Issue - meetings

Mrs J Flintoff presented the report.

All councils had a statutory duty to maintain standards in schools under the 1996 Education Act.  In North Lincolnshire strong and effective partnerships had driven a robust approach to school improvement and mutual accountability.

Over the last nine years, the proportion of children educated in a good or outstanding school had greatly improved; children’s outcomes had similarly improved.  The council worked with all schools, regardless of designation as a maintained school, a free school or an academy.  This core school improvement offer was funded through a combination of DSG Historic Commitments, the Education Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) Local Authority Monitoring and Brokering (LAMB) Grant and core council budget.

Most schools participated in bespoke challenge and support for raising standards which was provided through the external School Improvement Partner (SIP) and Peer Leader (PL) programmes.  These were funded from DSG Historic Commitments.  Due to national changes the budget had been reduced year on year by 20%, because of changes in the national guidance, the council was able maintain the DSG element for Historic Commitments at the current rate.  This would enable to PL programme to continue and provide Learning Networks funding for the Primary Consortium and Secondary Headteachers and Principals for 2022/23, as well as covering the costs of central training and improvement programmes.

Following consultation in November 2021, the Department for Education announced the decision on 11 January 2022 that the ESFA school funding improvement funding would be reduced by 50% for the financial year 2022/23 and removed in 2023/24.  The government contribution to EFSA School Improvement funding in North Lincolnshire was approximately £200,000, the remainder of the costs of this team was met by council Core Funding (approximately £210,000).  The government response to the consultation suggested that councils should seek to de-delegate funding from schools through Schools Forum for core school improvement activity.

Ms T Elliott clarified that it was hoped there would be a contribution from council resources but this would be subject to full council approval from April 2023.  It was also hoped that some academies would buy in but this would be a decision for each academy individually.

A discussion ensued on the options put forward in the report and how this would work with academy colleagues. 

Mrs Flintoff advised that she would be meeting with the primary consortium the following week and with secondary colleagues later in March.  She thought it would be useful to call a briefing for headteachers and principals, as well as provide a paper pack for all.

Mr Lawrance suggested that there may be value in distributing information to Forum members prior to it being sent out to the wider group.

Resolved – That the proposal to meet the shortfall in school improvement funding through de-delegation be agreed by maintained school representatives.