1. Schools Forum Training

2. Purpose of Course To provide an overview of the role and responsibilities of Schools Forums To give an understanding of the financial issues discussed at Schools Forums To try to answer any questions from members!

3. School Forum Regulations Issued by DfE LAs have responsibility for establishing Schools Forums LAs have responsibility to provide Forum with support, information and guidance to carry out their functions and responsibilities Regulations cover: Establishment, constitution, meetings and proceedings Functions & Consultation Forum & Members’ Expenses

4. Functions Formal method for LA’s to consult with schools. Changes to the funding formula (Reports & Working Group) Financial Issues (Quarterly Revenue Monitoring Reports) Annually on issues related to the schools budget (Annual Budget Report) Changes to the Fair Funding Scheme for Financing Schools – statutory / optional (eg. changes to Surplus Balance policy for schools)

5. DfE Guidance Operational & Good Practice Guide School Forum Powers & Responsibilities Self Assessment Toolkit - New

6. Membership No minimum size (to accommodate small LAs) No maximum size Need to have full representation for various types of schools, academies and Pupil Referral Units Authorities set the policy on including non- schools members (e.g. Church Dioceses) except: Must have a Early Years PVI representative on Forum Must have a 14-19 representative (subject to change)

7. Schools Members Represent specified phases or types of schools Must contain representatives from primary and secondary schools Members in each group should be broadly proportionate to the ratio of pupils Must include representatives from special schools and nursery schools if maintained by LA. Authority has the discretion to further divide the groups (e.g. Governor members within groups) Must also include academy and PRU members

8. Schools Members continued. Term of office must be stipulated – 2 years from April 2015 for current members. If a member resigns from or no longer occupies the office which they represent, they cease to be a member on Schools Forum. Each group or sub-group is responsible for their election process (where required).

9. Non-schools Members May number no more than 1/3 rd of total membership. LA should ensure that the needs and interests of all pupils are adequately represented on Forum. Length of office is at the discretion of the authority but is usually consistent with schools members Elected members who hold an executive role are barred from being a member Officers employed by the authority who have a role in strategic resource management are barred from membership.

10. Observers Any elected member or LA officer who is not a member is entitled to attend and speak at Forum. CYPS Director, or representative, and LA Finance representatives School Business Managers (by election process) Education Funding Agency also has observer status Other observers at Forum’s discretion (e.g. Trade Unions) LA must make a record of the composition of the Schools Forum. Observers can participate in discussions but have no voting rights

11. Procedures Meeting is quorate if 40% of the total membership is present Forum must elect a chair from its own members (must not be an elected member or an officer of the LA). Term of office is 2 years. Forum must decide voting procedures. Majority voting, Chair has casting vote. Proceedings of the Forum are not invalidated by defects in the election or appointment of any member, Chair or vacancy. Forum meetings are now open to the public and Forum papers have to be published on the LA’s website

12. Other procedural matters Attendance of LA officers for specific reports Supported by a specific officer – David Blakesley (Finance Manager – CYPS) Clerk to Schools Forum – Carl Evans (Senior Finance Officer – CYPS) carl.evans@doncaster.gov.uk Reports circulated the week before Accurate record of the meetings is taken and distributed at next Forum meeting Schools Forum budget is £35,630 for 2015/16

13. Communication Agenda, Papers & Minutes of the Schools Forum must be published on the LA’s website A summary newsletter is also sent out to all schools Schools and individuals are referred to the website to obtain any further information they require (full minutes etc).

14. Relationship with Local Authority In order to have an Effective Schools Forum the following are important: Partnership Effective support Openness Responsiveness Strategic view Challenge and Scrutiny Working Groups - Formula / High Needs / Surplus Balances

15. Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) Statutory guidance concerning what can be funded from DSG Grant Terms & Conditions School & Early Years Finance Regulations DSG Split into 3 blocks: Schools Block High Needs Block Early Years Block

16. Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) Schools Block DSG funds: Individual Schools Budget shares Schools Central expenditure (allowable under DfE or SoS Approval) Maintained Primary de-delegated budgets Early Years Block DSG funds: 3 & 4 year old nursery education 2 year old nursery education (new 13/14) Central Early Years – staff / contingency (Forum Approval)

17. Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) High Needs Block DSG funds: Statement top-up funding for schools Special Schools ARC’s Pupil Referral Units Learning Centres Pupils educated out of area Post 16 ISP & FE College top-Up’s (new 13/14) SpED Team / Portage / Behaviour Support

18. Schools Forum Involvement - Example Schools Funding Formula Reforms: Working Group set up 13/14 (continued annually) Consultation / letters to all schools Report taken & discussed at Forum Sector approval of any de-delegation Approval of Growth and Falling Roll Funds Agreeing new factor inclusion – EAL (15/16)

19. Topics discussed at Forum LA reports or as requested by Forum: Constitution of School Forum – to be reviewed Dedicated Schools Grant budget (Feb) Dedicated Schools Grant revenue monitoring Financial Regulations & Fair Funding Scheme Surplus school balances (ongoing) DSG year end under/overspend Approval of Central EY & Schools (SoS) budgets

20. Topics discussed at Forum cont… Growth Fund / Good Schools with Falling Rolls Funding Formula – National? Trade Union facilities time School’s PFI Future Developments in High Needs Provision Anything else specifically??

21. Questions ?