The Newham Schools Forum met on Monday 12 October 2026 to discuss significant strategic issues affecting the borough's schools. Key topics included falling pupil numbers, high needs funding pressures, and the revision of the SEND Reform Plan. Gary Wilkie was confirmed as Chair, and a working group was agreed to review the Forum's governance arrangements.

Falling Pupil Numbers and Place Planning

A major concern raised during the meeting was the continuing decline in pupil numbers across Newham, with officers forecasting a potential loss of between 1,000 and 1,500 pupils, primarily in the primary sector. This trend is attributed to sustained outward migration. To address the resulting surplus places, the authority has already removed 16.5 Reception forms of entry, with a further two to be removed within the year, bringing the total to 18.5. An additional 10 forms of entry may need to be removed, and secondary schools are expected to reduce capacity by seven forms of entry. While school closures are considered a last resort due to their disruptive and expensive nature, members discussed the need for stronger links between housing and education planning to better understand the impact of housing pressures on school rolls. The closure of Calverton school and the amalgamation of Odessa Infant with St James Junior were noted as recent measures taken to manage capacity. Officers will add information on schools operating below their published admission number to place-planning data to clarify the impact of existing temporary caps.

High Needs Funding Pressures

The Forum received an update on the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) position, highlighting a projected £5.6 million in-year overspend within the High Needs Block. This overspend is driven by an increasing demand for Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs), greater complexity of need, and rising support costs. Despite these pressures, the authority has made significant progress in reducing its historic DSG deficit from approximately £18 million to around £2.5 million. Officers advised that the anticipated High Needs Stability Grant could potentially cover around 90% of this remaining deficit, contingent on the approval of the borough's SEND reform plan. Discussions also touched upon increased requests from schools for band uplifts, with the authority implementing a mitigation strategy involving exceptional funding applications to ensure tighter oversight and consideration of existing support services. The growth in EHCPs appears broadly spread, with notable increases in early years and social, emotional, and mental health needs.

2027-28 School Funding and Inclusion Fund

Looking ahead to the 2027-28 funding settlement, members discussed the uncertainty surrounding future school budgets, particularly the incorporation of grants into core funding and its implications for financial planning. The national funding formula structure is expected to remain largely the same, with rates updated for inflation and certain grants being rolled into core allocations. The Department for Education (DfE) is anticipated to announce indicative per-pupil rates in November and the final schools block settlement in late December. Officers committed to providing budget-setting support and guidance sessions for maintained schools once further national funding information becomes available. The Forum deferred decisions on the Inclusion Fund until final funding allocations and pupil data are known.

Scheme for Financing Schools: School Balances Control Mechanism

Revised proposals for managing excessive school balances were presented following consultation with schools. The updated approach includes a six-year financial assessment period, a formal appeals process, and significantly reduced balance adjustment thresholds. The previous proposal would have reclaimed all balances above 75%, whereas the revised approach reduces the trigger to 20%, with adjustments structured in 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20% bands. The matter will be considered further by the Schools Funding Formula Subcommittee, with an invitation extended to all maintained Schools Forum representatives due to the absence of a secondary maintained representative on the subcommittee. The aim is to have the revised scheme in place at the start of the new financial year.

SEND Reform Plan

Newham's SEND Reform Plan has been deferred by the Department for Education and must be revised and resubmitted by 30 November 2026. Approval of this revised plan is critical as it is directly linked to the authority's eligibility for significant DSG deficit relief. Officers reported that they were due to meet the DfE for more detailed feedback and would use the following six weeks to strengthen the plan with partner involvement. The local Experts at Hand pilot, which is expected to begin around January, was clarified as a separate initiative from the reform plan.

Forum Governance and Vacancies

Gary Wilkie was confirmed as Chair of the Schools Forum. A working group, comprising Quintin Peppiatt, Nicola Ready, and Robert Cleary, was agreed to review the Forum's constitution, terms of reference, and subcommittee membership arrangements. This group will coordinate officer availability and arrange an in-person session to make recommendations to the next meeting. Efforts will be made to fill existing vacancies on the Forum, including those for maintained primary and secondary head teachers, by contacting the chairs of the relevant head teacher associations. Candidates will be briefed on the Forum's role and decision-making powers.