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Councillors and committees

Agenda and minutes

Venue: Microsoft Teams

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

Items
No. Item

1.

Apologies

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from Mustafaa Malik, Ethel Mills, Jacqui Ridley and Cllr Sheila Gallagher.

2.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 69 KB

The Forum is asked to approve as a correct record the minutes of the last meeting held on 22 September 2022.

Minutes:

The minutes of the meeting held on 22 September 2022 were agreed as a correct record.

3.

Emotionally Based School Avoidance Learning Mentors pdf icon PDF 59 KB

Julie McDowell, Education, Schools and Inclusion

Minutes:

Following the report at the last meeting of the Schools Forum, consultation was held with maintained primary schools and the Secondary Leaders Group around the EBSA buyback.  The majority of which supported the buyback for 2023/24 financial year.

 

Therefore, the Forum was asked to approve the buyback values.

 

 

RESOLVED    -           That the Schools Forum approved the de-delegation and

buyback proposals for the EBSA service for the financial year 2023/24 at £1.20 per pupil for primary schools and £2.40 per pupil for secondary schools.

4.

Primary Behaviour Support pdf icon PDF 91 KB

Julie McDowell, Education, Schools and Inclusion

Minutes:

A report was brought to the Schools Forum on de-delegation of the existing Primary Behaviour Support Service for the 2023/24 financial year.

 

The service works primarily with primary aged children with SEMH needs to provide early intervention. The service is made up of two Teachers and five specialist behaviour teaching assistants.

 

In the previous year there were 55 referrals allocated for support, in addition to a number of cases carried forward from the year before.

 

It was noted that in terms of success rate, over half the children remain within mainstream provision following intervention.  It was also confirmed that a number of the teaching assistants are now Thrive Practitioners and provider surgeries within schools to work with children before referrals become necessary.

 

RESOLVED    -           That the Schools Forum approved the de-delegation of funds

for the Primary Behaviour Support Team special needs assistants.

5.

Trade Union Facility Time and Maternity Credits pdf icon PDF 85 KB

Carole Smith, Resources and Digital

Minutes:

A report was presented requesting de-delegation for TUFT and maternity credits. It was not proposed to increase levels from last year and academies can buy back at the same price.

 

RESOLVED    -           That the Schools Forum consult their respective phases on the

possible areas of de-delegation and brings their views to enable the Forum to decide on de-delegation.

6.

Admissions Funding pdf icon PDF 74 KB

Carole Smith, Resources and Digital

Minutes:

A report was presented on the proposal to top slice £85,000 to support the staffing structures to provide admission services to all maintained schools and academies in Gateshead for Admissions and Admission Appeals Services.

 

RESOLVED    -           That the Schools Forum approved the small top slice of the

Schools Block to support the admissions process for all maintained schools and academies in Gateshead.

7.

Dedicated Schools Grant Quarter 2 pdf icon PDF 133 KB

Terence Appleby, Resources and Digital

Minutes:

The Forum received the quarter two projected outturn position of the DSG.

 

The DSG budget for 2022/23 is £105m and the projected year-end outturn at quarter 2 is £103.1m, therefore an underspend of £1.859m.

 

It was noted however that this does not factor in the pay awards for teaching and non-teaching staff, this will feed into the next update, therefore the underspend will be reduced.

 

The DSG reserve balance at the end of March 2022 was £2.2m, with the underspend and the Early Years adjustment it is projected that the balance will increase to £4m subject to the pay award.

 

It was reported that the main area of underspend related to the High Needs Block due to additional funding which had not been received before. It was noted that there is the potential that this will be pulled back in some form in the future, but for this year it can be used to top up reserves.

 

It was suggested that in the future the Forum looks at how reserves can be used for the benefit of the young people in Gateshead. It was acknowledged that although reserves look healthy currently it is expected that there will be a lot of calls on the reserves through for example financial difficulty funding and supporting schools to be more inclusive.

 

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

8.

Date and Time of Next Meeting

Thursday 15 December 2022 at 2pm

Minutes:

Thursday 15 December 2022 at 2pm.

 

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