet of £311.353 million. However, total expenditure for the financial year was projected to be £315.909 million, resulting in an overspend of £4.556 million against the budget. This overspend was primarily attributed to increased costs within the High Needs Block, particularly in relation to placements in independent special schools and top-up funding for pupils with special educational needs in Barnet maintained schools. Underspends were noted in the Early Years Block, Schools Block contingency, and the Growth Fund. The DSG reserves balance carried forward into 2026-27 was projected to be £4.412 million.

2025-26 Schools Balances – Q4 Update

A report was scheduled to provide an update on the revenue balances of Barnet maintained schools as at 31 March 2026. The overall outturn for Barnet maintained schools for 2025-26 was a deficit of £1.067 million. This represented a significant decrease in overall balances compared to the previous financial year. While the number of schools in surplus and deficit remained stable, the report highlighted that surplus balances were falling, and deficit balances were increasing. This was the first year that schools' overall revenue balances were in deficit, with expectations that this trend would continue to worsen in 2026-27. The Local Authority indicated ongoing engagement and support for schools facing financial challenges.

Update to Scheme for Financing Schools

The forum was to be updated on the Department for Education's (DfE) statutory guidance for the Scheme for Financing Schools, published in March 2026. The proposed update for the 2026-27 financial year was presented for noting, with a recommendation for maintained schools only to approve the update. The Scheme for Financing Schools outlines the financial relationship between the Local Authority and its maintained schools, detailing requirements for financial management. The updated scheme included a link to the LB Barnet Whistleblowing policy.

Government White Paper including SEN Reforms

An update was scheduled regarding the Government's 2026 Schools White Paper, which includes proposed reforms for Special Educational Needs (SEN) and Alternative Provision (AP). The report was expected to cover national funding announcements and their implications for Barnet schools, acknowledging that many areas remained subject to consultation and required further clarification regarding local impacts. The High Needs Block was noted to be under significant financial pressure, with a forecasted year-end overspend of £6.039 million due to pressures from mainstream top-ups, independent placements, and post-16 provision. The report also addressed the ongoing importance of therapies for children and young people, with in-house team costs needing to be funded from the High Needs Block from April 2026. An update on the Alternative Provision Specialist Taskforce (APST), a pilot programme aimed at building capacity for rapid, responsive support for children in or at risk of exclusion from mainstream school, was also anticipated. The White Paper's emphasis on a more preventative, assessment-led, and reintegrative role for AP was highlighted, indicating that Barnet's future AP arrangements would need to adapt to local needs and national reforms.