The Cornwall Schools Forum met on Friday 9 October 2026 to discuss proposed school block transfers and funding arrangements for the 2027/28 financial year. Key decisions included the approval of several block transfers to support organisations like the Music Hub, Cornwall Association of Primary Heads (CAPH), Cornwall Association of Secondary Heads (CASH), and Inclusion Support, as well as the use of early years block funding for central running costs and the continuation of exceptional circumstances factors for schools with rent costs and sparsity. The Forum noted emerging national proposals for a SEND Inclusion Factor and discussed a locality-based approach to High Needs funding, with further proposals to be brought to the December meeting.

Proposed School Block Transfer and Schools Funding

The Cornwall Schools Forum approved several proposed block transfers from the schools block to support various central services and organisations for the 2027/28 financial year. These included:

• Music Hub: £0.134 million to support subsidised music provision and access for disadvantaged children.
• Cornwall Association of Primary Heads (CAPH): £0.054 million to contribute to the running of the association for the benefit of primary schools.
• Cornwall Association of Secondary Heads (CASH): £0.026 million for the running of the association for secondary schools.
• Inclusion Support: £0.108 million to fund initiatives aimed at reducing school exclusions through additional funding, advice, and support.

The Forum also approved the use of £0.384 million of early years block Dedicated Schools Grant funding to support central running costs for the 2027/28 financial year. This funding is primarily for the Early Years funding team, which administers entitlement programmes, processes claims, audits funding, and manages data collections.

Furthermore, the Forum agreed to continue the use of exceptional circumstances factors for two specific areas:

• Schools with external rent costs: An allocation of £0.107 million is forecast to support five schools with additional rent costs for classroom buildings, land, and sports facilities.
• Additional sparsity for small rural secondary schools: An allocation of £0.050 million is forecast to support one small secondary school meeting the sparsity criteria with fewer than 350 pupils.

During the discussion on these funding proposals, concerns were raised regarding the current funding arrangements for CAPH and CASH, particularly in light of the developing Cornwall Education Partnership (CEP) and its strategic role. Some members questioned whether these organisations remained the most appropriate mechanism for funding and suggested that the CEP could commission services from various providers, including CASH and CAPH, to ensure a more coordinated approach to training and development. There was also feedback that the consultation process for these funding proposals had been too restrictive, with a preference for a wider range of options to be presented.

The Forum noted emerging national proposals for a SEND Inclusion Factor and considered the illustrative financial modelling presented. The Department for Education (DfE) is consulting on a national SEND Inclusion Factor, which aims to increase the amount of SEND funding mainstream schools receive directly through their core budgets. This would involve transferring an element of the High Needs Block into school budgets, allocated through a new SEND inclusion factor based on proxy indicators of SEND need.

The Forum was advised that the Local Authority was not proposing to adopt this approach for 2027/28, as further development work was considered necessary. However, a formal proposal regarding a transfer to the High Needs Block, and whether this should continue through the current High Needs Protection model or a locality-based approach, would be brought to the December meeting.

Members expressed a range of views on the proposed locality-based approach to High Needs funding. While there was support in principle for exploring this model due to its potential for partnership working and shared resources, significant concerns were raised about the complexity of introducing such changes within the proposed timescales. Specific worries included the potential impact on schools currently receiving substantial support through the High Needs Protection model, the risk of a funding cliff edge, and the need for detailed modelling to show how individual schools and localities would be affected. There was also a request for greater clarity on the direct benefits for children and young people and how specialist settings would be affected. The Finance Analyst and Inclusion and Participation Co-ordinator acknowledged these concerns and confirmed that further modelling and information would be provided for the December meeting.

An information report on how Inclusion Support funding is spent is to be brought to the December 2026 meeting, and this will be included on the work plan annually.

Membership Update

The Forum noted changes to its membership. Jacqueline Duthie and Ransi Bandara had resigned, and Helen Casson had been appointed as the new Representative for Alternative Provision Schools and Academies, replacing Rob Gasson. Members discussed the importance of recruiting new members and ensuring effective induction processes to support informed decision-making.

Election of Chairman

Bill Marshall was elected as Chairman of the Cornwall Schools Forum.

Election of Vice-Chairman

The appointment of a Vice-Chairman was deferred to the next meeting due to a lack of nominations.

Declarations of Interest

During the discussion on School Block Transfer and Schools Funding, several members declared interests:

• Bill Marshall declared an interest as a member of the Music Hub Steering Group and as Treasurer of the CASH Executive Committee.
• Sean Pinhay declared an interest as his wife is a childcare provider.
• Victoria Lock declared an interest as she is on the CAPH CIC Board of Directors.

Minutes of the Meeting Held on 26 June 2026

The minutes of the previous meeting held on 26 June 2026 were confirmed as correctly recorded and to be signed by the Chairman.