The Schools Forum of Enfield Council met on Wednesday 14 January 2026 to discuss the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) for the 2026/27 academic year, including allocations for schools, high needs, and early years. The forum also reviewed annual reports from specialist support services and considered the workplan for future meetings.

Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) Allocations for 2026/27

A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to the proposed Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) allocations for the 2026/27 financial year. The report from Ms Melissa Williamson, Strategic Finance Manager, outlined the overall settlement, which indicated a net reduction in the DSG schools block funding of £2.838m. This block is primarily allocated to mainstream schools through the school funding formula.

The Central Schools Services Block (CSSB) funding was set to see a modest increase of £0.038m, allocated to local authorities for central functions. There was no change to the baseline funding for the High Needs Block (HNB), which supports provision for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and alternative provision. However, £5.298m of separate 2025/26 grants were incorporated into the HNB for 2026/27. The Early Years Block funding was projected to increase by £8.254m, largely distributed through the early years funding formula.

The report highlighted that the National High Needs Funding Formula (NFF) has been suspended for 2026/27, meaning the HNB funding is based on the 2025/26 allocation. Additionally, the School Budget Support Grant (SBSG) and National Insurance contributions (NICs) grant funding are being rolled into the DSG schools block allocations.

Draft 2026/27 DSG Schools Block Budget

Further detail on the draft 2026/27 DSG Schools Block budget was presented by Ms Melissa Williamson. This report focused on the proposed mainstream school funding formula. The total Schools Block funding before recoupment was £338.741m, representing a decrease of £2.838m or 0.83% due to a reduction in pupil numbers. The report detailed pupil number changes, with a decrease of 1,449 pupils across primary and secondary schools.

The National Funding Formula (NFF) for mainstream schools was discussed, with no structural changes proposed. However, the mainstream school elements of the SBSG and NICs grant are being incorporated into the NFF. The report indicated that all primary schools would receive at least £5,115 per pupil, and all secondary schools at least £6,640 per pupil, through minimum per pupil levels. Enfield has historically mirrored the NFF, with adjustments made to basic entitlement rates.

The Authority Proforma Tool (APT), used to determine individual school budgets, was prepopulated with October 2025 census data, showing a total of 46,011 pupils. The report also outlined the draft school funding formula rates and budget, noting an affordability gap of £3.059m which was addressed by adjusting basic entitlement formula rates.

2026/27 High Needs Block Funding

An initial overview of the 2026/27 high needs funding arrangements was provided. The High Needs Block (HNB) supports children and young people with SEND from ages 0 to 25 and alternative provision. The report reiterated that the National High Needs Funding Formula (NFF) has been suspended for 2026/27, with funding based on the 2025/26 allocation. The incorporation of 2025/26 grants into the HNB means the total allocation after deductions is £84.747m, an increase of £5.148m or 6.47%, though this reflects the consolidation of grants rather than an increase in baseline funding.

The report detailed arrangements for high needs place funding, which is allocated at a standard rate for agreed places. Maintained special schools and Pupil Referral Units (PRUs) are funded at £10,000 per agreed funded place. Specialist provision in mainstream schools receives a combination of per-pupil funding and place funding. The report also outlined proposed changes to high needs funded places for academies, free schools, and colleges, with an overall increase of 21 places.

The report also confirmed the continuation of the transfer of 0.5% from the Schools Block to the High Needs Block, totalling £1.692m in 2026/27, to support mainstream schools with a high number of pupils with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs).

2026/27 Early Years Funding

The proposed funding rates for early years providers for the 2026/27 financial year were presented by Mr Nick Basye, Head of Finance – Education & Schools. The report detailed proposed hourly rates for 3 and 4-year-olds, and 2-year-olds, including basic rates, deprivation supplements, and inclusion funding. The pass-through requirements for universal and additional hours for 3 and 4-year-olds were set to increase from 96% to 97%.

The report noted a change in the Department for Education's methodology for calculating the Local Authority's funding, moving to termly censuses. This change is expected to result in a higher hourly rate for the Local Authority to compensate for the methodological shift, though providers are advised to maintain rates close to the underlying hourly rate. The report also outlined the planned use of centrally retained funding, estimated at £1,553,000 for 2026/27, to deliver statutory early years services.

Central Schools Services Block (CSSB) for 2026/27

Mr Nick Basye also presented the planned use of the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) Central Schools Services Block (CSSB) for the 2026/27 financial year. The CSSB provides funding for local authorities to carry out central functions, comprising ongoing responsibilities and historic commitments. The provisional CSSB funding allocation for 2026/27 was £2.601m, an increase of £0.038m. The report detailed the planned use of this funding across various responsibilities, including admissions and appeals, education welfare, and central licenses.

Annual Reports

The forum received annual summary reports from two specialist services:

Flourish Outreach Service for Visual Impairment

Alex Stainton, Flourish Specialist Education, Outreach Services Manager, presented the annual report for the Flourish Outreach Service for Visual Impairment. The service supports children and young people in Enfield with diagnosed vision impairments, providing advice and support to pupils, families, and schools. The report detailed the number of pupils supported, IT and habilitation assistance provided, and training offered to schools. The service operates under a contract valued at £160,916 per annum, extended until August 2026.

Hearing Support Service

Bharti Solanki presented the annual report for the Hearing Support Service. This team of Qualified Teachers of the Deaf and a Communication Specialist supports children with identified hearing loss across Haringey and Enfield from diagnosis through to age 25. The report outlined the number of deaf children supported in 2024-2025, the range of support provided to minimise barriers to learning, and highlighted positive feedback from families and schools. The report also detailed the service's costs, which had increased due to pay awards and overheads.

Workplan

The forum was presented with the workplan for future meetings, outlining the topics scheduled for discussion in March, July, October, and December 2026, and January and March 2027. Key items included school budget monitoring and outturn reports, high needs place updates, annual reports from various services, and discussions on de-delegation and schools in financial difficulty.

The meeting was scheduled to take place at Enfield County School, Holly Walk, EN2 6QG.