The Bury Schools' Forum was scheduled to consider the financial position of the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) and the school funding agreement for 2027-28. An update on SEND reform was also scheduled to be provided.

Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) Quarter 2 Financial Position

The Bury Schools' Forum was scheduled to review the draft financial position of the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) for the second quarter of the 2026-27 financial year. The report indicated a projected overspend of £13.09 million by March 31, 2027. This forecast was attributed to an in-year overspend within the High Needs Block (HNB), which is facing significant financial pressure due to rising demand and costs associated with an increasing number of children and young people with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs). The report also highlighted a DSG deficit of £33.375 million at March 2027, excluding the High Needs Stability Grant. A deduction of £0.88 million for the Early Years Block was also noted, relating to an underspend from the 2025/26 financial year. The report projected a growing DSG deficit for future years, with figures of £14.03 million for 2026-27, £18.81 million for 2027-28, and £25.10 million for 2028-29.

School Funding Agreement 2027-28

The meeting was scheduled to consider information regarding schools and academies funding for the 2027-28 financial year. This included details on adjustments to the National Funding Formula (NFF) related to teachers' pension employer contributions, which are set to decrease from 28.6% to 17.6% from April 2027. This reduction is expected to be cost-neutral for public sector employers, with a national reduction of approximately £3 billion in the 2027-2028 financial year. The report outlined how this funding reduction would be incorporated into the NFF for both local authority-maintained schools and academies, with specific per-pupil and lump sum reductions detailed for different key stages.

Additionally, the Schools' Forum was scheduled to discuss the proposal to transfer up to 0.50% of the Schools Block allocation to the High Needs Block for 2027-28. This measure was proposed to address the ongoing pressures within the HNB. The report indicated that the Local Authority intended to utilise unallocated Schools Block headroom first, and if the 0.50% transfer was not achieved, they proposed to utilise a 2.50% NFF factor reduction. The average impact of such a transfer on schools and academies was estimated at £14,738.

The meeting was also scheduled to consider the Minimum Funding Guarantee (MFG) for the 2027-2028 financial year. The MFG is a protection within the DSG that prevents a school's per-pupil funding from decreasing by more than a set percentage year-on-year. For 2027-28, it was anticipated that the MFG range would remain between -0.5% and 0.0% for mainstream schools, with the Local Authority recommending that the MFG level remain at -0.50% for 2027-28, in line with anticipated Department for Education (DfE) guidance.

SEND Reform Update

An update on SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) reform was scheduled to be provided at the meeting. While specific details were not included in the provided documents, the report pack for a previous meeting on 9 July 2026 indicated that a Local Area SEND Monitoring Inspection had taken place between 9 and 11 March 2026. Inspectors had reviewed progress against six priority areas identified following a previous SEND inspection in February 2024. The report from that previous meeting noted that inspectors found effective action had been taken across all six priority areas, with positive outcomes including earlier identification and support for children and young people with SEND, reduced waiting times in some services, and improved preparation for adulthood planning. However, it was also acknowledged that improvements were not yet being experienced consistently by all families. The previous report detailed progress and remaining challenges across areas such as SEND Strategy and Governance, Early Identification, Support While Waiting, Preparation for Adulthood, Transitions (0-25), and Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs).

Membership Update

The Bury Schools' Forum was scheduled to receive an update on its membership. The provided documents included information on the composition of the Forum for the 2026/2027 academic year, detailing representation from Maintained Schools, Academy Schools, Governors, Pupil Referral Units, Non-School Members, and Teachers' Professional Associations. The update was intended to address adjustments needed due to recent and forthcoming academy conversions to ensure continued representative membership.