To approve the minutes of the previous meeting 28 November 2011 and to receive an update on any matters arising from these.

RESOLVED

that the minutes of the meeting of the Central Bedfordshire Schools Forum held on 28 November 2011 be confirmed and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

To ask the Forum to note the contents of this update and the proposal to continue with AST funding arrangements for 2012/13 to enable school-to-school support to continue to be provided in line with the recommendations in the Education Act 2011.

The Forum received and considered a report which provided an update and sought agreement to the proposal to continue with Advanced Skills Teachers (AST) funding arrangements for 2012/13 to enable school–to-school support to continue to be provided in line with the recommendations in the Education Act 2011.

It was noted that the ASTs are allocated to schools in an Ofsted or LA category of concern in the first instance.  They also offer at least three Professional Study Groups (PSGs) each year to share their knowledge and expertise more widely.  Redborne Upper School has been organising the PSGs since July 2010.  The Learning Portal contains all the relevant information.

ASTs will be replaced by Specialist Leaders of Education (SLEs) in the future, SLEs will be deployed by Teaching Schools to provide school to school support.  It is anticipated that ASTs will become SLEs following additional training.

It was requested that the Schools Forum approve a reduced amount of £40,000 to maintain the AST programme until SLE posts have been created to support the work of the Teaching School. 

RESOLVED

that the current arrangement to fund Advanced Skills Teachers be maintained for 2012/13 through the allocation of £40,000.

To note the update on the DSG and Pupil Premium arrangements and make recommendations for the 2012/13 distribution.

The Forum received and considered a report which provided an update on the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) and Pupil Premium arrangements and to make recommendations for the 2012/13 distribution.

Deployment of the DSG 2011/12

The DSG for 2011/12 was £172.555m.  This was based on 37,044 (fte number of pupils as at 01/11) multiplied by £4,658 (Guaranteed Unit of Funding (GUF).  The LACSEG deductions attributable to 17 converted schools as at December 2011 was £440k.  It was expected that a further 10 schools would convert before the end of the financial year requiring a further 96k from Headroom.

Noted the update on the deployment of the 2011/12 DSG.

DSG and Pupil Premium Arrangements

On 13 December 2011 the Department for Education (DfE) confirmed that the main DSG arrangements for 2012/13 would be:-

·        Flat cash Guaranteed Units of Funding (GUF)

·        A continuation, of protecting funding for three year olds at 90% of the three year old population

·        A Minimum Funding Guarantee (MFG) of minus 1.5%

·        a cash floor of minus 2% (local authority protection)

It was noted that the GUF would be the same as 2011/12 i.e. £4,658.10 for Central Bedfordshire.  In addition, the Early Years Single Funding Fomula (EYSFF) would continue for 2012/13.

The Pupil Premium (PP) grant would be allocated to local authorities as follows:-

·        £600 per pupil for each Ever 6 Free School Meal (FSM) full time equivalent (fte) pupil aged 4 and over in Year Groups R to 11 in mainstream schools; and

·        £250 per pupil for each full time equivalent (fte) pupil recorded on the January 2012 School Census, as a Service child aged 4 and over in Year Groups R to 11 in mainstream schools.

·        £600 provisional allocation per pupil for each Looked After Child for the number of children continuously looked after for over 6 months as recorded in the March 2011 Children Looked After Data Return (SSDA903) and aged 4 to 15 at 31 August 2010.

It was requested that all sections of Social Services be made aware PP funding does not pass to special schools but is held centrally.

Noted the update on the 2012/13 DSG and Pupil Premium arrangements.

Consultation on changes to Funding Formula for 2012/13

The Forum noted that two workshops had been held to explain to schools the new funding formula and in particular the model 2, which was selected at the 28 November 2011 Schools Forum meeting (Minute no. CBSF/11/28 refers).  The Funding Formula was being reduced from the current 27 factors down to a more manageable amount.   Concerns had been expressed by both the Lower and Middle Schools who would be receiving less funds that under the current arrangements.  It was agreed that a lump sum of £95k would be paid to Lower Schools and £47.5k to Middle Schools.  The attendees of the workshop were reassured to see the breakdowns which had been prepared by Officers for each school.

