Agenda item

The Chair stated that following a period of change within the Local Authority (LA) and schools, it was a good opportunity to review the Schools’ Forum work programme, terms of reference, number of meetings and reporting deadlines. It was proposed that a working group be established to review the terms of reference and work programme for presentation at the July meeting of the Schools’ Forum. Trevor Keable and Keith Harvey volunteered to join the group.

Neil Goddard suggested including a review of the Heads Funding Group's (HFG) role in this work.

Trevor Keable suggested including Jess Bailiss in the working group. Neil Goddard confirmed Jess's support and proposed including a local authority finance representative. Elizabeth Griffiths highlighted resource constraints in the finance team at the current time, which might impact its ability to support the working group.

Edwin Towill requested that the group consider the respective roles of representatives from maintained schools and academies. He was aware that some agenda items only applied to maintained schools and therefore it would be helpful if consideration could be given to whether all members needed to be present for particular agenda items at Schools’ Forum meetings.

Trevor Keable confirmed that he was from a single academy trust (SAT), which was a secondary school and therefore he would represent both academy schools and secondary schools on the working group.

Neil Goddard proposed emailing all forum members to ensure those that had not been able to make the Forum meeting had the opportunity to form part of the working group. 

The Chair proposed that a vote on the work programme be postponed until the July meeting, pending the outcome of the working group's review.

RESOLVED that

·        A working group be set up to review the work programme, terms of reference, number of meetings and reporting deadlines for both the HFG and Schools’ Forum (as detailed above). The outcome of this work would be brought to the next meeting of the Schools’ Forum on 14th July 2025.

·        An email would be sent out to all Forum Members to ensure those that were not present were given the opportunity to join the working group.