The Education and Children's Services Committee is scheduled to meet on Thursday 29 January 2026 to discuss a range of important matters concerning the borough's schools and children's services. Key topics on the agenda include the proposed admission arrangements for community schools for the 2027/28 academic year, the Directorate Budget Report for 2026/27, and the Schools Budget for the same year. The committee will also review the Q3 Quarterly Budget Monitoring Report and receive an update on the Richmond Corporate Plan 2025/26.

Admission Arrangements for Community Schools 2027/28

The committee is scheduled to determine the proposed admission arrangements for community schools for the 2027/28 academic year. This report outlines the details of these arrangements, which are crucial for parents applying for school places. The proposed changes include reductions to the Published Admission Number (PAN) at several primary and infant schools, such as Hampton Wick Infant School, Darell Primary School, Heathfield Infant School, Lowther Primary School, and Heathfield Junior School. These reductions are a response to falling pupil numbers across the borough, attributed to a decline in the national birth rate and families moving away from the area due to housing affordability issues. The report states that these reductions will enable schools to manage their educational and financial planning more efficiently and ensure their long-term financial stability. A public consultation on these proposed changes took place between 18 November 2025 and 9 January 2026, with one response received, which is summarised in the report.

Directorate Budget Report 2026/27

This report provides details of the proposed budget for 2026/27 for the remit of the Education and Children's Services Committee. The proposed budget for 2026/27 is £61.970 million, an increase from the 2025/26 base budget. Significant variations include changes due to inflation, amounting to £2.498 million, which covers agreed pay awards and inflationary pressures on non-placement contracts. The report also details changes in government grants, including a consolidated Children, Families and Youth Grant of £1.919 million for 2026/27. Growth pressures across Children's Services have been addressed with an allocation of £1.853 million, primarily for placement growth and preventative placements. Planned savings totalling £897,000 are also outlined, stemming from reviews of preventative care models, social care staffing, and the digitisation of administrative functions.

Schools Budget 2026/27

The committee will consider the proposed Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) budget for 2026/27. The overall DSG allocation for Richmond is £247.306 million, an increase of £12.212 million or 5.2% compared to 2025/26. This increase includes the roll-in of several grants previously received separately. The report highlights that the Richmond DSG fund has experienced an in-year overspend for the past ten years, with an anticipated cumulative deficit of up to £5.6 million expected at the end of the 2025/26 financial year. The primary pressure remains the underfunding of high needs education services. The report proposes a Minimum Funding Guarantee (MFG) of 0.0% per pupil for the Schools Block, ensuring that per pupil funding will be in line with the previous year.

Education Schools Condition Allocation Capital Maintenance Programme 2026/27

This report sets out the Education Capital Maintenance Programme priorities for 2026/27. It is anticipated that the Department for Education (DfE) allocation will be broadly in line with the previous year's £1.450 million. The programme has been planned on this basis, with adjustments to be made once the final allocations are known. The proposed programme includes works to upgrade boilers and install emergency lighting, identified as urgent and necessary to prevent disruption or significant impact on schools' normal operations. The report also details the successful completion of 10 major projects in the 2025/26 programme and outlines additional schemes currently underway due to urgent health and safety conditions and increased DfE funding.

Q3 Quarterly Budget Monitoring Report

This report provides an overview of the revenue and capital budget management for the third quarter of 2025/26. The committee is projecting a revenue overspend of £1.439 million against a net budget of £53.714 million. The main variances are within Social Care and Early Help, particularly for children who are looked after by the local authority. The report details an overspend of £1.981 million for Children Looked After, driven by increased placement weeks and high-cost residential placements. The Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) is forecast to overspend by £5.332 million, leading to a projected cumulative deficit of £5.557 million by the end of the year. The capital budget for 2025/26 is £21.588 million, with projects being rephased in line with planned spend.

Richmond Corporate Plan 2025/26 Mid-Year Performance Report

This report provides a mid-year progress update on Richmond Corporate Plan (RCP) actions and performance against key performance indicators (KPIs) for 2025/26. Of the 25 indicators with targets, 20 are rated green (80%) and 5 are rated red (20%). Areas of improving performance include the percentage of children looked after (CLA) missing from care receiving a return home interview, and the percentage of care leavers aged 19-21 years in employment, education, or training. Areas of underperformance include the percentage of CLA with an annual health assessment and the percentage gap between disadvantaged and non-disadvantaged pupils at Key Stage 4. The report also details progress on specific RCP actions, such as the development of family hubs and the SEND Futures Plan.

Committee Work Programme

The committee will consider its Work Programme, which outlines future matters for consideration. Items scheduled for future meetings include a report on the post-16 education offer, national SEND reforms, Achieving for Children ownership decisions, the annual report of the Virtual School, and validated school test and exam results.