The Wiltshire Council Schools Forum met to discuss school funding, budget monitoring, and the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) transformation programme. The forum reviewed school revenue balances, discussed budget monitoring for the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG), and received an update on the SEND Transformation Programme. A decision on funding for schools with exceptional numbers of pupils with Education Health and Care Plans (EHCP) was postponed pending the release of the government's white paper on SEND reforms.

SEND Transformation Programme

The Schools Forum received an update on the SEND Transformation Programme and High Needs Sustainability, alongside the second quarterly monitoring report for 2025/26.

The report highlighted that Wiltshire Council has a Safety Valve agreement¹ with the Department for Education (DfE), committing the council to bring high needs expenditure into in-year balance by the end of the agreement. The council submitted a revised plan to the DfE in December 2024, which included an updated forecast of the numbers of children and young people requiring EHCPs and associated costs. The plan identifies priority actions to manage demand and support children and young people earlier. The revised forecast indicated that the earliest time that the High Needs Block could be balanced is March 2031, two years later than originally planned.

The DfE responded to the council's request for an extension to the Safety Valve agreement, and while the government is not willing to extend the agreement, they are happy for the council to extend the plan.

The government has confirmed that the statutory override² will be extended until the end of March 2028. The report stated that the council will not meet the financial targets in the original Safety Valve agreement, however the focus of the update is on the direction of travel. The council has confirmed that appropriate support is being delivered for children and young people, and that the council is moving towards financial balance.

The report also noted that the EHCP growth rate is being addressed through targeted interventions, and the No to Assess rate has increased, indicating confidence in non-statutory support. However, despite falls in early years and primary school, secondary school requests have risen by 31%, prompting a review of support in that phase.

The Bitham Park SEMH and AP Free School projects, which would deliver 210 places, have been paused. If these children were placed in Independent Non-Maintained Special Schools (INMSS) settings instead, the cost impact has been estimated at around £7.5m.

The council had identified 475 cases for ceasing in 2025 and anticipated improved performance by year-end. However, positive outcomes have increased, with more plans ceased due to employment or higher education than NEET (Not in Education, Employment, or Training).

The new Transitions Task and Finish Group has fostered collaboration across education, health, and social care. Improved data sharing with the ICB³ has helped build a more coordinated post-16 support system. The EHCNA backlog had been reduced from 356 cases in May to just 9, thanks to investment in agency Educational Psychologists and assessment team capacity. This also reduced Temporary Support Funding spend.

AI integration pilots were underway to improve EHCP processing and understand drivers of need. The System of Excellence Steering Group continued to lead cultural transformation, ensuring inclusive practice was embedded across Wiltshire.

However, further analysis of the activity data in the SEND system has revealed some concerns. While the Education Health and Care Needs Assessment (EHCNA) requests had begun to reduce, they have now risen again. Work is underway to identify the cause of this change in behaviour.

The report also noted that the number of EHCPs at the end of July 2025 is 6,697. This additional pressure makes the unprecedented increase in EHCNA requests even more concerning as those will turn into further EHCP pressure.

There has been an increase in the rate at which the council says No to Assess and No to Issue which has brought them more in line with statistical neighbours. This change demonstrates the confidence that the council now has in the improved mainstream inclusion in Wiltshire.

This has resulted in a significant increase in mediations in Wiltshire, No to Assess mediations rising 97% and No to Issue decisions rising 89% from calendar year 2023 to calendar year 2024. Around 1 in every 10 EHCNA requests now results in some kind of mediation or tribunal which is above the national average. Work has begun to learn from authorities with a lower rate.

The Q1 forecast has also identified a further pressure of £4.468m against the budget for additional top-up support for pupils across Wiltshire schools. These payments are made where pupils need additional support to enable their needs to be met in schools.

The cost of placements in Independent and Non-Maintained Special Schools (INMSS) are forecast to exceed the budget by £2.000m. Work to support pupils to be able to step forward from independent sector provision into Wiltshire maintained or academy schools, where need can be met in local provision, is progressing at pace.

Since the submission of the DfE monitoring update, the council has had feedback from the DfE appointed advisors. This feedback has been very positive and there is a general sense that Wiltshire Council is performing as well as could be expected.

Dedicated Schools Budget - Budget Monitoring 2025/26

The Schools Forum received a report presenting budget monitoring information against the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) for the financial year 2025-26 as at quarter 1 2025-26.

An overspend of £8.909 million is currently forecast against the overall schools budget after the transfer of £36.513 million from the deficit reserve, agreed at budget setting and in line with the council's Safety Valve agreement.

The final overspend on the 2024/25 DSG grant was £38.154m.

The early years budgets are projected to underspend by £7.751m. With effect from 1 April 2024, the DfE introduced a graduated extension of the entitlements to 9 months to 2 year olds and universal 2 year old offer, the budget is now significantly higher based on the DfE's introductory assumptions on take up but also the census data collected in the introductory stages.

The schools budget is lower than the allocation following the transfer to schools block of £0.914m which Schools Forum agreed at budget setting.

