Agenda item

Jenny Lawrence introduced her report, based on an early analysis what proposals mean and what the National Funding Formula may be if implemented.

 

Jenny reported that Cabinet would be considering proposals at its meeting tomorrow.

 

Two consultations:

Local Authority and School Funding 2018/19

High Needs funding

 

The Department for Education will calculate the pupil level elements of DSG and there would be an addition of non-school factors funded at historic cost.  2018/19 the Local Authority will be responsible for setting formula for schools.

 

A ‘hard’ formula will be implemented in April 2019, the DfE will calculate, local authorities will be removed from decisions on the school funding system.

 

Tony Gelsthorpe asked if that meant School Funding Forum will effectively disappear.  Jenny responded there are still some elements of the consultation which suggests discretion of LAs, but would have to consider the role of the Schools’ Forum.  Paul Meredith commented it could be a different format bringing schools together.

 

Jenny said it was important to note the figures you see are not what budgets will be in 2018/19, they illustrate what 2016/17 budgets would be if the new formula was introduced.  Pupil data will change underneath that.

 

Jean Lewis commented that deprivation on area cannot reflect pupils outside catchment coming into school; money doesn’t follow them.  Jenny reported that IDACI is based on the home address of pupils not the school they attend.

 

A question was raised regarding Sparsity indicator.  Based on distance children have to travel to nearest school, does not reflect transport.  Leicestershire is expected to receive £306k but there is an £11m reduction in the Lump Sum.  Almost impossible to predict.

 

Concern that it may not be possible to fund schools as value in National Funding Formula, if there were increases in the cost of the school factors and pupil growth.

 

Jenny clarified that the National Funding Formula treats academies and maintained schools exactly the same.

 

Jean Lewis referred to special schools that run 4-19 right through and asked does the basic amount given to our schools alter or are they still on flat rate?  Jenny responded the National Funding Formula does not affect special schools at all.

 

Karen Rixon commented on high amount allocated towards prior attainment, primary schools by definition, don’t get prior attainment.  In infant schools that is a third of the children, quite discriminatory and perhaps needs to be clarified.  Jenny responded that the LA will be responding to the consultation to say do not agree with the weightings.

 

Nick Goforth commented seems quite a large gap, which questions whether gaps need to be so large.

 

Could be up to £6m loss of High Needs funding, huge concern as a Local Authority.

 

Schools special needs units where per pupil funding will revert back to mainstream funding top up Element funding £6,000 not £10,000, just a technical change.

 

The Local Authority is working through and will be submitting a response to the consultation, which Jenny agreed to share with Schools’ Forum members.  Jenny advised that Schools’ Forum may wish to consider whether they wanted to submit their own response to the consultation which ends on 22 March.  Schools’ Forum members agreed as there would be a difference of views on particular issues, colleagues to respond on behalf of their school.  It was also agreed Schools’ Forum Members to urge headteacher groups to respond to the consultation accordingly.

 

Steve McDonald asked if Leicestershire would benefit from extra funding?  Jenny responded if the formula was fully implemented, yes.

 

Jenny agreed to convene an informal workshop for all Forum members before the end of the consultation period to tease out any issues in the run up to 2018/19 National Funding Formula proposals.