Agenda item

Melanie Ellis introduced the report (Agenda Item 6), which set out the results of the consultation with all schools on the proposed primary and secondary school funding formula for 2022/23 and sought a final decision from the Schools’ Forum.

Melanie Ellis added that the results of the consultation had been discussed at the Heads’ Funding Group (HFG) and the recommendations from this group were set out under section 2.1 of the report.

Melanie Ellis reported that 28 schools had responded to the consultation and she highlighted the results for each of the seven questions. The questions and results for the proposals on the sparsity factor and transfer of funding required further discussion.

1. Do you agree that, subject to final affordability, West Berkshire should mirror the DfE’s 2022/23 NFF as closely as possible and that this formula should be used to calculate funding allocations?All 28 schools had supported this proposal. This was also supported by the HFG.
2. Do you support using a Sparsity Factor?14 schools had supported awarding reduced sparsity funding to eligible schools and 13 schools had supported the full sparsity amount being awarded. The option to award reduced sparsity funding had been supported by the HFG and a detailed discussion on what reduction option should be recommended took place. The overall support was for using the National Funding Formula rules but capping this at 80%.
3. Do you agree that any shortfall or surplus in funding is addressed by adjusting the AWPU values?This had been supported by the majority of schools. This had also been supported by the HFG.
4. What percentage transfer of funding would you support from the Schools Block to the High Needs block (HNB)?13 schools had supported a 0.5% transfer and 12 schools had supported a 0.25% transfer.  When taking in to account the number of schools that had supported a 0% transfer the HFG had decided to recommend that a 0.25% transfer should be supported.
5. Would you support any of this transfer supporting any of the other funding blocks?14 schools had supported this and 12 schools had said that they would not support this. The HFG had recommended that a block transfer should be used to support the High Need Block including support for Early Years development and capacity.
6. Do you agree with the criteria set to access additional funds outside the school formula? This was supported by the majority of schools and was supported by the HFG.  
7. Do you agree with the proposed De-delegated Services, Education Functions and Health and Safety Service for all maintained schools? This was supported by the majority of schools however, Melanie Ellis reported that this would not be voted on at the current Forum meeting and a full report on the de-delegation proposals would be brought for consideration in January 2022.

The Chair asked if there were any queries regarding any of the proposals set out within 2.1 of the report and no queries were raised. The relevant Forum representatives moved on to vote on each of the proposals.

Keith Harvey proposed that the DfEs 2022/23 NFF to calculate the funding allocations should be mirrored (2.1(1)). This was seconded by John Hewitt. At the vote the motion was carried.

Hilary Latimer proposed that a reduced sparsity factor, set at 80% of the NFF values should be applied (2.2(2). This was seconded by Emily Dawkins. At the vote the motion was carried.

Ian Nichol proposed that any surplus or shortfall in funding should be addressed through adjusting the AWPU rates (2.2(3)). This was seconded by Richard Hawthorne. At the vote the motion was carried.

Keith Harvey proposed that a 0.25% top slice should be applied to the school’s funding (2.2(4). This was seconded by Emily Dawkins. At the vote the motion was carried.

Ian Nichol proposed that a block transfer should be used to support the HNB including support for Early Years development and capacity (2.2(5)). This was seconded by Keith Harvey. At the vote the motion was carried.

Ian Nichol proposed that the criteria for allocating additional funds should be approved (2.2(6)). This was seconded by Emily Dawkins. At the vote the motion was carried.

RESOLVED that all recommendations set out under 2.1 of the report (apart from recommendation 7 regarding the proposed de-delegated serviced, which would be considered at the Forum in January 2022) were approved by the Schools’ Forum.