Birmingham Schools Forum
Thursday 11th February 2016
2:00 - 4:00 pm
Committee Room C Council House Extension Margaret Street
Present:
Fran Stevens Birmingham Governors’ Network and Chair
Liz Garnham Birmingham Governors’ Network
David Isiorho Birmingham Governors’ Network
John Ritson Birmingham Governors’ Network
Maxine Charles Primary Forum
Rachel Chahal Primary Forum
Debbie James Secondary Forum
Valerie Daniel Nursery School Representative
Jane Edgerton Special Schools Representative
Steve Howell PRU Representative City of Birmingham School
Adam Hardy BDES
Mike White Academies Representative
Sarah Presswood PVI Representative
Sara Reece PVI Representative
Gilda Richards Support Staff Representative GMB
David Room NUT/Teacher Associations
Tim Boyes Technical Advisor BEP
Colin Diamond BCC
Cllr Brigid Jones BCC.
Anil Nayyar BCC
Martyn Scott BCC
Chris Atkinson BCC
Emma Leaman BCC
Lindsay Trivett BCC
Alison Holmes BCC
In attendance: Janice Moorhouse (clerk)
1.
Welcome and apologies for absence
1.1
The Chair welcomed new members Adam Hardy (BDES), John Ritson (BGN), David Isiorho
(BGN) and introductions were made.
1.2
Apologies for absence were received from Colin Graham Birmingham Governors’ Network,
Cllr Susan Barnett Chair, Overview and Scrutiny Committee, Mary Browning Birmingham
Governors’ Network, Yvonne Willis Primary Forum, Fiona Wallace PRU Representative City of
Birmingham School and Steve Nyakatawa BCC
2.
Minutes of the meeting held on Thursday 14th January 2016
2.1
Item 5.9: ‘Mike White asked if the reduction of the deprivation factor and the use of £3.2m to
cover the additional costs of FSMs was the best action to take’ to be amended to read:
Schools Forum Feb ‘16
Page 1 of 6
Action
Mike White asked if the reduction of the deprivation factor and the use of £3.2m to cover the
additional costs of Free Schools was the best action to take.
Item 5.10: Mike White asked Anil Nayyar to clarify the sentence ‘Anil Nayyar stated the
overall deprivation index seen to be at the same level. The formula had to be cost neutral.’
To be replaced with:
Anil Nayyar stated that in order to mitigate the impact on the formula and specifically on
funding allocated via deprivation, the authority’s view on the best course of action,( given the
lateness of information received about IDACI and time constraints), was to reallocate the
majority of funding to the Free school meals factor
Item 5.11: ‘Valerie Daniel asked what kind of case would need to be made by a nursery
school’ to be amended to read
‘Valerie Daniel asked what kind of case PVIs needed to make against nursery schools; the
case needing to be made by PVIs to get more than 5% on base rate.
With the amendments as listed above, the minutes were agreed as a true and accurate record
of the meeting.
3.
Matters Arising from the minutes
3.1
Item 6.4: Chris Atkinson to report to Schools Forum February 11th on the outcome of
meetings with Special Schools Banded Framework Group 11th January 2016, Special Head
Teachers Forum 18th January 2016 and the LA meeting with all Special Head Teachers on 10th
February 2016.
3.2
Chris Atkinson reported information collected on the level of funding targeted to KS4 and KS5
pupils and the effect this funding has on all special school budgets, whether there were
additional costs associated with early year’s provision in special schools that were being
considered in the formula, reviewing the funding arrangements for pupils in cognition and
learning schools with complex health provision and reviewing the criteria and process for
special schools to access funding for pupils with exceptional special needs.
The recommendation made was for no change to be made due to next year’s changes to
banded funded formula.
4.
Update: Colin Diamond
4.1
Colin Diamond thanked Finance Officers for sending out budget notifications before the
deadline.
On behalf of members, the Chair endorsed the thanks made by Colin Diamond.
4.2
Colin Diamond reported the LA had been invited with the BEP to work with an Asian funding
agency on piloting new approaches.
ACTION: members to be regularly updated
4.3
Jane Edgerton queried the response of the LA to the changes to the National Funding Formula
for Special Schools.
Colin Diamond started looking at impact, would be re-distributing money, working out what
was nationally acceptable.
