Minutes:
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.
Supporting documents: