The Lincolnshire Schools' Forum met on Monday 19 January 2026 to discuss the school funding arrangements for the 2026/27 academic year, including the National Funding Formula and the de-delegation of maintained primary school budgets. Key decisions included the approval of a 0.5% transfer from the Schools Block to the High Needs Block and the continuation of the primary schools rents factor.

School Funding Arrangements 2026/27

The forum received a comprehensive update on the school funding arrangements for the 2026/27 academic year, presented by Elizabeth Bowes, Strategic Finance Manager. A significant decision made was the approval of a 0.5% transfer of funding from the Schools Block to the High Needs Block. This transfer, amounting to approximately £3.2 million, is intended to support the financial stability of the High Needs Block, which is facing a structural deficit projected to reach £26 million by the end of the 2025/26 financial year. While 48% of consulted schools supported this transfer, concerns were raised regarding national uncertainty and the treatment of the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) deficit.

The forum also agreed to continue adopting the National Funding Formula (NFF) for 2026/27, subject to affordability. This decision was supported by 71% of responding schools who favoured downward adjustments to Age Weighted Pupil Unit (AWPU) values to manage any affordability gap. A Minimum Funding Guarantee (MFG) of 0% was also supported by 95% of respondents, ensuring no school would see a reduction in per-pupil funding. The continuation of the primary schools rents factor, which addresses financial disadvantages for a small number of schools due to site factors, was also approved, with 86% of respondents in favour.

The report highlighted that overall core school funding has increased by £1.7 billion nationally for 2026/27, with £50.9 billion allocated to mainstream schools. However, for Lincolnshire, the increase in the Schools Block funding is a modest 1.50% when accounting for the incorporation of grants. A notable trend is the decline in primary-aged pupils, with a net reduction of 1,154 pupils across the primary sector, leading to a £7 million decrease in primary funding levels for 2026/27. Conversely, secondary school numbers have remained stable.

The Central Schools Services Block (CSSB) funding will remain largely unchanged, based on ongoing responsibilities and historical commitments. The High Needs Block, however, faces significant pressure due to increased demand for specialist support, with a cash-flat settlement for 2026/27. The report noted that the statutory override on DSG deficits, preventing councils from offsetting these against general funds, remains in place until the end of the 2027/28 financial year.

The forum also approved the proposed budgets for various centrally retained budgets, including £2.141m for significant pre-16 growth and falling rolls, £0.772m for admissions, and £1.530m for LA retained duties for all schools.

De-delegation of Maintained Primary School Budgets 2026/27 and 2027/28

The forum considered proposals for the de-delegation of certain budgets for maintained primary schools for the 2026/27 and 2027/28 academic years. The maintained primary school representatives were asked to agree to the proposals for the use of de-delegation reserves and the de-delegation of budgets for 2026/27, with support in principle for 2027/28.

The proposed per pupil rates for 2026/27 include £29.23 for Contingency (financial difficulties) and school improvement services, and £9.13 for the Ethnic Minority and Traveller Education Team (EMTET). The Contingency budget will support a hybrid model of services, including Education Locality Leads, school improvement capacity, primary maintained intervention funding, and financial support for schools facing staffing changes. A portion of the de-delegation reserve, £0.150m, is specifically earmarked to support schools with staffing changes to secure a sustainable budget.

The EMTET budget of £0.210m will continue to fund staffing costs to support schools with ethnic minority and Traveller children, and those with English as an Additional Language (EAL). The report highlighted that approximately 10% of pupils in Lincolnshire schools have EAL, with a significant number in maintained schools, presenting challenges for smaller schools in resourcing expertise.

The forum also agreed to continue retaining funding for the three-year cycle of school audits across maintained primary schools, with an indicative rate of £6.18 per pupil. This audit function is considered a statutory and regulatory duty for local authorities.

Schools Sector Led Update

Geraldine Willders, Head of Service for School Strategy, provided an update on the sector-led approach for school improvement in Lincolnshire. The report highlighted that overall outcomes for children in Lincolnshire have improved, with vulnerable children outperforming their national peers. However, challenges remain in Early Years, where the Good Level of Development (GLD) of 66% is below the national average of 68%. Similarly, at Key Stage 2, the combined Reading, Writing, and Maths (RWM) measure of 60% lags behind the national average of 62%, although writing outcomes have improved.

The Lincolnshire Education Group (LEG), comprising Lincolnshire County Council, the Diocese of Lincoln, the Partnership of Schools Group (PSG), and the LEAD Teaching School Hub, continues to drive strategic improvement. The report detailed the success of leadership development programmes, including a mentoring scheme for new headteachers, which received overwhelmingly positive feedback. The 'Intervention' Locality Lead initiative has also provided targeted support to 25 schools, leading to de-escalation for 13 schools through the education improvement strategy RAG rating process.

The Gainsborough Aspiration Project (GAP) has been extended and continues to focus on improving educational outcomes through coordinated attendance management, a consistent pathway to adulthood, an ambitious curriculum, and partnership working with other agencies. Persistent absence rates in Gainsborough have improved significantly. A similar project, the Skegness Aspiration Project, has been initiated to address similar priorities in that area. The L.E.A.D. Teaching School Hub continues to provide a single point of access for Department for Education (DfE) programmes and has been recognised by the DfE for its overall effectiveness.

Academies and Trust Update

Mark Popplewell, Strategic Finance Lead – Children's Services, presented an update on the number of academies and pupils in academies in Lincolnshire. As of 1 January 2026, there are 201 academies in Lincolnshire, educating 74.8% of pupils. This represents a total of 362 state schools in the county. Since the previous report, two primary schools, Coleby Church of England Primary Academy and Scampton Pollyplatt Primary Academy, have converted to academy status, both joining the Infinity Academies Trust.

The report detailed the academy trusts with the most Lincolnshire academies, with Lincoln Anglican Academy Trust leading with 19 academies, followed by Community Inclusive Trust with 15, and Infinity Academies Trust with 14. The majority of Lincolnshire academies (83.6%) are part of multi-academy trusts. There are currently no schools with dates set for future academy conversions within the next six months.

Lincolnshire Schools' Forum Work Programme

The Schools' Forum agreed to the proposed Work Programme for future meetings. Items scheduled for discussion include the Schools White Paper: SEND Reforms, Academies and Trust Updates, and the Section 251 Budget Statement. The forum will also hold elections for its Chair and Vice-Chair and review its constitution and membership.