Attendance
DCC
Paul Fitzgerald – Assistant Director of Finance, Ceri Morgan – Deputy Director, Education, Kellie Knott – Interim SEND Improvement Director, Heidi Watson-Jones – Safety Valve Project Officer
Devon Schools Leadership Services
Primary
Jamie Stone – Denbury Primary, Paul Walker – First Federation Trust
Secondary
Alan Blackburn – Uffculme School,
Devon Special School Heads
Sarah Pickering, Mill Water School
Alternative Provision
Rob Gasson – Wave Multi Academy Trust
Early Years Providers
Gemma Rolstone – Puffins Childcare
DAG
Alex Walmsley – Secondary Governors, Adrian Hines – Primary Governors
Other DCC Officers
Karlien Bond – Senior Accountant (Schools), Katrina Harverson – Principal Accountant (Education and Learning),
Apologies
DCC
Matthew Thorpe – Deputy Director of Finance and Public Value, Adrian Fox – Head Accountant (Education & Learning),
Devon Schools Leadership Services
Penny Hammett – FORT Federation, Sammy Crook – Tiverton Federation, Rob Gammon – The King’s School, Fay Bowler – Braunton Academy
Devon Special School Heads
Keith Bennett – Marland School,
DAG
Faith Butler– Special School Governors,
1. Minutes of previous meeting – 5 June 2024
- KK and R Gasson to discuss issues around successful use of commissioned Alternative Provision.
- SEND strategy currently being developed with partner organisations including parents, carers and SENDCos. Further discussions needed to ensure DSLS is engaged to include the school voice. There will be further challenges to ensure that staff delivering the strategy on the ground fully understand the approach.
- ACTION: KK / PW / SP to consider how schools can most effectively contribute to the strategy development.
- ACTION: CM/KK to discuss 0.5% block transfer in relation to Inclusion Strategy.
- All other actions completed. Minutes agreed as an accurate record.
2. DSG Monitoring – month 2
- SFG noted the month 2 position
- £721k pressure forecast on high needs block budget, particularly relating to Alternative Provision. £259k safety valve savings included within forecast and still to be achieved, predominantly relating to AP commissioning.
- SEN mainstream £206k overspend – a pressure particularly within tutoring provision (EOTAS).
- Anticipate that early fluctuations will become clearer as the new academic year begins and Safety Valve Intervention Programme projects get underway.
- SFG considered the profile of expected Safety valve savings on a term-by-term basis, and the impact on achieving benchmarked savings targets if there is any delay in projects launching.
- Mindful that data is still being collected to arrive at an accurate end of term position. Finance colleagues will report actual savings achieved at the end of each term.
- SFG reiterated ongoing concerns around projected savings profiles not being met, and highlighted risk around delaying a change in approach when it becomes clear that savings will not be achieved.
- SFG suggested that a workshop approach to achieving savings and ongoing changes in practice might provide an opportunity to engage with a wider range of partners than currently e.g. for AP.
- Some SFG members suggested that increased spend in AP could be indicative of schools and the LA making appropriate provision for CYP and helping them to remain in mainstream settings with additional support in place. However, assurance would be needed that investments in this AP provision would result in a corresponding saving elsewhere in the system. This could be helpful in tracking the trends, and the culture shift.
- Felt that a discussion is needed at SEND Transformation Partnership Board – KK and PW to raise at the Board.
- ACTION:
- KK / PW to bring discussion to SEND Transformation Strategic Partnership Board
- Finance colleagues to consider timing of reporting Safety valve savings
3. Schools Funding Consultation
- SFG agreed that the documentation format for 2023/24 consultation was well received from schools, providing more clarity overall. Agreed to use same format for 2024/25 consultation.
- SFG suggested more clarity around the presentation of Central Services and De-Delegation would be helpful to highlight aspects relating to all schools, and those which are only for maintained schools.
- A separate section will give background on aspects that are new for this financial year.
- As agreed previously, the de-delegation decision will be considered only at Devon Education Forum, and not through consultation. It was felt that there may be a risk around lack of wider consultation prior to DEF vote.
- ACTION: DEF representatives on SFG to brief DEF colleagues on consultation proposals in September, following elections, to ensure they are confident and have all information needed to be able to vote.
- Considered how schools can best be engaged in the consultation. Last year KB ran virtual drop-in sessions for schools to ask questions.
- Noted that this year’s consultation will not include questions around implementation of the national funding formula.
- Agreed that virtual drop-ins would be offered again this year.
- Proposed Consultation Dates: Tues 1 October – Tues 15 October 2024
- Finance – indicative position for 2025-26
- KB to model indicative position, as previously, and provide options for allocation of any surplus funding, or funding any shortfall, for schools to indicate their preference.
School Effectiveness
- Noted that if school effectiveness is included in the de-delegation and central services then DEF will take the decision and it will not be included in the consultation. However, it was felt that views from schools will need to be sought.
- The School Effectiveness Grant ceased in 2023/24 leaving a £640k funding gap. The LA still retains a responsibility to monitor school effectiveness.
- School Effectiveness, Maths and English teams are still operational in Devon, and trading to fund some of the work of the teams. Options for ongoing work include winding down the in-house team, retain the team in the short term to enable an in-depth review of offer and operations, or commission school effectiveness from across the school community.
- It was noted that a financial review of traded services has been undertaken. Corporately there is significant pressure for savings to be identified across the local authority.
- SFG felt that the School Effectiveness offer (currently partly funded through a top slice from the schools block) has become confused over recent years with reduced clarity around the distinction between the core offer and a traded offer.
- Considered potential for increased trading opportunities with neighbouring LAs who no longer have a central school effectiveness resource. There were concerns however that the Devon service offer does not currently match the needs of Devon schools.
- Mindful that the Education re-design is currently underway, which is likely to result in changes across services.
- CM explained that he is considering exploring funding streams through University research grants.
0.5% Funding transfer
- Annual funding request is built into the Safety Valve. An explanation for school leaders would be helpful to clearly outline how schools’ investment into the Safety Valve is expected to impact on improvements.
- Impact data to be shared in September to demonstrate outcomes from the Early Help in Schools and Emotionally Based School Avoidance work.
ACTION
- DEF representatives on SFG to brief DEF colleagues on consultation proposals in September, following elections, to ensure they are confident and have all information needed to be able to vote.
4. Mutual Fund Board
- Considered proposed consultation options for ongoing operation of the Mutual Fund from 1 April 2025.
- All Schools will be asked to respond on whether the Mutual Fund continues or is ceased.
- If continuing, schools would then need to consider options around increased premium cost.
- Mindful that other providers are available for schools to approach.
- Agreed would need to clearly outline arrangements for ceasing any ongoing claim payments at 31 March 2025 should the Mutual Fund close.
Action:
- Agreed to go forward with the consultation proposal as circulated.
Future meeting dates
- Monday 9 September 2024 (all day – face to face – venue TBC)
- Monday 11 November 2024 (14.30 – 17.00 – Teams)
- Friday 10 January 2025 (09.15 – 12.30 – Teams)
- Wednesday 5 March 2025 (09.15 – 12.30 – Teams)