Agenda item

Recommendations - The Executive is asked to note the contents of this report, and agree that:

a.      The Council applies a Minimum Funding Guarantee (MFG) of +0.5% in the calculation of mainstream school budgets for the 2024/25 financial year.

b.      The Council uses age weighted pupil units (AWPU) as the methodology for the allocation to school budgets of any surplus funding available within the Schools Block DSG after the calculation of the school funding formula using National Funding Formula (NFF) values for the 2024/25 financial year

c.      The Council uses a higher funding gains cap and higher scaling back percentage for managing the recovery of any funding shortfall on the Schools Block DSG after the calculation of the school funding formula using NFF values for the 2024/25 financial year. In the event of any funding shortfall being too significant to manage through the use of the capping and scaling mechanism, the Corporate Director – Resources and the Corporate Director – Children & Young People’s Service, in consultation with the Chair of the Schools Forum, will determine a school funding methodology that delivers affordability within the 2024/25 Schools Block DSG and associated reserves.

d.      The Council implements the changes, as detailed in section 2.2 of this report,

       to the notional Special Educational Needs (SEN) budget local funding formula calculation for the 2024/25 financial year to reflect the funding requirements with North Yorkshire and comply with the funding formula validation requirements.

e.      The Council includes an exceptional circumstance lump sum of £50,000 for very small sparse secondary schools (which would otherwise be unable to attract sufficient funding to remain viable) in the 2024/25 North Yorkshire school funding formula. The estimated £50k additional funding requirement to be funded from the DSG Schools Block Reserve.

f.       The Council transfers 0.5% of funding from the Schools Block Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) to the High Needs Block.

g.      The Council applies MFG funding protection of 0.5% for special schools for the 2024/25 financial year.

h.      The Council applies an increase of +1.9% to the Banded Funding allocations (top up/ ‘element 3’ allocations) received by mainstream and special schools and academies for the 2024/25 financial year.

i.       The Council applies an increase of +1.9% to the Banded Funding allocations (top up / element 3 allocations) received by pupil referral units and alternative provision settings for the 2024/25 financial year.

j.       The Council applies an increase of +1.9% to the factor elements within the Special school contextual funding for the 2024/25 financial year.

k.      The application of a +1.9% increase to the 2023/24 rate for residential special school placements for the 2024/25 financial year.

l.       The Council will continue to push for a fairer and more equitable funding settlement for schools in North Yorkshire. We will also continue to lobby for a fairer settlement of High Needs resources

Considered – A report of the Corporate Director for Children & Young People’s Service presenting proposals for mainstream school and special school funding for 2024/25, as required by guidance issued by the Department for Education (DfE).

Councillor Annabel Wilkinson introduced the detailed report and drew attention to the county-wide consultation undertaken, and the recommendations at paragraph 11 of the report.  She also thanked officers for their work on the complex report.

Councillor Janet Sanderson acknowledged the complexity of the report contents and as Members had no questions and all voted in favour of the recommendations, it was 

Resolved – That

a.      A Minimum Funding Guarantee (MFG) of +0.5% be applied in the calculation of mainstream school budgets for the 2024/25 financial year.

b.      Age weighted pupil units (AWPU) be used as the methodology for the allocation to school budgets of any surplus funding available within the Schools Block DSG, after the calculation of the school funding formula using National Funding Formula (NFF) values for the 2024/25 financial year

c.      A higher funding gains cap and higher scaling back percentage be used for managing the recovery of any funding shortfall on the Schools Block DSG after the calculation of the school funding formula using NFF values for the 2024/25 financial year. In the event of any funding shortfall being too significant to manage through the use of the capping and scaling mechanism, the determination of a school funding methodology that delivers affordability within the 2024/25 Schools Block DSG and associated reserves to be delegate to the Corporate Director – Resources and the Corporate Director – Children & Young People’s Service, in consultation with the Chair of the Schools Forum.

d.      The changes to the notional Special Educational Needs (SEN) budget local funding formula calculation for the 2024/25 financial year as detailed in section 2.2 of the report be implemented, to reflect the funding requirements with North Yorkshire and comply with the funding formula validation requirements

e.      An exceptional circumstance lump sum of £50,000 be included in the 2024/25 North Yorkshire school funding formula for very small sparse secondary schools (which would otherwise be unable to attract sufficient funding to remain viable). The estimated £50k additional funding requirement to be funded from the DSG Schools Block Reserve.

f.       0.5% of funding be transferred from the Schools Block Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) to the High Needs Block.

g.      MFG funding protection of 0.5% for special schools be applied for the 2024/25 financial year.

h.      An increase of +1.9% be applied to the Banded Funding allocations (top up/ ‘element 3’ allocations) received by mainstream and special schools and academies for the 2024/25 financial year.

i.       An increase of +1.9% be applied to the Banded Funding allocations (top up / element 3 allocations) received by pupil referral units and alternative provision settings for the 2024/25 financial year.

j.       An increase of +1.9% be applied to the factor elements within the Special school contextual funding for the 2024/25 financial year.

k.      A +1.9% increase be applied to the 2023/24 rate for residential special school placements for the 2024/25 financial year.

l.       The Council continue to push for a fairer and more equitable funding settlement for schools in North Yorkshire, and lobby for a fairer settlement of High Needs resources.