The Kingston upon Thames Schools Forum meeting scheduled for 17 July 2024 was set to cover a wide range of financial and strategic issues affecting local schools. Key discussions were expected to include the financial outturn for the previous academic year, updates on the current financial year's budget, and planning for the upcoming academic year's budget. Significant time was also allocated to discussing school place planning, the management of falling school rolls, and the provision of specialist resources and alternative education.

School Place Planning

The forum was scheduled to receive an update on school place planning, covering primary, secondary, and specialist provision. This included an overview of current and historical demand for places, existing capacity, and future projections. The report highlighted a decrease in in-borough applications for Reception places for September 2024 compared to the previous year, and a long-term trend of decreasing overall primary school applications since 2015. Despite a general trend of falling rolls across London, Kingston has experienced a less significant impact due to factors such as inward migration and the popularity of its schools. The report detailed strategies for managing falling rolls, including temporary reductions in Published Admission Numbers (PANs) and potential permanent actions. For secondary schools, the report indicated a continued increase in in-borough applicants, with a 12.2% rise between 2015 and 2024. The forum was to be updated on the management of capacity, including the use of bulge classes and the impact of out-of-borough pupils. The report also addressed the growth in specialist provision, with a significant increase in pupils attending special schools over the past decade and the opening of Spring School. Future demand forecasts, influenced by birth rate data and housing development, were also to be discussed, alongside plans for new provision, including the proposed Kingsmeadow Church of England Secondary School and the development of specialist facilities.

Falling Rolls Fund

A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to the Falling Rolls Fund. The forum was to review the results of a consultation on a pilot Falling Rolls Fund for the 2024/25 academic year. The consultation sought views on whether to re-prioritise the underspend from the 2023/24 Growth Fund, amounting to £171,794, to establish this fund. Proposed eligibility criteria included the mandatory requirement that school capacity data shows places will be needed in the subsequent three to five years. Local criteria were also proposed, focusing on a minimum 5% drop in total pupils on roll, spare capacity of at least 5% of PAN, and schools operating under a deficit recovery plan or reporting less than a 10% surplus balance. The report detailed the consultation responses, indicating a majority of primary schools favoured the creation of the fund, while secondary schools were more divided. The financial implications of implementing Option 2, which would reallocate the Growth Fund underspend to the Falling Rolls Fund, were to be discussed.

Financial Updates and Budget Planning

The forum was to receive updates on the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) for both the 2023/24 and 2024/25 financial years. The 2023/24 outturn report detailed the DSG allocation and its application to the Schools Budget, highlighting an in-year overspend of £5.686m. This overspend was attributed to pressures in the High Needs Block, including an increase in Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) and inflationary pressures. The report also noted the success in claiming Safety Valve Grant Funding and the contribution from the Council's general fund. The projected DSG position for 2024/25 indicated a projected overspend of £7.439m, again largely driven by the High Needs Block. The forum was also presented with the proposed budget setting timetable for 2025/26, outlining key consultation and decision-making milestones throughout the academic year.

Specialist Resource Provisions and Alternative Provision

Discussions were scheduled regarding funding models for Specialist Resource Provisions (SRPs). The report proposed an increase in SRP funding for the 2024/25 academic year by 3.39%, aligning with the increase in the High Needs Block funding formula. This would result in an additional spend of £132,376 within the High Needs Block. An options paper was to be recommended for potential changes to the SRP funding methodology for 2025/26 and beyond.

Furthermore, the forum was to consider proposals for Alternative Provision (AP) places at Malden Oaks. The report highlighted the need to reduce the number of AP places from 45 to 40 from September 2024 to remain within the allocated budget. It was recommended that the per-place funding be increased from £14,850 to £16,500. The context provided noted that Malden Oaks provides education for secondary-aged students who cannot attend mainstream school, often due to risk of exclusion or complex needs. The report detailed the significant increase in costs associated with AP places compared to mainstream provision, due to smaller class sizes and split sites, and the soaring demand for these places.

SEND Futures Plan and Safety Valve Agreement

An update was to be provided on Kingston's performance against the Safety Valve Agreement, a plan with the Department for Education (DfE) to receive additional SEND funding subject to the delivery of an agreed action plan. The report indicated that Kingston had made sufficient progress to receive all payments for the most recent financial year. The forum would also receive an update on the implementation of Kingston's SEND Futures Plan, a strategic plan to improve outcomes for children and young people with SEND across education, health, and social care, and to enhance financial sustainability. The updated plan, launched in April 2024, focuses on three workstreams: Early Intervention, Our Local Offer, and Assessment and Planning. The report detailed progress in areas such as participation and engagement with children, young people, parents, and carers, preparing for independence through supported internships and employability programmes, and high-quality commissioning leading to savings.

Scheme for Financing Schools

The forum was asked to approve an update to the current Scheme for Financing Schools for 2024/25. The proposed update included revisions to Section 5.8, concerning borrowing by schools, to align with revised guidance on borrowing and the introduction of International Financial Reporting Standard 16 (IFRS16). This change affects how leases are classified for accounting purposes. The report also detailed the general procedures for financial controls in schools, the submission of budget plans and financial forecasts, virement, audit requirements, and the Schools Financial Value Standard (SFVS). Specific sections addressed income from lettings, fees, and charges, the charging of budget shares, taxation, the provision of services by the authority, insurance requirements, and responsibilities for repairs and maintenance. The document also outlined the process for managing surplus and deficit balances, including the possibility of licensed deficits and loan schemes.

Other Updates

The agenda also included a section for Other Updates, which would likely cover any additional matters not detailed in the main reports. The date of the next meeting was also to be confirmed.