Schools Forums were
established under the Education Act 2002 to formally give schools a voice in
the disbursement of funding for schools. Whilst subsequent legislation
has changed the role of the Forum since this time, specifically the
introduction of the National Funding Formula, Members
of the Forum continue
to represent the
views of Headteachers and Governors across all school phases and school type. The Forum has
some decision-making powers but also a significant consultative role in all
aspects of the Schools Budget, including the budgets distributed to Schools and
also the centrally retained schools budget which funds services such as student
support, special educational needs and early learning and childcare and are increasingly seem by
the Department of Education as the local voice of schools.
All
members of the Forum serve to represent the groups that either elect or
nominate them, they are a strategic group and can commission work or establish
working groups to consider issues in more detail.
Further information
on the Schools Forum and pre-December 2012 meetings can be found here.