The Redbridge Schools Forum met on Thursday 22 January 2026 to discuss the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) allocations for 2026-2027 and the setting of school budgets. Key decisions included the approval of the proposed per-pupil rates for de-delegated services and the methodology for distributing the Growth and Falling Rolls Fund.

DSG Allocations and School Budget Setting for 2026-2027

The forum reviewed the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) allocations for the 2026-2027 financial year. The overall DSG allocation has increased by £20.680m to £453.664m. The Schools Block, which funds mainstream schools, will see an increase of £9.787m, bringing its total to £322.274m. The High Needs Block, which supports pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), will increase by £3.501m to £71.967m, and the Early Years Block will increase by £7.547m to £55.825m. The Central Schools Services Block (CSSB) will see a slight decrease of £0.155m to £3.598m.

The forum noted that the National Funding Formula (NFF) for schools remains largely unchanged for 2026-27. However, to ensure affordability within the Schools Block, the Local Authority proposed a reduction of 1.062% in the NFF basic entitlement per-pupil rates. This adjustment is within the allowable range set by the Department for Education (DfE) and ensures that the minimum per-pupil rates are distributed.

The forum agreed to the DfE-recommended budget for the Growth and Falling Rolls Fund, allocating £0.129m to the Growth Fund and £0.461m to the Falling Rolls Fund. The criteria for distributing these funds were also agreed, with specific conditions for schools to meet to be eligible for falling rolls funding, including having numbers on roll less than 80% of their planned admission number (PAN) and demonstrating local planning data that shows places will be required within the next 3-5 years.

In-Year DSG Monitoring 2025-2026

The forum was presented with an update on the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) financial position as at Quarter 3 (December 2025). The DSG is forecasting an overall overspend of £11.089m for the financial year 2025-2026. The High Needs Block accounts for the majority of this overspend, with a projected deficit of £11.517m. This is attributed to an increase in the number of Education, Health Care Plans (EHCPs) and rising placement costs, alongside a reduction in the DSG grant allocation for this block. The Schools Block is forecasting a small overspend of £0.025m, while the Central Schools Services Block and Early Years Block are expected to remain balanced.

The report highlighted that the DSG Statutory override is due to end on 31st March 2028, after which any DSG overspends may need to be funded from the Council's General Fund. The Council is required to present a management plan in 2026-2027 for its DSG accounts due to the projected significant carried forward overall DSG deficit.

Maintained School Budget Monitoring 2025-2026 - Updated Quarter 2 Figures

The Quarter 2 budget monitoring returns from maintained schools indicate a forecast reduction in revenue reserves across these schools of £5.702m, a decrease of 28%. Six schools are projecting a deficit at the end of the financial year, with a total forecast deficit of £1.954m. The report detailed a wide variation in reserves held by individual schools, with 22 primary schools and 3 secondary schools having less than 3% in reserves. The Schools Finance Team will be contacting schools forecasting a deficit to discuss recovery plans.

De-delegation 2026-2027

The forum was asked to approve proposed per-pupil rates for de-delegated services for maintained mainstream primary and secondary schools for the 2026-27 financial year. These rates reflect a 2.60% increase, in line with the Schools Block inflationary increase. The proposed rates cover services such as Schools Causing Concern, Free School Meals Eligibility, Staff Costs Supply Cover, Schools Contingency Fund, and School Improvement. The total proposed de-delegated budget for 2026-27, based on October 2025 pupil numbers, is £789,843.00.

Appendix A provided further details on specific de-delegations, including Trade Union Facilities time. It was noted that there was a shortfall of £10,587.47 in the funding for trade union facility time for 2025-26. The forum agreed to cover this shortfall from the £15,600 remaining in the de-delegation contingency fund.

Services for Schools (Education Functions) 2026-2027

The forum was asked to approve a per-pupil contribution of £28.17 for Local Authority Statutory Services for maintained mainstream schools and special schools and PRUs for the financial year 2026-27. This represents an increase of £0.71 compared to the 2025-26 contribution. This top-slice of funding is to support services previously funded by the Education Services Grant (ESG).

Central Schools Services Block and Historical Commitments 2026-2027

The forum was asked to approve the figures for the Central Schools Services Block (CSSB) for 2026-27. The overall CSSB allocation for 2026-27 is £3.598m, a decrease of £0.155m from the previous year. This includes funding for ongoing duties, such as school admissions and education welfare, and a lump sum for historical commitments. The funding for ongoing duties has increased by £0.141m, partly due to the inclusion of centrally employed teacher costs. However, funding for historical commitments has decreased by £0.296m, reflecting an expected reduction as these liabilities unwind.

Growth and Falling Rolls Fund 2026-2027

The forum was asked to agree the proposed allocations and methodology for distributing the Growth and Falling Rolls Fund for 2026-27. The DfE recommended allocation is £0.129m for the Growth Fund and £0.461m for the Falling Rolls Fund. The criteria for falling rolls funding were outlined, requiring schools to have numbers on roll less than 80% of their planned admission number (PAN) and demonstrate local planning data showing future need for places. The calculation for falling rolls funding will be based on the Age Weighted Pupil Unit (AWPU) multiplied by the difference between 80% of PAN and actual pupil numbers.

Early Years Single Funding Formula Funding Arrangements 2026-2027

The forum was advised on the Early Years National Funding Formula (EYNFF) funding rates for Redbridge in 2026/27, which show increases for 3-4 year olds, two-year-olds, and under 2s. The DfE has increased the minimum pass-through requirement for local authorities to 97% for 3-4 year olds. The Local Authority proposed retaining 3% of each entitlement allocation for central spend. The forum was also asked to comment on the proposal for the local allocation of the adjusted rate for the three- and four-year-old entitlement and to approve the distribution of the 2024/25 Early Years Block surplus. It was proposed that 50% of the remaining surplus of £2.249m be distributed to providers in the Spring 2026 funding term, based on claims made in the 2025/26 financial year.

High Needs Block Update

The forum was updated on the High Needs Block budget for 2025-26, with a projected in-year deficit of £12.188m. This, combined with the deficit carried forward from the previous year, results in a cumulative deficit of £12.942m to be carried forward to 2026-27. The DfE is temporarily suspending the high needs national funding formula for 2026-27, with allocations based on 2025-26 figures, adjusted for import/export data. The forum was informed that the statutory override for SEND spending now runs until 31st March 2028, and from 2028-29, central government will assume full responsibility for SEND spending, including the risk of overspend.

Further Information Report

This report provided updates on actions from previous meetings. Key updates included the process for school condition allocation funding, explanations for delays in post-16 funding information, and the inclusion of EHCP data in the High Needs Block update. The terms of reference for the High Needs Sub-group were reviewed, and a report on the costs of managing school appeals was circulated. An update on the SEND Priority Action Plan indicated that the final plan would be shared with the DfE by 15th May 2026.

Growth and Falling Rolls Funding - Next Steps regarding Support to Schools

This item was covered within the discussion on Growth and Falling Rolls Funding for 2026-2027.

Work Plan and Time and Date of Next Meeting

The dates for future Schools Forum meetings were confirmed, with the next meeting scheduled for 9th July 2026.

Any Other Business

The forum was informed that the newly appointed Director of Education, A King, would attend the July meeting. Terry Shaw, Interim Head of Finance Business Partnering, was thanked for his contributions as this was his last meeting.

The meeting was confirmed as held, and decisions were made.