The Camden Council Schools Forum met on 4 June 2025 to discuss the financial outturn for 2024/25, and the funding and work programme for 2025/26. The forum was also scheduled to discuss Camden's Local Inclusion Fund, and receive updates on the High Needs Block and Robson House. Additionally, the Schools Forum was expected to review its work programme and action tracker for the upcoming school year.

Schools, High Needs and Early Years Funding

The Schools Forum was scheduled to discuss the financial outturn position for 2024/25, noting that there was an overall £3.413m overspend across the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) blocks, with individual school balances reducing by £5.78m. This was in contrast to the previous year’s £3.087m underspend. The report pack noted that this represented:

an overall adverse intra year movement of £6.5m in DSG and £9.59m in schools individual balances. The remaining residual balance are now £18.9m DSG reserves and £14.5m in schools balances at the end of 2024/25.

The report pack also included an update on the funding situation for the current financial year, 2025/26, outlining pressures resulting from the national economic climate, conflicts, emergencies and ongoing funding constraints, including the National Funding Formula (NFF). The report pack mentioned that the transition to a hard NFF has been delayed until April 2026 at the earliest.

The Schools Forum was asked to note the 2024/25 outturn for all blocks of the DSG, and to agree that any remaining reserve in the Schools and Central Schools Services block continue to be available to offset any schools block deficit arising from pressures on Camden schools budgets following any proposed or ongoing re-organisations.

Individual School Balances

The report pack noted that the overall level of reserves held by individual Camden schools had fallen by £5.784m, resulting in a final total balance of £14.59m at the end of the financial year 2024/25. It also stated that the majority of schools (76%) remained in surplus, but the number in deficit had increased to 12 (23%).

Existing Spending Pressures

The report pack outlined the current pressures and potential calls on reserves and schools balances faced by Camden schools for 2025/26, including:

• Early Years block reserves provision
• High Needs Block future DSG
• Pupil Premium Grant
• 6th form funding
• Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) Savings
• Teachers Pay award from September 2025
• Support Staff Pay April 2025

Recent Grant Announcements

The report pack also summarised recent Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) grant announcements since February 2025, including:

• DfE support to institutions with the increase to employers’ National Insurance contributions (NICs)
• PE and sport premium allocations
• Universal infant free school meals (UIFSM) and further education free meals funding rate for 2025 /26

Camden's Local Inclusion Fund

The Schools Forum was scheduled to receive a report setting out the requirement for local authorities to have a Special Educational Needs (SEND) Inclusion Fund to help providers meet the needs of children with emerging SEND. The report described the increase in demand seen over the last 10 years, and gave details about the criteria for funding and the profile of funding by provider type.

The report pack noted that local authorities should target Special Educational Needs Inclusion Funds (SENIF) at children with lower level or emerging Special Educational Needs, and that children with more complex needs and with an education, health and care plan (EHC) plan continue to be eligible to receive funding via the high needs block of the DSG.

High Needs Block (HNB)

The Schools Forum was scheduled to discuss the outturn position on High Needs Block (HNB) spend for 2024/25, with the report pack stating that it reported a further increase in the deficit since that projected in the last report and comments on the reasons for this.

The report pack also provided an update on the 2025/26 HNB budget against this background, suggesting some mitigation strategies and proposals that are sustainable whilst also working to improve life outcomes for children/young people with high needs.

The Schools’ Forum was asked to note the outturn HNB position for 2024/25, and agree that the HNB Subgroup oversee the implementation of the cost mitigation activity.

Robson House Update

The Schools Forum was scheduled to receive an update on funding arrangements at Robson House, following discussions at the Schools Forum meeting on 5 February 2025.

The report pack noted that Robson House is the base of Camden’s Primary Learning Support Service (PLSS), which is made up of the Primary Pupil Referral Unit (PPRU), the Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) Outreach Team and the Camden Language and Communication Service (CLCS).

The report pack stated that Camden covered a £340k+ overspend at Robson House in the 2024/25 financial year, and that the deficit position at the school is forecast to increase in 2025/26.

The Schools Forum was asked to note the update on Robson’s House’s funding arrangements with Camden Council.

Schools Forum Work Programme and Action Tracker

The Schools Forum was scheduled to consider its work programme for the 2025/26 school year, and review the action tracker to monitor progress on actions arising from previous meetings.