The Schools Forum was scheduled to consider updates on the council's finances for the 2026/27 academic year, including projected shortfalls and the impact of government grants. Discussions were also scheduled regarding the development of school clusters to support Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) resources, and an update on the SEND Futures Plan was to be presented.

2026/27 Finance Update

The Schools Forum was scheduled to receive an update on the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) for the 2026/27 financial year. The report indicated a projected shortfall of £10.871 million, primarily within the High Needs Block. This shortfall was influenced by an increase in Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) and inflationary pressures. A new High Needs Stability Grant was expected to mitigate some of the cumulative deficit, with Richmond anticipating approximately £7 million. However, the report noted that clarity was still needed on future government support for deficits accumulating in 2026/27 and 2027/28.

The Schools Block was projected to be on budget, while the Central School Services Block was forecast to be overspent by £288,000 due to budget realignments. The Early Years Block was projected to underspend by £150,000. The High Needs Block, however, faced significant pressures, with a projected overspend of £10.733 million against its budget. This was attributed to increased costs for special school places, top-up funding for maintained and academy schools, independent placements, and post-16 education. The report detailed the breakdown of these costs, including projected spend on pupils under and over 16, and central high needs services.

The forum was also scheduled to review the budget timetable for the 2027/28 financial year, with consultations with schools planned for September and October.

Cluster Arrangements and Funding

A report was scheduled to brief members on recommendations regarding the creation and funding of school clusters. These clusters are intended to support collaborative approaches and resource allocation for SEND needs. The report noted that establishing local SEND clusters is a national expectation under the SEND Reforms, with all schools expected to be part of a cluster by September 2027 to access Specialist Expertise at Hand (SEAH) resources.

It was proposed that schools consider a top slice from the Schools Block to support the establishment of six clusters in Richmond. Each cluster would have a shared budget of £20,000, and a dedicated practitioner would lead the process at a cost of approximately £24,000. The total requested for 2027/28 was £144,000. The Schools Forum was scheduled to discuss the opportunities and challenges of this model and its financial implications, with a final decision to be made in November following consultation with all schools.

SEND Futures Plan Update

An update on Richmond's SEND Reform Plan and the subsequent refresh of the SEND Futures Plan was scheduled to be presented. The SEND Reform Plan, submitted to the Department for Education (DfE) in June 2026, aims to integrate national reform requirements with local priorities. The refresh of the SEND Futures Plan seeks to incorporate these changes, with a planned launch on 15 October 2026.

The update was expected to cover progress on four key workstreams: strengthening inclusion across education settings; access to specialist support and local placements; system leadership, local partnership collaboration, and co-production; and encouraging inclusive culture and behaviours. The report highlighted that Richmond maintained 2,201 EHCPs at the end of August 2026, a 6% increase over the past 12 months, with 100% of new EHCPs issued within the 20-week statutory timeframe.

Areas of concern were also to be discussed, including recruitment challenges for specialist therapy roles and the potential impact of staff consultations within the South West London Integrated Care Board (ICB) on integrated SEND services.

Other Updates

The Schools Forum was scheduled to note any other updates relating to the Forum's activities.

Dates of Next Meetings

The dates for the next two Schools Forum meetings were scheduled: 26 November 2026 and 28 January 2027, both to be held at York House, Twickenham, commencing at 13:30.