Limited support for Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole
We do not currently provide detailed weekly summaries for Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council. Running the service is expensive, and we need to cover our costs.
You can still subscribe!
If you're a professional subscriber and need support for this council, get in touch with us at community@opencouncil.network and we can enable it for you.
If you're a resident, subscribe below and we'll start sending you updates when they're available. We're enabling councils rapidly across the UK in order of demand, so the more people who subscribe to your council, the sooner we'll be able to support it.
If you represent this council and would like to have it supported, please contact us at community@opencouncil.network.
Summary
The Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council Schools Forum met on Monday, 29 September 2025, to discuss several key issues, including the Dedicated Schools Grant budget, school forum membership, and pre-EHCP funding. The forum was also scheduled to elect a chair and vice-chair. The meeting was held both at the Royal Hampshire Committee Room and via Microsoft Teams.
Here's a breakdown of the main topics that were listed on the agenda:
Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) Budget Monitoring and High Needs Update
The Schools Forum was scheduled to discuss the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) - Budget Monitoring and High Needs Update at Quarter One 2025-26. The DSG is a ring-fenced grant from central government to local authorities to fund their state schools. The high needs block of the DSG is used to fund provision for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). This was listed as an agenda item, and the forum was expected to receive an update on the budget monitoring and high needs.
School Forum Membership and Terms of Reference
The Schools Forum was scheduled to discuss its membership, reconstitution, and terms of reference. The Schools Forum plays a crucial role in advising the local authority on financial matters relating to schools. Membership includes representatives from various types of schools, academies, and early years providers. The terms of reference outline the forum's purpose, responsibilities, and operating procedures.
Pre-EHCP Funding Discussion
The Schools Forum was scheduled to receive an update and have a discussion regarding pre-EHCP funding. An Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) is a legal document that describes a child or young person’s special educational needs, the support they need, and the outcomes they would like to achieve1. Pre-EHCP funding refers to the resources allocated to support children with special educational needs before an EHCP is in place.
Other Business
The agenda for the meeting also included:
- Election of a chair and vice-chair for the forum.
- Confirmation of the minutes of the previous meeting held on 23 June 2025.
- A verbal update to the Forum on Funding.
- Consideration of the Forward Plan.
- Agreement of future meeting dates. The forum was asked to note the previously agreed dates of 24 November 2025, 19 January 2026 and 22 June 2026, and to agree future meeting dates of 21 September 2026, 16 November 2026, 11 January 2027 and 21 June 2027.
-
An Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP) is for children and young people aged up to 25 who need more support than is available through special educational needs support. They are usually provided by the local authority. ↩
Attendees
Topics
No topics have been identified for this meeting yet.