The Barnet Council Schools Forum was scheduled to convene on 24 June 2025, to discuss a range of financial and strategic issues affecting schools in the borough. Key topics included updates on the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) outturn, maintained school balances, the Schools Budget Support Grant (SBSG), and the Scheme for Financing Schools, as well as updates on the High Needs Block (HNB) and SEND provision.

High Needs Block (HNB) and Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)

A significant portion of the meeting was set aside to discuss the High Needs Block (HNB) of the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) and updates on Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) provision. The Schools Forum was scheduled to note the content of a report providing an update on actions agreed at the January 2025 meeting regarding HNB investment.

The report outlined the financial position of the HNB, noting that Barnet, like many local authorities, was facing rising demand for Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) and associated top-up funding. The number of maintained EHCPs in Barnet had risen by 63% since 2020, reaching 4,327 in 2024, with requests for assessment up by 143% over the same period.

The report also included a revised forecast for the 2024-25 HNB, with a projected overspend of £3.434m. The proposed 2025-26 HNB budget post-recoupment was £76.54m, reflecting a 7% increase from 2024-25, but projected expenditure was up 15%, leading to a forecast overspend of £5.6m. When combined with the 2024-25 overspend, the total cumulative overspend reached £9.0m.

The Schools Forum was also scheduled to discuss progress on agreed investment and implementation of early intervention and inclusion initiatives, including the development of an in-house therapy service and the recruitment of a full-time Emotional, Behavioural and Social Adjustment (EBSA) / Mental Health / Nurture Provision Lead.

A review of Early Years (EY) support and the SEN Inclusion Fund (SENIF) arrangements was also scheduled to be discussed, to ensure the funding is used in a way that supports and enables early years settings to deliver high-quality, ordinarily available provision for children with emerging and identified SEND needs.

Finally, the Schools Forum was scheduled to receive an update on the pilot scheme to access devolved funding for high needs pupils in mainstream schools without recourse to an EHCP.

2024-25 Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) Outturn

The Schools Forum was scheduled to receive an update on the 2024-25 Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) outturn. According to the report, the final allocation for the London Borough of Barnet, after adjustments for academy recoupment and high needs places, was £285.664m. Expenditure for the financial year was £288.096m, a reported overspend of £2.432m. The projected balance carried forward at the end of 2024-25 was £8.305m.

The report noted that the growth fund had a reported underspend of £0.890m after agreed funding of £0.199m for Hasmonean High School for Boys against the overall budget of £1.089m. The High Needs block had a reported outturn overspend of £3.322m, mainly due to spend on independent school placements.

2024-25 Maintained School Balances

The Schools Forum was scheduled to receive an update on school balances for the 2024-25 financial year ended 31 March 2025. The overall reported balance for Barnet maintained schools was £5.592m, compared to £7.162m the previous year, a decrease of £1.569m or (22%).

Maintained nurseries revenue balances improved as the prior year reported a deficit balance of £0.399m reduced to a surplus of £0.126m as at 31 March 2025, a favourable movement of £0.525m or (132%) primarily due to the additional funding received from new Early Years Supplementary Grant introduced from September 2023.

Overall, the reported revenue balances for maintained primary schools as at 31 March 2025 was £1.027m. Compared to the previous year this was a decrease of £1.880m or (65%). Out of the 70 primary schools 31 schools posted an in-year deficit totalling £6.880m and the remaining 39 schools in-year surpluses totalled to £7.908 million.

Maintained secondary schools overall reported a total surplus balance totalling £3.389m. Compared £3.651m in 2023-24, a decrease of £0.262m or 7%.

All three special schools maintained surplus status from the previous year, with these schools' reserves increasing by £0.047m through the year. Of the two Pupil Referral Units (PRUs), one reported a deficit in the financial year 2024-25.

Schools Budget Support Grant (SBSG)

The Schools Forum was scheduled to receive an update on the Schools Budget Support Grant (SBSG). In May 2025, the government announced additional funding alongside the 2025 teacher pay award and was providing £615 million to support schools with the cost of pay awards in 2025/26 financial year. The funding for 5 -16 provision would be provided to support mainstream schools, including those with SRPs through the new schools' budget support grant (SBSG). Special and AP schools would receive additional funding through the existing core schools budget grant (CSBG). Additional funding would also be provided in respect of early years provision in schools through early years National Insurance contributions and teachers' pay grant (EY NTPG) and for schools with 16 to 19 provision through 16 to 19 funding allocations.

The SBSG would provide additional funding for mainstream schools and those with special units or resource provision. Mainstream schools with SURPs would receive an allocation calculated on the basis of a flat rate per place, on top of the allocation that all mainstream schools receive.

Scheme for Financing Schools

The Schools Forum was scheduled to receive an update on the Department for Education (DfE) Statutory Guidance for Scheme for Financing Schools (March 2025). Local authorities are required to publish schemes for financing schools, setting out the financial relationship between them and the schools they maintain.

The proposed scheme for financial schools contained an update to provide additional guidance in relation to borrowing by schools. The proposed scheme included updates to Section 3.6.1: Borrowing by schools, in line with the revised guidance on borrowing to reflect the introduction of International Financial Reporting Standard 16 (IFRS16) and the Secretary of State providing blanket consent for all types of lease arrangements.