Agenda

Richard Webb, Finance Manager, will present the attached report.

RECOMMENDED:

It is recommended that the schools forum:

a. Notes the elements of funding within the high needs block in paragraph 5.

b. Agrees to the proposal for allocating additional funding for SEN in mainstream schools from the High Needs Block as detailed in paragraph 9.

c. Endorses the indicative top-up rates for 2013-14 for Special Schools and Resourced Units as detailed at paragraph 18.

d. Agrees to the proposal for allocating the behaviour support funding as detailed in paragraphs 20 and 21.

e. Endorses the indicative top-up rate for 2013-14 for the Alternative Provision places as detailed in paragraph 24.

f. Agrees the proposal for funding of permanent exclusions set out in paragraph 31.

g. Agrees to the principle that: ‘growth funding will be allocated to schools where there is a significant and sustained growth in pupil numbers’.

h. Agrees that for funding to be allocated to schools from the growth fund; the growth in the number of pupils must meet both of the following criteria:

i. Significant’ – Where the increase in the number on roll exceeds 10 pupils per year and this equates to 5% or more of the total number of pupils on roll.

ii. ‘Sustained’ – The ‘significant’ criteria has been met for both the current and previous academic year.

i. Agrees that the ‘one-off’ allocation from the growth fund to schools who meet the above criteria, will be equal to 7/12ths of the ‘Basic Per Pupil Entitlement’ of the current academic year’s increase in the Number of Roll. For secondary schools, the Basic Per Pupil Entitlement rate for Key Stage 3 will be used in the calculation.

j. Endorse that the indicative level of the growth fund for 2013-14 be set at £250,000 and be funded from a re-allocation of the contingency budget.

Mike Stoneman, Strategic Commissioning Manager, will present the report.

RECOMMENDED:

It is recommended that the Schools Forum note the content of this report and the following recommendation to Cabinet.

a. that the Council seek a contribution of £5,000 from the converting school, towards the costs associated with the academy transfer process on the following basis:

The contribution will be capped at £5,000. This will be deducted from the schools account at the beginning of the transfer process. In extreme circumstances the Council may seek an additional contribution if costs significantly exceed the capped figure of £5,000. This will be discussed and negotiated with the School before any further deductions are implemented.