Decision details

To approve the Council’s 2019/20 revenue funding formula for Surrey schools.

RESOLVED:

1.    That appeals be lodged with the Secretary of State to overturn the decisions of the Schools Forum and:

a)    permit the transfer of 0.5% of the Schools Block (£3.1m) to support High Needs Special Education Needs & Disability (SEND)

b)    enable the council to introduce a control mechanism on maintained schools’ excessive balances to support High Needs SEND. 

2.    That to ensure the sustainability of the additional SEN funding factor provided to mainstream schools with high numbers of SEND pupils, the threshold for funding be increased and thereby targeted to fewer schools. This recommendation was in the context of increased funding for Low Prior Attainment provided by the National Funding Formula. 

3.    That the transition to the National Funding Formula (NFF) progresses at a steady rate from 72.5% to approximately 85% of NFF values in 2019/20. This facilitates a move to 100% by 2020/21 when the full NFF funding is available.

4.    That the council implement the Minimum Per Pupil Level (MPPL) in full. However, should the appeal to the Secretary of State to transfer £3.1m to High Needs be approved, the full MPPL should be reduced by approximately £31 per pupil to ensure all schools contribute. (The Schools Forum supported the full MPPL but refused the £3.1m transfer.)

5.    That the following formula recommendations from the Schools Forum be approved:

Schools Formula Funding

a)    The minimum funding guarantee (MFG) for schools should be set at zero

b)    All minor formula changes involving facilitating the transition towards the National Funding Formula are implemented. (E.g. notional SEN funding)

c)    £0.3m from the surplus on the de-delegated primary schools’ contingency should be distributed to primary schools reflecting the origin of the funds.

Early Years Funding

d)    The SEN Inclusion Fund to provide additional funding to providers for 3-4 year olds with SEND should be set at £1.4m

e)    Funding for individual Early Years providers should be at rates which are commensurate with the levels of Direct Schools Grant (DSG) funding, currently estimated at:

·         £4.65/ hour for three and four year olds (£4.60 in 2018/19);

·         £5.88 / hour for two year olds (unchanged); and

·         £2.77 / hour additional deprivation funding (based on eligibility for the early years pupil premium on economic grounds (unchanged)

f)     That 2.5% of formula funding is allocated as a deprivation supplement for children meeting the Department for Education criteria for the early years pupil premium.

g)    Funding for free meals provision in maintained and academy nurseries should remain unchanged.

6.    That authority is delegated to the Director of Education, Lifelong Learning & Culture in consultation with the Leader and the Cabinet Member for All-Age Learning to approve amendments to the schools and early years formulae as appropriate following receipt of the DSG settlement and DfE pupil data in December 2018. This was to ensure that total allocations to schools under this formula remain affordable within the Council’s DSG settlement.

7.    That the Leader write to the Secretary of State and lobby the Local Government Association with regards to applying the same conditions on academy schools in respect of balances.

Reason for Decisions:

To comply with Department for Education regulations requiring formal council approval of the local funding formula for Surrey’s primary and secondary schools.  

[The decisions on this item can be called in by the Children and Education Select Committee]