Agenda and minutes

Gateshead Schools Forum - Thursday, 30th September, 2021 2.00 pm

Venue: to be held virtually via Microsoft Teams

Contact: Rosalyn Patterson - email:  rosalynpatterson@gateshead.gov.uk 

Items
No. Item

1.

Apologies

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from Cllr Sheila Gallagher, Julie Goodfellow, Christina Jones and Steve Horne.

2.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 187 KB

The Forum is asked to approve as a correct record the minutes of the last meeting held on 16 September 2021.

Minutes:

The minutes of the meeting held on 16 September 2021 were agreed as a correct record.

 

Matters Arising

Kingsmeadow School has submitted its response to the School Funding Consultation.

3.

Fair Access and Educational Psychologists pdf icon PDF 138 KB

Julie McDowell - EducationGateshead

Minutes:

Forum received a report on the potential gap in funding and Educational Psychology provision which is linked to the Fair Access process. 

 

It was reported that Fair Access Protocols have been streamlined in response to the introduction of a revised Schools Admission Code 2021. This means that children who would previously have been allocated a place through the Fair Access Panel may now be allocated a place via the in-year admissions process. This may impact negatively those schools with surplus places who may not be able to re-direct an in-year admission request to the Fair Access Panel. The financial support through this process would therefore not be available and thus place the school and the child at a disadvantage.

 

Forum was asked to consider the proposal that Fair Access and Pupil Placement Panel consider representations from schools with regards to children that they have received via in-year admission process to access the transfer of funding.

 

The Forum agreed that the money and support should follow the child where needed.

 

Concern was also raised that some school who have spaces will take more children than they would have through the Fair Access process and therefore this will result in additional pressure on schools and a knock on effect on behaviour which needs to be considered. It was hoped that issues such as this would be taken up with Cluster Leads.

 

RESOLVED    -           That the Forum agreed the proposals contained in the report.

4.

School Funding Announcements pdf icon PDF 140 KB

Carole Smith – Resources and Digital

Minutes:

The Forum was provided with a summary of the funding announcements released by the DfE in July.

 

It was noted that those members who volunteered for the sub group will receive meeting invites over the next couple of weeks.

 

RESOLVED    -           That the Schools Forum noted the information in the report.

5.

DSG Quarter 1 Report pdf icon PDF 409 KB

Terence Appleby – Resources and Digital

Minutes:

A report was presented on the quarter 1 projected outturn position for DSG for 2021/22.

 

Currently there is an underspend of £868,000, mainly due to HNB top-ups.  The Early Years adjustment is not yet known, but is expected in November, and will reduce the underspend.

 

RESOLVED    -           That the Schools Forum noted the content of the report.

6.

Early Years Inclusion Fund Consultation Outcome pdf icon PDF 393 KB

Carole Smith – Resources and Digital

Minutes:

The Forum received the outcome of the Early Years Inclusion Fund consultation.

 

It was reported that 11 responses were received and only two of them contained comments. It was therefore proposed that the Forum approved the changes be implemented for this financial year and that payments be made to PVI’s in the Autumn term and maintained schools will be notified of their allocation.  However, thereafter inclusion fund payments will be paid in the summer term.

 

It was confirmed that this would be an automatic allocation and would be regardless of number, however officers are looking at the gap in funding.

 

RESOLVED    -           That the Schools Forum approved the change in the Inclusion

Fund calculation method and that payments for 2021/22 would be made in the autumn term and from 2022/23 onwards would be in the summer term.

7.

Growth Fund (XP) Calculation pdf icon PDF 385 KB

Carole Smith – Resources and Digital

Minutes:

Forum received a report on the DfE agreement of XP Gateshead funding for the financial year 2021/22 and what was discussed at July’s meeting of the forum.

 

RESOLVED    -           That the Schools Forum approved the funding of XP

Gateshead from Gateshead’s growth fund for the financial year 2021/22.

8.

Working Time Regulation Outcome

Carole Smith – Resources and Digital

Minutes:

The Forum received a report on compensation payments for backdated holiday pay.

 

RESOLVED    -           That the Schools Forum noted the report.

9.

School Rates Funding from 2022/23 pdf icon PDF 156 KB

Carole Smith – Resources and Digital

Minutes:

The Forum received a report on the DfE’s intention to centrally pay all mainstream school National Non-Domestic Rates (NNDR).

 

Previously NNDR’s were paid through the APT but now rates bills will go direct to the EFSA and billing authorities will supply schools with payment information to allow then to account for NNDR.

 

In addition all local authority maintained schools are asked to register buildings which are not used to deliver education for pupils at the school as a separate entity on the Valuation Office Agency rating list.

 

RESOLVED    -           That the Schools Forum noted the contents of the report and

that changes to the NNDR process will take place from April 2022.

10.

Date and Time of Next Meeting

Thursday 11 November 2021 at 2.00pm

Minutes:

The next meeting will be held on Thursday 11 November 2021 at 2pm.