The Devon Education Forum was scheduled to discuss the financial health of the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG), updates on inclusion and learning initiatives, and the review of the High Needs Funding Framework. The meeting's agenda also included reports from various standing groups and an update on school organisation and capital programmes.

Inclusion and Learning Update

A significant portion of the scheduled discussion was dedicated to an update on inclusion and learning, as detailed in the report from the Director of Children and Young People's Futures (DEF/26/09). This update was set to cover the development of the SEND Reform Plan, including the Experts at Hand offer, which aims to provide earlier access to specialist advice from education and health professionals for mainstream settings. The plan for implementing this offer in Devon was to be phased, starting with a universal offer and targeted support in pilot areas. The report also detailed progress on Devon's Inclusion Strategy, developed in partnership with Olive Academies Trust, which involved a visioning workshop and engagement with various stakeholders. Updates were also scheduled on the county's attendance work, which had received acknowledgement from the Department for Education (DfE) for its progress, and the development of a relational practice outreach model to support schools in embedding inclusive practices.

Finance Update and Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG)

The meeting was scheduled to receive a comprehensive Finance Update, jointly reported by the Director of Finance and Public Value and the Interim Director of Children and Young People's Futures (DEF/26/10). This report was expected to detail the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) outturn position for 2025/26, which indicated an overspend of £59.7 million. The report was to highlight in-year pressures, including those within SEN Mainstream, tutoring, and independent special schools. It was also to provide an update on the Safety Valve Programme's closing position and the forthcoming High Needs Stability Grant, which would see the government release 90% of the deficit identified at 31 March 2026, subject to the approval of the Local SEND Reform Plan. The report was to outline Devon's required contribution to this grant and mention the government's intention to cover SEND spending within the DEL budget from 2028/29.

High Needs Funding Framework Review

A key item on the agenda was the update on the High Needs Funding Framework Review. This report was to detail Devon's new framework for determining top-up funding for children and young people with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) in mainstream schools. The new framework is a structured, needs-led assessment model designed to improve consistency and transparency in funding decisions. It was developed through co-design with schools, parent carers, and council colleagues. The report was to outline the phased implementation of the new funding allocations, which would apply to new requests for EHC needs assessments from May 2026 and phase transfer decisions for September 2027.

Schools Finance Group (SFG) Minutes

The Forum was scheduled to consider the minutes from the Schools Finance Group (SFG) meeting held on 3 June 2026. A significant point of discussion within these minutes was the 0.5% Schools Block funding transfer to the High Needs Block, which had been agreed to support the Safety Valve programme. Following the government's announcement that the Safety Valve Programme would end, SFG had requested that this funding be reallocated to support inclusion and SEND. The minutes indicated that this transfer would not be returned to schools but would be invested to tackle system pressures and deliver wider benefits. The SFG minutes also provided an update on the High Needs Banding Review values, noting that banded funding allocations would begin to be implemented shortly, with a SENCO Funding Referral Group convened to consider requests from schools for reviews of allocated funding levels.

Standing (and other) Groups

The meeting was also to receive updates from various standing and other groups. This included the minutes from the School Organisation, Capital and Admissions Group (SOCA) meeting held on 19 May 2026. The SOCA minutes were expected to cover the successful 2026 admissions round, draft arrangements for the 2028-29 admissions round, and an update on the capital programme, noting the impact of falling capital maintenance grants and the renewal of the joint venture with SW Norse.

Other Scheduled Discussions

Other items on the agenda included:

• Matters Arising from the Last Meeting and Report back on Issues Raised with Cabinet/f40: This item was to consider any matters arising from the previous meeting that were not otherwise covered on the current agenda and to report on items considered by the Cabinet.
• Membership: An update on the membership of the Devon Education Forum was scheduled.
• Items Requiring Urgent Attention: Any matters deemed urgent by the Chair were to be considered.
• Correspondence: Any relevant correspondence was to be presented.
• Dates of Future Meetings: The schedule for upcoming meetings was to be confirmed.