Agenda item

Michelle Sancho introduced the report (Agenda Item 11), which aimed to provide a review of the Vulnerable Children’s Fund (VCF) 2020/21.

Michelle Sancho stated that the report provided details on the original £50k assigned to the VCF and not on the additional £75k of funding included as part of the invest to save approach, which would be reported on as part of a broader report being brought to the Forum in October 2021 on the invest to save projects and their impact.

Michelle Sancho reported that the VCF had been operating for a number of years and was a relatively small fund. It was traditionally used to assist schools that were facing additional financial pressures as a result of in-year admissions or where children’s needs had dramatically increased (e.g. due to a new medical condition or a crises at home).

The period reported on covered three national lockdowns as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. In total 56 children had benefitted from the VCF during 2020-21 and most applications were received from primary schools. As with most previous years, most applications (84%) requested funds to support through use of a Teaching Assistant (TA) and 16% required funds to buy equipment for pupils.

Michelle Sancho reported that 81% of those schools that had accessed the VCF had said reported that those children they had received the funding for had made progress as a result. 54% of responses had indicated that staff were still worried about the pupil’s needs and amount of progress, largely as a result of the pandemic and lockdowns.

Michelle Sancho concluded that the relatively small fund seemed to be well received by schools and feedback from schools that had accessed it was very positive.

RESOLVED that the Schools’ Forum noted the report.