The Schools Forum meeting scheduled for 4 March 2026 was set to cover a range of financial and operational matters concerning schools in Enfield. Key discussions were expected to include updates on the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) for the 2025/26 and 2026/27 academic years, the review of the Scheme for Financing Schools, and annual reports from various educational support services.

Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) Update for 2025/26

The Schools Forum was to be provided with an update on the 2025/26 Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) allocations. This included confirmation that there had been no change to the previously published allocations in January 2026. However, a forecast overspend of £5.582 million was anticipated for the DSG High Needs Block at the end of Quarter 3. The cumulative DSG deficit forecast was projected to reach £23 million. The increase in the high needs overspend was primarily attributed to rising costs associated with SEND post-16 provision and support.

Review of the Scheme for Financing Schools for 2026/27

The meeting was scheduled to include a consultation on proposed updates to the Scheme for Financing Schools for the 2026/27 financial year. The review aimed to ensure alignment with the latest statutory guidance from the Department for Education (DfE), reflect current best practices in school financial management, and maintain consistency with other relevant Council policies. Key updates focused on clarifications and amendments related to licensed deficit agreements, controls on surplus balances, and the basis of accounting. A final version of the proposed scheme was to be presented for approval on 23 March 2026.

Annual Reports from Educational Support Services

Several annual summary reports were scheduled for presentation, providing updates on the services delivered to schools:

• Enfield Advisory Service for Autism (EASA): This service, which operates as the Outreach Department of Russet House School, provides advice, training, and targeted support for autistic children and young people aged 0-25. The report was expected to detail the service's activities in FY 2024-25, highlighting its impact on educational settings, professionals, parents, and young people, and noting significant cost savings and positive outcomes.
• Nurture Groups: These groups offer a space for second-chance learning and attachment-aware practice to address developmental gaps and improve attainment for children with attachment needs linked to early trauma. The report for 2024-2025 was to outline the service provided, its support structure, monitoring processes, and training initiatives, emphasizing its strong impact and value for money.
• Secondary Behaviour Support Service (SBSS): This service provides a range of support to secondary schools for students with additional needs (not EHCPs). The report for 2024-2025 was expected to cover outreach services, alternative provision, transition support, managed moves, and behaviour panel activities, highlighting successes such as sustained low permanent exclusion rates and challenges including rising mental health needs.
• Primary Behaviour Support Service (SWERRL): SWERRL is Enfield's specialist multi-disciplinary team supporting primary schools with social, emotional, and mental health (SEMH) needs, particularly before statutory assessment. The report for September 2024 - August 2025 was to detail its collaborative, child-centred, trauma-informed interventions, its role in maintaining zero primary exclusions for ten years, and its strategic work with partnership services.
• Enfield Communication Advisory Support Service (ECASS): This multidisciplinary service aims to bridge the gap between education and health for children and young people with speech, language, and communication needs (SLCN). The report for 2024-2025 was to cover its early identification, targeted intervention, and whole-school capacity-building efforts, noting its expansion to deliver statutory speech and language provision in mainstream settings and its significant cost savings.
• Orchardside School: This report was to provide an overview of the Pupil Referral Unit's (PRU) services for students in Years 7-11, covering Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 provisions. It was expected to detail the school's partnerships, staffing, school roll, Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP) profile, social care needs, reintegration success rates, and Year 11 outcomes, alongside identified challenges and developments for the coming year.

Managing School Rolls and Maintaining Educational Standards in London

A report titled Managing school rolls and maintaining educational standards in London January 2026 was scheduled for discussion. This report, produced by London Councils, was expected to present forecasts for school places across London, highlighting a continued decline in demand between 2025/26 and 2029/30. It was anticipated to discuss the substantial impact of this falling demand on school budgets, the challenges of meeting rising needs for mental health support and SEND provision with diminishing resources, and recommendations for government action to ensure sustainable and sufficient funding for the education system.

Workplan

The meeting agenda also included a review of the Schools Forum's workplan, outlining the reports and topics scheduled for discussion at future meetings throughout 2026 and into 2027.

Future Meetings

Dates for future Schools Forum meetings were also to be noted, with the next meeting scheduled for Monday, 23 March 2026.