Agenda item

Consideration was given to a report of the Schools Finance Manager which provided an update following the Government announcement at the end of July about School Funding for 2019/20 and subsequent consultation with schools and Schools Forum. The Cabinet was asked to consider the options and agree an approach as to how the funding for Schools and Academies should be distributed in 2019/20.

The report provided a breakdown of the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) for 2019/20 and information about the National Funding Formula for Schools and High Needs Blocks for Oldham. It also presented a recommended approach for the distribution of the Schools block of the DSG to schools and academies from 2019/20.

The report highlighted the consultation process that had taken place during October and November in order to consider a means of allocating resources for 2019/20 and a way forward in reducing the cumulative deficit on the DSG.

Options/Alternatives considered:-

Option1 - Continue to use Oldham’s formula and move further to the National Funding Formula by providing a minimum per pupil funding level of £3,500 per primary pupil and £4,800 per secondary pupil with an MFG of zero per cent and a cap on gains.

Option 2 - Continue to use Oldham’s formula and move further to the National Funding Formula by providing a minimum per pupil funding level of £3,500 per primary pupil and £4,800 per secondary pupil with Prior attainment, Lump Sum and Basic per Pupil at NFF values and Income deprivation affecting children index (IDACI) bands E and F included at 20% NFF values. This option also includes an MFG of zero per cent and a cap on gains.

Option 3 - Continue to use Oldham’s formula and move further to the National Funding Formula by providing a minimum per pupil funding level of £3,500 per primary pupil and £4,800 per secondary pupil, basic per Pupil at NFF values and Income deprivation affecting children index (IDACI) bands E and F included at 50% NFF values. This option also includes an MFG of zero per cent and a cap on gains.

Option 4 - Continue to use Oldham’s formula and move further to the National Funding Formula by providing a minimum per pupil funding level of £3,500 per primary pupil and £4,800 per secondary pupil with an MFG of zero per cent and a cap on gains for Primary Schools and move further to the NFF for secondary schools. For secondary schools only bands E and F have been included at 10% NFF values funded by a reduction in basic per pupil entitlement.

The Cabinet was recommended to approve Option 4. This ensured no school would lose funding and there would be additional resources for those with higher needs.

Members noted that most local authorities had insufficient funding and, although there was expected to be additional government funding to help with the DSG recovery plan, it was unlikely this would be sufficient to meet the need.

RESOLVED - That:

1.     Option 4 be approved, which would provide a minimum per-pupil funding level of £3,500 per primary pupil, £4,800 per secondary pupil and for secondary schools IDACI (income deprivation affecting children index) was been included at 10% values, together with a 1% transfer of funding between the Schools and the High Needs Blocks.

2.     The development of a DSG recovery plan would continue as a means of reducing the cumulative DSG deficit in consultation with Schools Forum, with the option of implementing the reduction to top up funding for mainstream and special schools and over capacity funding in special schools (as outlined in section 2.5) from September 2019 if necessary.