The Schools Forum of Shropshire Council was scheduled to discuss the Early Years Inclusion Fund and the Schools Forum Work Programme for the upcoming year. The meeting's agenda also included a review of the minutes from the previous meeting and a discussion on future meeting dates.

Early Years Inclusion Fund

The meeting was scheduled to consider the Shropshire Council Inclusive Early Years Fund Strategy for 2026 to 2027. This fund is provided to local authorities by the Department for Education (DfE) to support inclusive practice in early years settings. The report pack outlined that the funding is calculated based on the number of children accessing the universal 15-hour entitlement for three and four-year-olds.

For Shropshire, the total allocation for the 2026-27 period was £195,354.95. The DfE guidance recommends that providers receive approximately £1,000 each to effect meaningful change. However, Shropshire Council identified challenges with this recommendation due to the county's rurality and the significant number of smaller providers. To address this, Shropshire has set its own minimum funding threshold at £750. Funds from providers whose allocation fell below this threshold were combined and redistributed to settings in areas of deprivation, as indicated by the Income Deprivation Affecting Children Index (IDACI). This approach aimed to ensure a larger number of settings received funding and to target SEND needs more effectively. The funding is intended to support providers in adopting setting-wide inclusive practices and intervening early to support children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). Providers receiving the fund are expected to use it for strategic planning, workforce development, and adaptations or resources to create an inclusive environment. They are also required to provide a summary of their intended use and a review form detailing how the funds have been used and their impact. The funding cannot be used as a substitute for other entitlements or for contingency or administrative costs. Providers not receiving a direct allocation will be supported through training and coaching.

Schools Forum Work Programme 2026-27

The Schools Forum was also scheduled to review its work programme for the 2026-27 academic year. This discussion was expected to cover various aspects of school funding and SEND provision.

A significant portion of the discussion was anticipated to focus on the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) and the ongoing pressures within the High Needs Block. The report pack indicated an in-year deficit of £28.09m for 2025-26, with a cumulative deficit of £45.655m. The primary drivers for this overspend were identified as top-up funding to mainstream and special schools, and particularly, placements in independent special schools. The report also highlighted additional pressures from post-16 placements and SEND staffing and support service costs.

The meeting was expected to address government intervention aimed at resolving the DSG crisis, including a proposed 90% deficit write-off via grant in Autumn 2026. The report pack noted that the government's write-off is conditional on the submission of a SEND reform/DSG management plan by 19 June.

The Experts at Hand programme, a new national initiative to build early intervention capacity for SEND, was also on the agenda. This programme aims to increase the workforce of Educational Psychologists, Speech & Language Therapists, and Occupational Therapists, and provide inclusion advisory support. It will operate on a locality-based model, focusing on early identification, targeted support, and whole-school inclusion improvement. Challenges such as workforce recruitment and funding uncertainty beyond three years were noted.

Furthermore, the Schools Forum was to consider a proposal regarding premises costs, specifically the transfer of certain premises-related costs from the DSG to schools. The report pack indicated an agreement in principle for this transfer, subject to a review of lease and rent arrangements to ensure schools are not exposed to disproportionate cost increases.

The work programme also included actions such as submitting the SEND reform/DSG management plan to the DfE, developing a SEND data dashboard, analysing suspension data, and reviewing premises lease/rent risks.

Future Meeting Dates

The Schools Forum was also scheduled to confirm future meeting dates. These were planned for Thursday 10 September 2026 and Thursday 12 November 2026, with further dates to be confirmed. The format and timings for these meetings were also to be clarified.