Decision details

1.         Schools Block and Central Services Schools Block Budget 2021/22 Financial Year

a.    To approve the Local Authority formula for allocating resources to Hammersmith & Fulham schools for 2021/22 as set out in Appendix 1, the Authority Proforma Tool (APT) for setting school budgets.

b.    To approve the National Funding Formula (NFF) transitional funding factors (as set out in Appendix 1) as the basis for calculating the 2021/22 schools funding formula, together with a 0.5% per pupil Minimum Funding Guarantee (MFG) protection for individual schools versus 2020/21 pupil led funding levels.

c.    To approve the disapplication request to transfer £0.528m (0.5% of the total schools block allocation) from the schools block to the high needs block in the 2021/22 financial year as confirmed by Schools Forum on 12 January 2021.

d.    To approve the proposal to top-slice the 2021/22 Schools Block to the value of £0.200m or 0.18% of the total for the Falling Rolls protection fund in 2021/22, as confirmed by Schools Forum on 12 January 2021.

e.    To approve de-delegation budgets of £0.696m for maintained mainstream schools only, as confirmed by Schools Forum on 12 January 2021.

f.     To approve the education functions budgets of £0.273m for maintained mainstream schools only, as confirmed by Schools Forum on 12 January 2021.

g.    To approve the proposed budget allocation for Central Services Schools Block DSG totalling £3.313m.

2.    Early Years Block Budget 2020/21 and 2021/22

a.    Agree deployment of the revised 2020/21 Budget for 3 and 4 year olds including additional funding received for the 2019/20 financial year. The increase is £0.412m from 2019/20 and £0.888m for 2020/21 based on the revised allocation received in July 2020.

b.    Agree 2021/22 initial budget allocation of £14.860m for 3 and 4 year olds in line with grant conditions, including an increase in the hourly Base Rate paid to providers from £6.20 to £6.26 and the high level central Early Years budget of £0.743m.

3.    High Needs Block Place Commissioning 2021/22

a.    To delegate authority to the Director of Children’s Services in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Children and Education to increase high needs place funding to special provision in Hammersmith & Fulham up to the levels indicated in the report and to a total of 920 FTE places in 2021/22 financial/academic year and following negotiation with specialist providers in Hammersmith & Fulham.