The Gloucestershire Schools Forum met on 19 June 2025 to discuss the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) outturn position, maintained school balances, and the High Needs budget. They were also scheduled to review the Gloucestershire Schools Forum Constitution and membership structure, and to elect a new chair and vice-chair.

High Needs Budget

The forum was scheduled to discuss the High Needs budget, with a report providing the 2024/25 year-end financial position and setting out the 2025/26 budget position as part of a five-year financial forecast.

The report noted that the final position for 2024/25 showed a total spend of £128.8 million, creating an in-year overspend of £31.1 million and a cumulative deficit position of £80.5 million on the High Needs Block. It was noted that most budget lines saw an increase in expenditure, driven by the continued rise in requests for statutory support through Education Health and Care Plans (EHCP) and an increased demand for Alternative Provision.

The budget for 2025/26 was forecast to spend £149.8 million, against a High Needs block funding allocation of £105.2 million, resulting in an overspend of £44.6 million and increasing the cumulative deficit to £125.1 million by the end of the financial year.

The report outlined some options that the forum could consider to reduce the deficit, including:

• Ceasing or decreasing the targeted SEND funding that supports schools with higher than average levels of SEND.
• Freezing the 3% increases to EHCP top-up funding.
• Considering school block transfers.

The report noted that while each of these options provides an immediate saving, it is incredibly challenging to model the consequences of the changes, as all of them impact on mainstream school funding levels and would likely result in increased use of specialist and independent specialist places.

The report also noted that there was a need for national reform of the SEND system and the associated funding, and that Gloucestershire continues to work with the Department for Education (DfE) as part of the SEND and AP change reforms.

2024/25 Dedicated Schools Grant Outturn and Maintained School Balances

The forum was scheduled to receive an update on the 2024/25 outturn position for the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) and non-DSG, and the DSG deficit balance to carry forward. The report noted that the 2024/25 DSG budget had an in-year overspend of £32.786m resulting in a cumulative overspend of £78.537m.

The report also provided an update on the maintained school balances at the end of 2024/25, noting that:

• 130 schools were in surplus.
• 31 schools were in deficit.
• Total Maintained School Balances decreased by £1.270m (-5.0%).

The report included a summary from the council's Deficits Officer Group, which works with schools in deficit to produce recovery plans, and also contacts representatives of the schools holding the largest excessive balances in order to identify the reasons behind the surplus and to advise each school on appropriate action to use their surplus where appropriate.

Annual Review of the Gloucestershire Schools Forum Constitution and Membership Structure

The forum was scheduled to conduct its annual review of the Gloucestershire Schools Forum Constitution and membership structure. The constitution states that it shall be reviewed annually at every June Forum meeting or when applicable.

The forum was asked to review and consider the constitution and bring any questions to the meeting.

The forum was also asked to review and consider the forum's current membership structure and bring any questions to the meeting.

Election of Chair and Vice-Chair

The forum was scheduled to elect a chair and vice-chair for a two-year term of office.

Other Matters

The agenda also included:

• Welcome and apologies for absence
• Approval of the minutes of the meeting held on 16 January 2025¹
• Declarations of interest
• Public questions
• F40² update
• Meeting dates for 2026