The Schools Forum meeting scheduled for Wednesday 26 June 2024 was set to cover a range of financial updates and policy discussions concerning Barnet's schools. Key agenda items included the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) outturn for 2023-24, an update on maintained school balances, and a review of the High Needs Block, which was anticipated to be in deficit.

2023-24 Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) Outturn

The meeting was scheduled to receive an update on the 2023-24 Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) outturn. This report was expected to detail the final allocation, expenditure, and the projected balance of DSG reserves to be carried forward into the next financial year. The agenda indicated that the total DSG allocation for Barnet was £265.807 million, with an expenditure of £264.012 million, resulting in an underspend of £1.795 million. The projected reserves carried forward to 2024-25 were estimated at £10.775 million. Specific details were to be provided regarding the underspend in the Growth Fund and the Early Years Block, as well as the High Needs Block, which had received an additional allocation mid-year.

2023-24 Maintained School Balances

An update on the balances of Barnet's maintained schools for the financial year ending 31 March 2024 was scheduled for discussion. The report was expected to show the overall reported balance for maintained schools, which was £7.162 million, a decrease of £1.593 million compared to the previous year. The agenda indicated that while overall balances had decreased, there was a concern that the number of schools reporting a deficit balance had increased over the past three financial years, reflecting growing financial pressures. The report was also to highlight that a significant portion of the total surplus balances was held by a small number of schools.

High Needs Block Update

A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to an update on the High Needs (HN) Block, which supports provision for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). The report was expected to summarise the current financial position and forecast a deficit for the upcoming year. The agenda indicated that the HN block allocation for 2024-2025, after deductions, was £71,222,218, representing a 2.6% increase from the previous year. However, this increase was not seen to match the rise in the volume of children eligible for support or the increasing costs of providing that support. A projected deficit of £2.9 million for 2024-2025 was anticipated, with the potential to increase year on year if current trends continued. The report was to outline actions being taken to slow the rate of increase in this deficit, including a review of alternative provision arrangements, increased spend on tuition packages, and efforts to develop options for children to access HN Block funding without recourse to an Educational, Health and Care Plan (EHCP). The agenda also noted the increasing number and cost of independent day placements for pupils with SEND.

Proposed Use of DSG Reserves

The meeting was scheduled to discuss the proposed use of Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) Reserves. This item was linked to the financial challenges within the High Needs Block, with the reserves expected to be used to fund the projected deficit. The agenda also referenced a previous discussion regarding the use of DSG Reserves for urgent and unbudgeted repairs to school buildings, which had led to a query from the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) and a subsequent objection from the Department for Education (DfE) due to non-compliance with regulations.

Vice Chair Nominations

The agenda indicated that nominations for the position of Vice Chair were to be considered. This role had remained vacant, and the Chair was awaiting responses from potential candidates.

Membership Updates

The meeting was also scheduled to address updates to the membership of the Schools Forum. This included welcoming new members and noting any departures or vacancies.

Minutes of the Previous Meeting

The minutes of the previous meeting, held on 19 March 2024, were to be presented for update and confirmation, along with any matters arising from those minutes.