The Chair thanked Colin Diamond for his input.
Schools Forum Feb ‘16
Page 2 of 6
LA
5
Primary and Secondary School Budget Notifications 2016/17
5.1
Anil Nayyar reported budget notifications had been issued to maintained schools with a
number of pages of supporting detail and information. Academy budgets to be issued by the
EFA later in March. A generic briefing including additional information on pupil premium
rates, licences, insurance rates etc to be circulated to members.
6.
Early Years Funding 2016/17
6.1
Emma Leaman reported the vision was to give every child from 0-5 in Birmingham an equal
chance to have the best start in life in order to achieve their full potential and a focus on
supporting every child to achieve a good level of development by the time they start school.
Currently working with 80,000 children and 100,000 parents across Birmingham.
6.2
Early Years Offer:
 Health and Wellbeing Offer: Quality health services from conception to age 5
Quality parenting support services
Emma Leman reported holding a wide consultation, looking at reducing inequality and a
target for implementation of September 2017.
 Early Education and Childcare Offer: Quality Early Education for 2,3 and 4 year olds
Quality Childcare
Emma Leman reported this would impact on changes to the overall pot of EY funding,
low on take up for vulnerable 2 year olds and a decline in the birth rate for the next two years
(currently funded from the DSG)
The Chair commented on the low uptake of 2 year olds when a significant sum had been given
to build capacity.
Emma Leaman stated there had been a significant jump from39 to 57%. There was a variation
in entitlement depending on the child’s birthday.
ACTION: to include detail growth and the impact of trajectory funding to be included in the
report.
6.3
Emma Leaman reported a £5m pressure had been created by the offer currently being
consulted on and subject to Cabinet approval of FT places from September 2016.
There were 14 BCC day care settings with sustainability/charging issues.
6.4
Emma Leaman presented an overview of Schools Forum Decisions:
 Range of interconnected measures to reach a sustainable solution for Early Years
Block within DSG, against backdrop of wider review of entire Early Years landscape
 Opportunity to increase visibility of outcomes-based approach and accountability of
all DSG funded, centrally-managed EY activity through quarterly reporting to EY Forum
through to Schools Forum from July 2016
Emma Leaman stated the overview gave a range of interconnected measures to reach a
sustainable solution to EY block within DSG. An opportunity to increase visibility of outcomes
based approach and accountability of DSG funded centrally managed EY activity through
quarterly reporting to EY Forum through to SF from July ’16.
6.5
Emma Leaman presented the recommendation to Schools Forum:
 £367k funding from DSG maintained to support the Quality Improvement(QI)
function, subject to the wide review of QI function due to take place 16/17
Schools Forum Feb ‘16
Page 3 of 6
LA
EL
 Indicative proposals for the future of this function to be brought to Schools Forum
October 2016 in order to secure in principle support for direction of travel
 Firm proposals to be ready for review by EY Forum and Schools Forum Jan 2017
6.6
Valerie Daniel commented on the inclusion in the proposal of £91,000 for school
improvement and queried where the £91,000 went/the form in which it came to EY and
where the money from the previous year had gone.
Anil Nayyar reported to money had gone to fund the school improvement function. A paper
listing spending had been presented SF in 2015.
Emma Leaman reported school improvement advisors were working in EY settings. A gap
identified in relation to BEP and the 27 nursery schools needed to be clarified.
Jane Edgerton asked who would support if a nursery needed an advisor.
Emma Leaman stated the LA would ensure support was there.
6.7
Sarah Presswood reported the majority of EY Forum members had supported the
recommendations although a number of questions had been asked related parenting and the
RY support team. Members were unclear about what was being asked to fund going forward
and the reports were on historical happenings.
6.8
Foundation Years Parenting Support: £671k Funding for 19.3 FTE FYPS posts (-£180k from
15/16)
Emma Leaman reported the LA view was that the function served by this team was a
significant part of the early years early help landscape and should be retained as part of the
future landscape of the 0-5 EY offer.
The majority consensus across LA and EY Forum: a key opportunity to review the delivery of
this function in the redesigned model for Children’s Centre Services aligned to narrowing the
gap in EYFS outcomes. There were some significant differences in views within Early Years
partners on the continuation of this function.