The High Needs budgets are projected to overspend by £16.759m. For this financial year, the budgets have been increased by the planned drawdown from the DSG reserve. For high needs this is £36.513m. This facilitates improved budget monitoring, setting targets and measuring success in recovery planning.

The biggest pressures are in named pupil allowances, additional top up support, non Wiltshire schools, independent sector provision and alternative provision, direct payments and elective home education. The forecast takes into account the additional capacity delivered within Wiltshire special schools and resource bases. The number of Education Health and Care Plans is higher than forecast and this pressure is impacting on spend across all high needs provision.

The small forecast underspend in the central school services budgets related to unplanned vacancies across the teams and an underspend in admissions due to appeals panel income.

The deficit reserve brought forward of £61.190 million is increased by the negative early years block adjustment of £0.636 million. The planned drawdown of £36.513m, forecast overspend of £8.909m and forecast Safety Valve payments of £6.700m will take the reserve into a forecast deficit position of £100.548 million.

Schools Revenue Surplus and Deficit Balances 2024/25

The Schools Forum considered a report presenting the position of revenue balances for Wiltshire maintained schools as at 31 March 2025, identifying those in surplus and deficit.

The net surplus balances for the financial year 2024/25 are £9.0 million, with 83 schools holding surplus balances of £10.3 million and 16 schools in deficit to a value of £1.3 million.

The movement in net revenue balances over the last 3 financial years is shown in the following table:

The number of schools in deficit is 16, and the cumulative value of the deficits has decreased by £0.51 million from £1.86 million in 2023/24 to £1.35 million in 2024/25.

The number of schools in surplus has dropped to 83 in 2024/25. The value of surpluses has decreased by £2.8 million, from £13.1 million in 2023/24 to £10.3 million in 2024/25.

The appendices highlight that the authority may trigger an investigation from the DFE due to the number of schools holding excess revenue or deficit balances.

A task and finish group was set up in the last financial year in response to Schools Forum's concerns around maintained schools with high levels of balances. Members of Schools Forum will be able to see from the data that the majority of school balances have reduced, some dramatically and others have even moved to a deficit position. This reflects the challenging financial climate schools are operating in.

Funding for Schools with Exceptional Numbers of EHCPs

The Schools Forum received information following a question that was raised at the last Schools Forum meeting, Does Wiltshire have a mechanism for allocated exceptional/targeted funding for schools with exceptional numbers of EHCPs? .

The High Needs funding regulations do allow for a scheme, to be funded from within the High Needs Block of funding.

The SEN2 data was published in June 2025 and has been analysed for each Wiltshire school, to identify each schools relative position. The data used included:

• Number of pupils on roll
• EHCP pupils attending the school
• Less any Resource Base / ELP pupils attending the school

The Wiltshire average percentage of pupils in a mainstream school, excluding all pupils funded as being in a RB / ELP, special school, independent special schools etc is 3.16% of pupils.

Over the Summer months, modelling of various options was prepared, looking at different funding models, based upon the SEN2 data. The work required several questions to be considered, which were then presented to the Schools & SEN Funding Working Group.

Following discussions at the Group, it was agreed that the decision should be postponed, pending the release of the DFE's SEND Reform White Paper, due to be issued in the Autumn of 2025.

Wiltshire Schools Forum Review of Proportionality and Confirmation of Membership

The Schools Forum were informed that a review of the proportionality and the annual review of the membership of Schools Forum has been carried out with all those that make appointments being asked to confirm those persons for the ensuing academic year. The Terms of Reference have also been reviewed and no changes are proposed.

The table below sets out proportionality of schools in Wiltshire (based on the October 2023 census).

The current membership of the Forum is as detailed below:

Five maintained School representatives (3 primary, 1 secondary and 1 special school)

Seven Academy representatives (3 primary, 3 secondary and 1 special school)

Four elected governor representatives (2 primary, 1 secondary and 1 special school)

Two Early Years representatives are the only members allowed to vote on the funding formula.

Two other nominated service partner representatives (1 from the Diocese and 1 teacher representative) who both have one vote. These are the 20 voting members.

In addition to voting members, the following representatives will have observer status:

Updates from Working Groups

The Schools Forum noted the minutes from the Early Years Reference Group meeting held on 23 September 2025 and the minutes from the joint meeting of the School Funding and SEN Working Group held on 24 September 2025.

The Early Years Reference Group discussed the Early Years Entitlement expansion, and it was reported that the final phase of the hours expansion appeared to be going well to date. Autumn 2025 estimate submissions had been received from most providers (approximately 10-15 missing). 3.3 million hours (£24.05 million) estimated to be delivered compared to Summer 2025 – 3.2 million hours (£21.2 million), which represents a 13.3% increase in spend.

The School Funding and SEN Working Group discussed the Exceptional SEN Pupils Report, and it was agreed that any decision regarding introducing a funding mechanism should await the outcome of the DfE's SEND Reforms White paper, due to be issued in the Autumn of 2025. The group also discussed the Schools Revenue Balances 24/25 and the SEND Transformation Update.

Families First Partnership Programme

Simon Thomas (FACT Lead) presented an update on the Families First Partnership Programme at the meeting. No further details of this presentation were provided.