RESOLVED

that the reduction of formula factors for the 2012/13 distribution  ...  view the full minutes text for item 34.

Review of 2011 activities of the group

The Forum received and considered a report which provided a review of the 2011 activities of the Early Years Reference Group.  The Reference Group met on four occaisions.

Single Funding Formula

The Head of Child Poverty and Early Intervention reminded the Forum that the Single Funding Formula (SFF) had been adopted by the Forum at their September 2010 meeting for implementation from April 2011.

Payment Methods

It was noted that the implementation of the SFF had resulted in a change of payment methods.  The process had been streamlined following two changes:-

·        The estimated payment was based on the previous term’s figures rather than estimated from settings; and

·        From September 2011 settings from payments twice a term, to monthly payments.  The process is bedding in well.

Code of Practice and Local Agreement

The Department of Education had published a new Code of Practice which came into effect in September 2010.  A report confirmed that 100% of the PVI settings had signed up to the Local Agreement.  A new Local Agreement had been drawn up following the introduction of the Single Funding Formula.   In November it was noted that Government had gone out to consultation on a new Code of Practice which would take effect from September 2012.  The Local Agreement would require an addendum.

Childcare Sufficiency

It was noted that the Reference Group had commented on the draft Childcare Sufficiency Assessment and were pleased to confirm that the final version was available on the Council’s website.  A link to the document would be circulated in Central Essentials.

Two Year Olds

It was noted that the number of spaces being provided for two year olds to receive 15 hours a week pre school was to be increased by Central Government by between 20% - 40% dependent on whether Nationally or Locally increased.  The Reference Group had established a working group to review the provision of the additional spaces and what would be required to provide the additional places.  

New Initiatives

The Reference Group had kept up to date on the following:-

·        The Tickell Report with proposals on changes to the Early Years Foundation Stage;

·        The introduction of the Early Intervention Grant; and

·        The review of the Childrens Centres.

RESOLVED

that the update be noted.

To provide an update on the Schools Specific Contingency Budget for 2011/12.

The Forum received and considered a report which provided an update on the Schools Specific Contingency Budget for 2011/12.

The Senior Finance Officer reminded the Forum that they had approved the following:-

·        At the meeting held on 7 March 2011 a General Contingency budget was agreed of £500,000 plus an additional £1m in anticipation of redundancies in schools during 2011/12.  In addition, a SEN Contingency budget of £275,670 SEN was agreed.

·        The final figures for redundancies was awaited for 2011/12, which may now happen.

·        At the 28 November 2011 meeting it was agreed that any underspend in the SEN budget would be used to pay for Central Bedfordshire children attending other Local Authority schools for 2011/12.

The expected end of year Schools Specific Contingency Budget was approx.  £200k.  It was noted by the Forum that the carry forward to 2012/13 would be significantly smaller than the carry forward for 2011/12.  The Senior Finance Officer explained to the Forum that the new school payment would include most of the one off payments made this year as part of the base payment.

RESOLVED

that the School Specific Contingency Budget position statement as at 31 December 2011 be noted.

To provide an update on the School Forum Budget for 2011/12.

The Forum received and considered a report which provided an update on the Schools Forum Budget for 2011/12.

The Senior Finance Officer confirmed that at the date of the meeting the remaining balance for the year was £611.  It was expected that the budget would be fully spent by the end of the financial year.

It was noted that only 1 travel claim had been received for the 2011/12 year.  Members of the Forum were reminded that they could submit claims for mileage travelled to attend the meetings.

RESOLVED

that the Schools Forum Budget position statement as at 31 December 2011 be noted.