6.9
Recommendation to Schools Forum:
 Support for continuation of function 16/17
 Report to SF in July 2015 on key priority to redress underperformance of the South
compared to the North.
Emma Leman stated there were very disparate outcomes between the North and the South.
 Indicative proposals for the future of this function to be brought to Schools Forum
October 2016 in order to secure in principle support for direction of travel
 Confirmed proposals for future delivery model of foundation years parenting
support to SF Jan 17
6.10
Dependency: Full Time Places Consultation Update
Emma Leaman reported the LA view was that it could not and should not continue to fund full
time EYFS education places from DSG to the extent that was currently being supported.
Priority needed to be given to providing the best quality 15-hour entitlement to the maximum
numbers of children. A key priority to increase take-up for vulnerable 2-yr olds and all 3-yr
olds, including admission of newly-eligible children term on term.
A public consultation to be launched on Feb 12th on the proposal to limit offer of additional
15-hours funded education provision to children where the additional offer supports effective
safeguarding priorities, aligned to Right Service, Right Time.
6.11
Emma Leaman reported there were conflicting views from within the sector on whether the
funding of additional 15-hour places should be from the DSG. There was a risk around
Schools Forum Feb ‘16
Page 4 of 6
timescale of implementation from 16/17. The LA view was there was no viable alternative
and the 30 day consultation would be launched week beginning 22nd February.
6.12
The Chair thanked Emma Leaman for her presentation.
Liz Garnham stated the presentation and not the papers received had changed her view.
Debbie James commented on not accepting evidence that was not clear or made an impact
Emma Leaman stated impact based reporting and coming to a mixture of impact and
proposals to be worked on across the sector.
6.13
Valerie Daniel asked why so few HT’s, staff and primary schools with nursery classes knew
about the EY review and stated primary school HTs were not aware of the hit to nursery
classes
Emma Leaman stated there were 189 providers. There was good communication with nursery
schools. Letters related to the consultation had been posted to HTs. The preferred route of
communication was through consortia.
Colin Diamond reported LA hosted meetings to be held; the EY review to be on the agenda for
those meetings along with Emma Leaman’s presentation.
6.14
The Chair asked if the 2 services ( (EY consultant support to PVI sector and Foundation Years
Parenting support)were totally dependent on DSG or statutory services
Emma Leaman stated a statutory requirement around EY consultancy; not currently funded
from DSG.
6.15
Debbie James asked if FT provision would change after the consultation
Martyn Scott stated it may change. The model was based on current funding.
The Chair stated a cap needed to be put on redundancy
Anil Nayyar report the cap was already in place.
6.16
Members voted on the following proposal by a show of hands:
Foundation Early Years Parenting Support Team: (21% cut from 2015/16)
 Approval for Foundation Early Years Support Team
In favour: 7
Against: 3
Abstentions: 1
 EY consultant support to PVI sector (16.3% cut from 2015/16)
In favour: 7
Against: 3
Abstentions: 1
 Contributions to EY SENCo budget in High Needs (funded from saving on
parenting support team)
In favour: 12
Against: 0
Abstentions: 0
 School Improvement Contribution
In favour: 4
Against: 0
Abstentions: 8
 Technical adjustments (PFI costs at nursery school)
In favour: 5
Against: 3
Abstentions: 3
Schools Forum Feb ‘16
Page 5 of 6
 Contribution to Schools Fora
In favour: 12
Against: 0
Abstentions: 0
 Redundancy
In favour: 10
Against: 1
Abstentions:
 Estimated PVI Full time Provision
In favour: 3
Against: 1
Abstentions: 6
7.
Any Other Business
7.1
Mike White reported pending equal pay claims were preventing maintained schools and
academies from contracting services away for LA contractors and requested the an
investigation by the LA.
Colin Diamond reported LA currently reviewing contracts.
ACTION: Mike White to email details/examples to Cllr Jones.
7.2
Liz Garnham asked how the posts of ‘Oversight Officers’ would be funded.
Colin Diamond stated the posts were part of the single improvement plan and funded
thorough BCC core funding.
8.
Date of next meeting
8.1
Thursday 10th March 2016 2pm (pre-meeting 1pm)
Schools Forum Feb ‘16
Page 6 of 6
Mike
White