Decision details

The Cabinet Member agrees to:

1)  Change the specific factor for sparsity in line with the NFF guidance;

2)  Inflate all factors at 3% (except Free School Meals at 2%) in line with DFE guidance;

3)  Set the Minimum Funding Guarantee (MFG) at 2%; and

4)  If necessary, to taper back all formula factors by the same percentage to ensure that schools allocation are contained within the schools block allocation.

Following receipt of guidance from the DFE and extensive consultation with schools and Multi academy Trusts, there has been an almost unanimous agreement to the implementation of the DFE suggested changes to the school funding formula.

The only issue that was not agreed in the consultation as the methodology of restricting the allocation of funds to schools to the overall funding available. The schools Forum debated the issue at its meeting in December and recommended the approach suggested and set out in the decision above.

Whilst there are many options that could be adopted in allocating resources to schools, the Schools and the schools forum have on several occasions expressed their desire to move to the NFF factors and values as soon as is practical. On achieving this goal the schools and the schools Forum has continued to express their desire to follow the DFE guidance to maintain the nationally prescribed factors as far as possible.