The Southend Schools Forum was scheduled to discuss the adoption of its constitution, the Dedicated Schools Grant budget for the 2025/26 financial year, and receive an update on the forecast outturn position of that budget for 2024/25.

The meeting was also due to be updated on a number of other significant funding allocations that are paid out by central government to the council as part of the Dedicated Schools Grant. These include the Early Years Block and the High Needs Block.

Dedicated Schools Grant Budget 2025/26

The Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) is a grant that is paid by central government to local authorities each year to cover the costs of providing education for pupils aged between the ages of 3 and 19.

Schools Block - Individual Schools Budget (ISB)

The Schools Block is the largest part of the DSG, and it is used to fund schools' running costs. Most of the Schools Block is distributed to schools through the Individual Schools Budget.

The Schools Forum was asked to agree to a proposal from the Director of Education, Inclusion and Early Years that, from 2025/26, any school that attracts its core funding through the government's National Funding Formula (NFF) would receive the full NFF rate, and that all other schools would receive a cash flat uplift.

The report acknowledges that this is a continuation of the council's policy of aligning the funding it provides to the NFF, noting that:

it is also incredibly restrictive to now be able to move away from any of the principles regardless of the fact it still remains a local decision with the agreement of School Forum.

The report proposes that St Mary's, Prittlewell, CofE Primary School should continue to receive exceptional premises circumstance funding to pay for the rental of its second site. The school has had a second site since 2014.

Schools Block - Centrally Retained Growth Fund

The Schools Block also contains a growth fund that is used to provide funding for schools that have agreed to expand their intake.

The forum was reminded that, following a decision by the council's Education Board in December 2020, the growth fund is managed on a long-term basis, and that funding for growing schools from September 2025 may be higher or lower than that allocated to the council by government as a result.

It was noted that the Growth Fund had been overspent by £23,000 in 2024/25, but that this overspend will be recovered in future years.

Early Years Block

The Early Years Block funds early years education for children aged between 3 and 4.

The report notes the new early years entitlement offer for eligible working parents, allowing 15 hours of childcare per week for children aged 9 months to 2 years. This significant change represents a large public investment in childcare to support parents returning to work.

It was noted that the final phase of early years entitlement expansion is planned to commence in September 2025, increasing to 30 hours of childcare per week (over a 38-week year) for eligible working parents from the term following their child turning 9 months to when they start school.

High Needs Block

The High Needs Block funds education for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). The report notes that the number of pupils with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) has increased in Southend-on-Sea, and now stands at 1,908, an increase of 11% from 12 months ago.

The report also noted that government had announced in July 2024 that a number of grants, including the Teachers' Pension Employer Contribution Grant, the Teachers' Pay Additional Grant, and the Core Schools Budget Grant will be combined into the high needs block for 2025/26.

The forum was due to be asked to note that a decision on the detailed allocation of high needs funding for 2025/26 will be made at its meeting in June 2025, but that an indicative in-year allocation of £1.285 million will be made.

Central Block

The Central Block is used to fund services that are provided centrally by the local authority to all schools. The report notes that the government is continuing to reduce the element of funding within central blocks that some local authorities receive for historic commitments made prior to 2013 to 2014. The report notes that Southend-on-Sea Council is one such local authority.

The forum was asked to approve the allocation of £237,212 from the central block to fund services that were historically funded by central government, but which the council has continued to fund.

DSG Funding

The report notes that the council's DSG Reserve will fall to a deficit of £119,000 by 31 March 2027 if it continues to fund services that it is not legally obliged to fund at current levels.

The forum was to be asked to note that:

with mind to reducing Central Block funds for Historic Commitments, which becomes a local authority issue from 2026/27, the School Forum in 2025/26 will be consulted on which area they would choose to prioritise remaining CB - Historic Commitment funds.

Southend Schools Forum Constitution

A report was presented to the forum that set out a proposed constitution for the forum.

Resources Sub-Group

The forum received a report of the meeting of its Resources Sub-group held on 3 December 2024.

The minutes note that the sub-group was due to have 7 members, but that following the resignations of Robin Bevan and Simon Oxenham, only 5 positions were filled at the time of the meeting.

The sub-group agreed that the two vacancies should be filled by an academy primary head teacher and an academy secondary school head teacher. It was agreed that the vacancies would be advertised at the next meeting of the Schools Forum, and that the sub-group also needed to appoint a permanent Chair.

The minutes note that it was agreed that the sub-group's Chair should be either the Chair or Deputy Chair of the Schools Forum.