Management Information Sheet

Fair Funding Consultation (2020/21 Mainstream Funding Formula)

Following the DfE’s 2020/21 National Funding Formula announcement on 11 October, the Local Authority (LA) assessed the new information received and agreed with the Chair of Schools Forum to withdraw the existing Fair Funding consultation for 2020/21 that had been launched on 4 October, and to prepare a new consultation based upon the revised DfE information.

Following discussion with the Chair of Schools Forum, the LA has now produced a modified consultation document with a revised set of Fair Funding options for mainstream schools and academies in 2020/21.

An indicative increase in the High Needs Block funding allocated to Norfolk for 2020/21 has allowed the LA to undertake a high-level review of the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) recovery plan. The LA’s preferred option is to reduce the proposed levels of funding transferred between the Schools Block and High Needs Block in 2020/21 compared to 2019/20, whilst planning to balance Norfolk’s DSG deficit within the next three years (the original expected timescale of the DfE). At the same time, a significant increase in Schools Block funding is expected from April 2020 with all schools gaining formula funding compared to 2019/20 (based on like-for-like pupil data). This means that the LA’s preferred option is expected to result in all schools receiving additional funding compared to 2019/20.

The LA puts forward 3 options in this modified consultation, all mirroring the National Funding Formula principles with only the following differences:

• The value of the 2019/20 funding baselines for individual schools (the Local Authority is using actual 2019/20 allocations instead of NFF illustrative allocations):
• An estimated funding cap level for gainers as necessary to ensure that the formula is affordable for each of the options;
• Options for the level of transfer of funds from the Schools Block to the High Needs Block in 2020/21.

The consultation runs from Friday 25 October 2019 to Friday 8 November 2019 and is available at the Fair Funding web page.

The feedback from this consultation will be collated and reported to Schools Forum on 22 November. A recommendation will be sought from Schools Forum members prior to any final decision on the 2020/21 formula being made by the Local Authority at its Cabinet meeting in January 2020.