The Sandwell Council Schools Forum is scheduled to meet on 22 September 2025 to discuss a range of financial matters affecting schools in the area. These include Dedicated Schools Grant ¹ (DSG) monitoring, de-delegated funding requests, revisions to the Fair Funding Scheme ², and financial support for schools in difficulty. The forum will also consider a revised outturn report for the High Needs and Early Years blocks.

Period 4 DSG Monitoring Report 2025/26

The Schools Forum is scheduled to review the Period 4 DSG Monitoring Report 2025/26. The report provides an update on the forecast expenditure for the separate DSG blocks of funding as of 31 July 2025.

The report recommends that the Schools Forum members approve a decision to consult with schools on the transfer of funds from the Schools Block to the High Needs Block.

According to the report, the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) is a ring-fenced grant from central government for schools and is made up of 4 blocks:

• Schools Block
• High Needs Block
• Early Years Block
• Central Schools Services Block

The report includes a summary of all four blocks of funding, noting a forecast overspend of £3.933m on the High Needs Block (HNB). It notes that one solution to mitigate some of this overall pressure is to move funds from the Schools Block to the High Needs Block in the 2026/27 financial year, and that a transfer of up to 0.5% is allowed within the operational guidelines. The report states that at the moment the maximum value of 0.5% for 2025/26 is £0.844m.

The report also provides a breakdown of the High Needs Block, with details of spending on:

1. Out of Borough Placements
2. Pupil Top Up & Place funding
3. Albright Education Centre
4. SEN Support Services
5. Support for Inclusion
6. SEN Developments
7. Other SEN Funding
8. Exclusions & Re-intergration

The report notes that Out of Borough Placements is reporting an overspend of £0.721m, and that Pupil Top Ups & Place funding is reporting an overspend of £2.769m.

Appendix 2 of the report details centrally held High Needs Block staffing, including roles such as:

• Spec Prevnt Prim Exclsns Off: Behavr&Emotnl Supp Tm
• Preventing Primary Exclusions Reintegration Off
• Manager of Virtual School for LAC ³
• SEN Advisory Teacher

De-Delegated Funding Requests 2026/27 and Impact Reports 2024/25

The Schools Forum is scheduled to consider the De-Delegated Funding Requests 2026/27 and Impact Reports 2024/25. The report informs School Forum members of the requests for funding as part of the 2026/27 Schools Funding consultation timetable and outlines the impact reports from 2024/25.

The report asks School Forum members to approve the 2026/27 funding requests for inclusion into the 2026/27 Consultation Document, to note and consider the contents of the 2024/25 Impact Reports for the De-Delegated elements of the Schools Block, and to approve the movement of Safeguarding & Attendance funding from the Schools Block to the Central Schools Services Block in 2026/27.

The report summarises the De-Delegated and Education Functions Funding Requests for 2025/26 as follows:

• Health and Safety Licences and Subscriptions: £6,200
• EVOLVE Annual Licence Fee: £7,300
• Union Facilities Time: £159,000
• School Improvement Services: £150,000
• Schools in Financial Difficulty: £50,000
• Education Benefits Team: £75,000
• Children's Clothing Support Allowance: £23,000
• Safeguarding & Attendance: Moved to CSSB

The report includes impact reports for each of these areas. For example, the impact report for Health and Safety Licences and Subscriptions notes that CLEAPSS advice and documentation is recognised by the Health and Safety Executive and assists schools following their guidance and procedures to discharge their legal responsibilities. The impact report for EVOLVE Annual Licence Fee notes that the system is integral in supporting the safe and effective management of school visits.

The report also includes a funding proposal for each of these areas. For example, the funding proposal for Union Facilities Time notes that the legal position is that Union representatives have a statutory right to reasonable paid time off from employment to carry out trade union duties and to undertake trade union training. The funding proposal for the Education Benefits Team notes that the service has been enhanced to support schools to maximise income for schools from Pupil Premium.

Fair Funding Scheme Revision

The Schools Forum is scheduled to discuss a revision to the Fair Funding Scheme, specifically Appendix G, which concerns termly budget monitoring. The report seeks approval from School Forum members to revise the Fair Funding Scheme to change the Termly Budget Monitoring deadline dates.

The report notes that Appendix G of the FFS requires schools to submit their Termly Budget Monitoring Report to the LA 3 times per year in July, November and February, and proposes that these dates are changed to align with the corporate and cabinet member financial timetable.

The report states that there is increasing interest and focus on the data collected from schools from various parties such as Schools Forum, the Corporate Leadership Team, Internal Audit, the Quality Standards and Performance Executive (QuSPE), the Department for Education (DfE) and recently the Chief Executive and the Councillor for Childrens Services, and that timely collection of school monitoring information in future is crucial.

Schools in Financial Difficulty Fund

The Schools Forum is scheduled to receive an update on the Schools in Financial Difficulty Fund application. A meeting was held by a Schools Forum Sub-Committee on 11 July 2025 to consider an application made from Rood End Primary School for financial assistance from the Schools in Financial Difficulty Fund.

After consideration of the difficulties experienced by the school and the plans put in place to mitigate a future deficit it was unanimously agreed by the Sub Committee to defer the decision until the outcome of the decision on who would pick up the costs for the school redundancy payments. Following further review, a decision was taken by the LA in late August 25 to inform the school that the LA would not be funding their request for redundancy costs on this occasion. The subcommittee will now need to meet again to revisit the request for financial assistance.

Revised 2024/25 High Needs and Early Years Block Outturn Report

The Schools Forum is scheduled to consider the Revised 2024/25 High Needs and Early Years Block Outturn Report. The report informs School Forum members on the revised actual expenditure incurred for the High Needs Block and Early Years Blocks of funding for the financial year 2024/25. The reason for the change is that the contribution of £0.950m from the Early Years Block to the High Needs Block had not been reflected in the original report.