The Bexley Schools Forum was scheduled to consider a range of financial and policy matters affecting local schools. Key topics included an update on the Local SEND Reform Plan, a review of the Schools Forum constitution, and a discussion on early years finance. The Forum was also scheduled to review draft central budgets for 2027-2028 and consider school place planning.

Appointment of Chair and Vice-Chair

The Forum was scheduled to elect its Chair and Vice-Chair for the 2026/27 academic year.

Schools Forum Constitution Review Update

A review of the Schools Forum constitution was scheduled to be presented, with members asked to note the outcome of consultation with primary and secondary school leaders regarding proposed constitutional changes. The Forum was also scheduled to consider whether the proposed quorum of 40% of the total voting membership provided sufficient representation for decision-making and to approve the adoption and implementation of the updated constitution. The proposed constitution outlines the Forum's establishment, membership, procedural issues, term of office, and terms of reference, including its decision-making powers on matters such as the local funding formula, de-delegation of funding, and central school services.

Local SEND Reform Plan Update

An update on the Local SEND Reform Plan was scheduled, detailing Bexley's vision and goals for a more inclusive 0-25 SEND system. The plan, which was submitted to the Department for Education (DfE) in June 2026, aims to strengthen workforce capacity, improve outcomes for children and young people, and support financial sustainability. The report was scheduled to provide details on the Experts at Hand (EAH) initiative, a national SEND reform programme designed to enhance the capacity of mainstream settings to support children and young people with SEND. This included information on accessing the EAH offer, workforce development, performance monitoring, and stakeholder engagement. The potential funding allocated to Bexley for EAH and SEND Transformation was also scheduled to be discussed.

Early Years Finance Update

The Forum was scheduled to receive an update on early years finance, including the 2025-26 outturn and monitoring for the 2026-27 academic year. A consultation by the DfE on changes to early years funding calculations and provider funding was also scheduled for discussion. Key areas of the consultation included funding for disadvantaged and low-income families, special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) funding, Best Start in Life expectations, and improving the overall effectiveness of early years entitlement funding. Bexley's position on these proposed changes, including concerns about potential funding reductions and the future of central costs, was to be outlined.

2027-2028 Draft Central Budgets

The Forum was scheduled to consider draft central budgets for 2027-2028. This included proposals for the use of the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) Central Schools Services Block (CSB) funding to support the local authority's statutory duties and early intervention services. The report was scheduled to detail estimated CSB allocations, expenditure allocations for services such as education welfare and schools admissions, and the proposed contribution from maintained schools towards the costs of the Council's statutory responsibilities for the maintained sector.

School Place Planning

An update on school place planning was scheduled, focusing on the current picture of admissions and places in primary and secondary schools. The report was to highlight headline information about admissions and offers, including the number of applications and vacancies. It was also scheduled to detail reductions in Published Admission Numbers (PANs) for several primary and secondary schools. The Forum was to be informed about the local authority's actions to support schools and trusts during a period of reducing school numbers, including commissioning plans, data sharing, and discussions with the DfE regarding school closures.

Matters Arising from Previous Minutes

The Forum was scheduled to review matters arising from the minutes of the meeting held on 15 June 2026. This included clarifications on the practice for issuing non-attendance fines, the calculation of average maintained school balances, and the methodology for funding excluded pupils and managed moves. An update on Published Admission Numbers (PANs) for Marlborough School was also to be provided.

Minutes of the Meeting of 15 June 2026

The minutes of the previous meeting held on 15 June 2026 were scheduled for agreement.

Any Other Business

An opportunity for any other business was scheduled to be included.

Date of Next Meeting

The date of the next meeting, scheduled for 16 November 2026, was to be noted.