Appendix D:

Consultation on proposed changes to schools funding

Consultation events included:

  • Briefing meeting, Primary Heads Executive – 10th May 2012
  • Briefing and consultation meeting, Primary Heads working group – 21st May 2012
  • Briefing and consultation meeting, Primary Heads working group – 24th May 2012
  • Consultative meeting, Schools Forum steering group (heads, governors) – 15th June
  • Briefing meeting for all schools and Chairs of Governors – 12th July 2012
  • Main consultation with all schools, August/September 2012, with illustrative budgets calculated for each school

Presentations to and discussions at Schools Forum:

Schools Forum 25th April

Schools Forum 27th June

Schools Forum 3rd October

Draft minutes of the meeting of 3rd October are set out below:

Draft minutes: Item 5

Results of Consultation with Schools and Proposals for Future Schools Funding Formula

Jonathan Burberry presented a paper.

Forum noted the responses to the consultation with schools on the new Funding Formula, and that it was a matter for the Council to submit proposed formula factors to the DfE in October following this consultation with Forum. It was also noted that the final values for each factor would need to be set and returned to DfE by 18th January, and for that purpose a meeting of Forum had been scheduled for January 9th 2013 to consider this. The Chair referred to the weight placed by schools on seeking to minimise turbulence – the scale of gainers and losers -- as a result of the move to a new methodology.

A lump sum of £150,000 was proposed – the maximum permitted is £200K – and it was stated that secondary schools’ representatives collectively supported this as, amongst other things, it was important in minimising turbulence

There was some discussion of the balance between expenditure on Primary schools as against Secondary schools, and a meeting to discuss this further was requested by primary representatives. Forum also requested a further review of the level of the split site factor.

Officers were also requested to offer a further briefing meeting to members of Forum on the way in which the formula had been constructed and the factors influencing the choice of the values for each factor.

Following discussion, Forum agreed:

1. To endorse the funding factors to be used in the new Hertfordshire funding formula.

2. To endorse the illustrative unit values for each formula factor to be included in the pro forma to be submitted to the EFA as an interim measure, acknowledging that the final values will be voted on by Forum at a future meeting.

Votes:
For / 18
Against / None