Agenda item

Claire White introduced the report (Agenda Item 6) to set out the proposal for the primary and secondary school funding formula for 2017/18, following the consultation held with schools. The formula agreed by the Schools’ Forum would be submitted to the Council’s Executive for decision in January.

As previously reported, the proposed change to a national school funding formula would not be going ahead in 2017/18 and had been put on hold for a year. No significant changes were therefore being made to the funding arrangements for primary and secondary schools in 2017/18.

Local authorities were, however, still required to review their formula and consult with schools. Following the review of the formula at the last meeting of the Schools’ Forum, a briefing and consultation document was sent out to schools on 11th October. The closing date for responses was 8th November.

The Council’s Executive would make the final decision on 19th January 2017 with submission of the formula due to the Education Funding Agency (EFA) on 20^th January 2017.

Querying table 1 on page 16 of the agenda, Councillor Lynne Doherty asked why Secondary Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4 were funded at the same rate when the national average suggested that they were funded at different rates. Claire White explained that about half of Local Authorities funded KS3 and 4 the same and when agreeing to the new formula in 2013, the Schools Forum agreed to use the same rate. This would mean that when pupil numbers changed there would not be a disruption to the schools’ funding.

Reverend Mark Bennet asked whether the transfer of funding in 2016/17 from the Schools Block to the High Needs Block had lead to a reduction in the per pupil funding rate received. Claire White advised that was correct, however the impact was a decrease of approximately £400k in the schools block but an increase in approximately £1m funding to the High Needs Block therefore overall West Berkshire had gained funding by this transfer.

RESOLVED that:

·         There be no change to the formula factors used.

·         If there was a funding shortfall, this would addressed by adjusting the basic entitlement rate (per pupil funding) downwards, so all schools had a proportional cut to their budgets according to the size of their school.

·         If there was additional funding available, that for the first £848k, 55% be added to the basic entitlement (per pupil funding) and 45% be added back to the lump sum. This was in proportion to the deduction that was made to school budgets in 2016/17 to transfer funding to the high needs block. Any additional funding over this amount would be added to the basic entitlement.