This meeting of the Lewisham Schools Forum was scheduled to consider the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) funding settlement for the financial year 2025/26 and the associated Authority Proforma Tool (APT). The meeting was also scheduled to discuss the review of the Special Educational Needs Inclusion Fund (SENIF) and the membership of the Schools Forum itself.

Dedicated Schools Grant 2025/26

The Schools Forum was scheduled to receive four reports detailing the funding settlement for 2025/26. The report pack included for discussion the following observations on the settlement:

• We welcome the increase in funding, however, as anticipated the settlement is not as generous as it seems on face value.
• It should be noted that the figures shown above are GROSS, i.e. they include notional funding for academies.¹
• The Early Years (EY) Block remains provisional until validation updates for both January 2025 and January 2026.
• Schools Forum should note that at the time of writing we are anticipating a specific grant for 2025/26 to offset the pressure arising from the changes announced in the Autumn Statement relating to the National Insurance changes.
• Furthermore it must be noted that the pay review bodies position as it stands is that pay award should be 2.8%, with the expectation that the increase to this level would be affordable within the 2025/26 funding settlement (i.e. implied expectation of efficiencies of circa 1.8%).
• The Education Service is currently working with Corporate Services, to support the loss of funding, whilst maintaining the services.
• It should be further noted that the elements of the grant applied to staffing will create a further pressure as a consequence of the pay award.
• The increase is better than originally anticipated which is welcomed, however, is unlikely to cover the full cost of SEN. It should be noted that as a consequence for example of the pressures arising from National Insurance increases we are finding more and more suppliers looking to increase their costs to us.
• Unlike with the Schools Block & EY, we are expecting a ringfenced specific grant to be announced to support the cost of teachers pay (central schools budget grant) and pensions grant for 2024/25 adjusted for the full year effect.

The report pack included for discussion a breakdown of the funding settlement for each area of the Dedicated Schools Grant:

• Schools Block: £257.08m
• Central School Services Block: £2.96m
• High Needs Block: £83.96m
• Early Years Block: £51.96m

The report pack included for discussion the proposed submission of the Authority Proforma Tool to the Department for Education. The report pack stated that Lewisham's submission would confirm the following:

• All schools receive funding based on the NFF in full.
• Minimum Funding Guarantee (MFG) is set at minus 0.15%.
• High Needs Block (HNB) transfer is set at 0.5%.
• Private Finance Initiative (PFI) factor is set in line with agreement of PFI schools (meeting 14th January 2025).

The Schools Forum was scheduled to discuss three options for the distribution of funding before submitting the APT to the DfE. The report pack includes for discussion the observation that:

• Schools Forum should note that within the given time, it has not been possible to do a like for like comparison to the previous years due to the number of variables, including streamlining of grants, large shifts in pupil numbers (seven schools have increases in excess of ten pupils, 17 schools have reduction in numbers exceeding ten pupils between October 2023 and October 2024).

The Schools Forum was scheduled to consider a report on the Dedicated Schools Grant 2025/26 Funding Settlement - High Needs Block (HNB). The report pack included for discussion the observation that:

• The settlement for the High Needs Block for 2025/26 compared with 2024/25 is a circa £5m increase in funding (at the gross level).

The report pack explained that Special schools will continue to receive a 3.4% uplift as they did in 2024/25 from within the HNB funding. The report pack also explained that, unlike the Schools Block and Early Years Block, funding to support the teachers’ pay award will remain a separate ringfenced grant – outside of the DSG.

The Schools Forum was scheduled to consider a report on the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) 2025/26 - Early Years Block. The report pack included the observation that:

• "The EY block constitutes four separate but related parts:
  • 3 and 4-year offer at 15 hours (and the extended 15-hour entitlement);
  • 2-year old offer (families receiving additional support);
  • 2-year old working parent entitlement;
  • Under 2’s entitlement.
• There are associated additionalities, such as Pupil Premium, Disability Access Funding (DAF).
• 2025/26 Hourly rates reflect the revised hourly rates receivable per the National Funding Formula for Early Years.
• At national level the funding supporting teachers’ pay and pensions has been streamlined into the hourly rates and will not be allocated as specific grants.
• Expectation that the funding rates will support next year’s pay award.
• Funding remains provisional subject to pupil number changes – the hourly rates are not expected to change from those which are provided in this report.
• To further note that the passthrough rate has now been reduced to 4% (from 5%) - this means that funding to support LA functions will reduce by 1%."

The report pack included for discussion two proposals for decision:

• Any increase in funding is allocated on the currently agreed formula as an uplift.
• Following changes to the passthrough rate, reducing the holdback from 5% to 4%, the resultant 1% is allocated directly into the hourly rate, instead of across all factors.

Lewisham Learning - Options for De-delegation and Funding 2025/26

The Schools Forum was scheduled to consider the future of Lewisham Learning in light of the Dedicated Schools Grant for 2025/26 and its impact on schools' funding. The report pack explained the need for Lewisham Learning, saying:

• "The educational landscape continues to change and evolve. Lewisham Learning is necessary to support schools meet the challenges going forward. Currently there are many proposals in place and their impact remains unknown. These include the following:
  • New Ofsted Framework – implementation in September 2025
  • Proposed “Report Card” – implementation in September 2025
  • The function of RISE Teams²:
    • Groups of civil servants and advisers known as Regional Improvement for Standards and Excellence (RISE) teams will start supporting schools in 2025
  • Addressing the rise in SEND and how the system will respond to these challenges
  • Outcome of the curriculum and assessment review"

The report pack explained that the Dedicated Schools Grant for 2025/26 would make it more difficult to fund Lewisham Learning, saying:

• "DfE guidance enables Local Authorities to provide services centrally which are funded by a process known as de-delegation. The de-delegation process must be agreed every year by School’s Forum.
• Initially schools forum had agreed a two-year period of supported funding (2025/26 would be the second year). The delegated funding has reduced due to an increased number of schools that have academised leaving a funding gap of £35,000.00"

The report pack proposed for discussion that the Schools Forum adopt the following course of action:

• "Maintain the 2024-25 level of de-delegation from April 2025 for 1 year by charging for the following:
  • Contribution from special schools – approximately £5013.00
  • Contribution from Nursery schools – approximately £3347.00
  • Charging academies for statutory moderation, Data reports, access to TRIIE resources – approximately £26,640
• It should be noted that the above is revising an anomaly, special schools and nursery schools benefit from Lewisham Learning services, their support has been contained within the overall funding to date."

Membership of Schools Forum

The Schools Forum was scheduled to consider a report on the membership of the Schools Forum. The report pack explains that:

• Membership of Schools forum is currently based on a membership of 23, of which 15 positions relate to schools.

The report pack included for discussion the observation that:

• using the number of pupils taught in each of the sectors, the current membership does not require revision.

The report pack listed the terms of two members of the Schools Forum that were scheduled to expire at the end of January 2025. The report also highlighted that there were 9 vacancies on the forum, with the expectation that there would be 11 in total by the next meeting. The report pack included for discussion the intention to fill the vacancies in time for the next meeting of the forum, expected to take place in late summer 2025.