Agenda and minutes

4

4.1

4.2

4.3

4.4

Kirklees Education & Learning Partnership Board

NMcS informed Members that the Education and Learning Partnership Board had met on 3^rd November 2021

Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) Update

·         Phil Blackwell shared a presentation on the feedback received from participants and co–producers of the Holiday Activity and Food scheme that ran during the summer holidays.

·         The scheme split into 3 age groups Under 8, 8-12 and over 12’s.

·         Very popular and huge take up of first 2 cohorts.

·         Questionnaire on how C & YP have coped during Covid undertaken by Our Voice team (attached)

·         Feedback sent to Department for Education

Next steps

·         Funding secured for next 3 years

·         Look further into booking process for the over 12 cohort and how to engage better

·         Event to be organised before Scheme starts to advertise, gain momentum

·         Joined up approach with Youth Development Team

·         Look at cohort of families not on FSM but still in Poverty

DfE Funding Consultation – reforming the school improvement grant

·         Consultation launched on Friday 29^th October 2021 with responses due by 26^th November 2021

·         The proposals in outline state that from Financial Year 2023/24 the grant is no longer paid to the LA, and in preparation for that is reduced by 50% for Financial Year 2022/23 (ie we get 50% from 1^st April 2022 next year).

·         That the statutory duties instead should be funded by de-delegating from Schools Forum, and this is enabled by changing the ‘rules’ to be able to de-delegate for statutory functions.

·         Link and further information to be shared

·         Small working group to be set up to discuss and agree succinct responses. NMcS/CJ

·         Feedback from CEO/HT/KMC Joint Partnership meeting to be gathered.

·         Regional ADCS response also being organised.

·         JAS to feedback at HMI Link meeting.  Bring back to next meeting.

Consultation responses have since been submitted from LA and on behalf of ELPB.

Schools Forum have also prepared and are submitting a response

Our Kirklees Futures Action Plan

·         CJ provided verbal update on where we are now.

·         Gant chart produced – 2 key steps moving forward

·         Timelines to be added and brought to next meeting

·         Launch and communication working parties to be set up

·         Invite representatives from Expert Strategy group, College, University of Huddersfield, Ravenshall

5

5.1

5.2

5.3

5.4

5.5

5.6

5.7

5.8

5.9

5.10

5.11

5.12

5.13

High Needs Budget

Schools Forum on 19^th November 2021 agreed a funding transfer of 0.5% (the maximum allowable for a decision by Schools Forum) of £1.6m from the Schools Block to the High Needs block for 2022/23.

The intention is that the funding will support a range of investment measures as part of the broader Kirklees SEND transformation agenda.

The Council received a letter from the DfE on 11^th November inviting participation in Government’s Intervention Programme for Councils with high DSG deficits. The Council confirmed its participation by the 19^th November deadline.

Discussions will commence with EFSA through December to mid-February with a view to agreeing a package of reform to our High Needs system that will bring our dedicated schools’ deficit under control.

The department’s team will work closely with the Council to challenge and support the development of the DSG recovery plan through detailed discussions. The proposal to be submitted to the department and will set out:

i)              How the LA will go about reaching an in-year balance on their DSG, and the timeframe for achieving this, and

ii)             How the LA will itself reduce the historic cumulative deficit, and what support might be required from the department to eliminate the deficit in full

Final proposals to be submitted to the department in mid-February 2022. Final decision rests with the Secretary of State, and if agreed will form the basis of a published agreement. It will also set out additional funding which the department will release to support the reduction of our cumulative deficit.

Our LA’s progress against the agreement will subsequently be monitored by the Department and will determine the release of further funding.   

Forum agreed to a working group to meet early in January 2022 to look at the framework, engage in detail regarding the trajectory management and  actions to take forward.

Q: Does it have to be a Headteacher on the working group or could it be a SENDCO?

A: It is for forum to decide on membership; however, it is important that members are able to challenge and ensure the education system is fedback to. Forum agreed it should be forum members.

Q: Who will lead the working group from the LA?

A: This is to be further agreed but will be important to have the right skills and that a joint approach is taken. This will include Jo-Ann Sanders, Eamonn Croston and others

Schools Forum to agree who joins the working group.

4 members to be agreed across all sectors of forum membership.

JAS confirmed that the initial proposal must be submitted to the ESFA by 10^th February 2022

Forum are due to meet on the 21^st January 2022 it was agreed that the working group will meet early January 2022 and feedback will be provided at this meeting.

6

6.1

6.2

6.3

6.4

6.6

Schools Funding 2022-23; Latest news

The Spending Review announcement by Government on 27^th October 2021 included a further £1.6bn funding nationally for schools’ budgets for 2022/23, and further £1.5bn per annum the following 2 years; £4.6bn in total. This compares with £2.4bn additional funding over the 2020/23 period.

The additional funding is expected to cover the NIC 1.25% employer uplift in 2022/23, teacher pay awards and provision for raising starter teacher salaries to £30k.

An additional £1bn for a recovery premium over the next 2 academic years (2022/23 and 2023/24). 

It is anticipated that the ESFA data set and settlement figures for 2022/23 will be released sometime next month (last year it was 17^th December 2020).

Q: If teachers starting salary is £30k what is the impact on newly qualified teacher in year 2 who will be on less?

A: EC will look closer

7

7.1

7.2

7.3

7.4

7.5

Schools Funding 2022 – 2023: annual consultation round:

Schools Block and central schools’ services block

Implications of NFF for the Council and schools from 2022/23

Early Years Block.

Issues to be consulted on through Schools Forum & constituent groups:

Ø  The changes made to the National Funding Formula for schools for 2022/23 

Ø  Any exceptions applications to the Education & Skills Funding Agency to make variations to how the formula operates at any particular Kirklees school

Ø  Central budget provision within the Dedicated Schools Grant funding blocks

Ø  De-delegation arrangements for mainstream maintained schools

Ø  High Needs Block funding

Ø  Early Years Block funding

Consultation timetable:

Consultation by e-mail to schools w/c 6 December 2021

Schools Forum January (7^th January 2022)

ESFA response date 21^st January 2022

Schools funding paper to Kirklees Council Cabinet 18^th January 2022/1^st February 2022

Early Years reference group; January 2022

Schools Forum briefing end January/early February 2022

ESFA response date - Early years block – 25^th February 2022

Based on the ESFA funding timeline, it is expected that the LA will inform maintained schools of their 2022/23 budget shares by 25^th February 2022. ESFA will inform academies of their budget allocations for the academic year by 31^st March 2022.

8

8.1

8.2

Annual Schools Funding Cabinet report introduction

Officers will be drafting the annual Cabinet report on schools funding arrangements for 2022/23 over the coming weeks. This will incorporate any changes to funding mechanisms, decisions taken at Schools Forum and a note of the annual consultation with schools. The report is due to be considered at the 18^th January 2022 Cabinet meeting.

The deadline for submission of the 2022/23 funding allocations to the ESFA is 21^st January 2022, and the submission contains a check that there is local political sign-off for the declared figures. The report will be shared with the Forum at the appropriate point.