Schools Forum

The Schools Forum is a consultative and decision making group.

The Forum advises us, as set out in the Schools Forum (England) Regulations 2012. 

The Forum will be consulted on:

• amendments to the schools funding formula 
• arrangements for the education of pupils with special educational needs
• arrangements for the education of children otherwise than at school
• arrangements for early years provision
• administrative arrangements for the allocation of central government grants paid to schools via the local authority
• contracts proposed for supplies and services to be funded from the Schools Budget
• special places to be commissioned by the authority in different institutions, and the arrangements for paying top-up funding
• alternative provision places to be commissioned by the authority or by schools and the arrangements for paying top-up funding

The Forum must also be consulted on any proposals to:

• vary the minimum funding guarantee (MFG)
• use exceptional factors
• vary pupil numbers
• allow additional categories of, or spending on, central budgets
• amend the sparsity factor
• vary the lump sum for amalgamating schools
• vary the protection for special schools and special academies