Agenda and draft minutes

Chair to Welcome those in attendance and the virtual audience.

Chair’s Business

In attendance:

The Chair, Steve Hornsby, welcomed all the meeting.

He took time to acknowledge the contribution Reena Bhogal Welsh made to Forum business and wished her well for the future.

(a)    Apologies for Absence

(b)   Confirmation meeting is quorate

(c)    Appointment of new members/Resignations: 

(d)   Notification of Vacancies:

(e)   Declarations of Interest

1)      Apologies for Absence

a)      None were received

2)      Confirmation meeting is quorate

a)      The Quorum is 40% of active members present and the Clerk confirmed that the meeting had met that threshold as detailed in the attendance list

3)      Appointment of new members/resignation

a)      No Change

4)      Notification of vacancies remain the same

a)      Vacant positions to be advertised at the start of the new academic year

b)      Primary Head Academy

c)      Primary Governor Academy

d)      Special Academy

5)      Declaration of interest

a)      None

(a)  To confirm as a correct record

(b)  Matters arising not covered on agenda

a)      The Minutes of the meeting held on the 26^th March 2024 were resolved as a correct record.

b)      Maters Arising/Actions

                                i.            The Director of Education of Skills to address matters arising during the presentation

                               ii.            Members once again look to Officers to provide a full explanation on the matter of how the Fund made available for Schools in Financial Difficulty is to be allocated.

The concluding meeting for this municipal year is 16^th July 2024.

Future Proposed Dates:

1.      Tuesday at 5pm either on Zoom or In-person at City Hall

a.      24^th September 2024 – on zoom

b.      26^th November 2024 – In-person

c.       15^th January 2025 – In-person (depending on Budget Council)

d.      25^th March 2025 – on zoom

e.      20^th May 2025 – on zoom

f.        15^th July 2025 – on zoom

2.      Training opportunity to be arranged during the next municipal year on a date to be agreed

3.      Finance Sub-group to meet on a date to be agreed in October 2024

The following dates were agreed for 2024 – 2025 Academic year.

·       Tuesday 24^th September at 5pm on Zoom

·       Tuesday 26^th November at 5pm In-person City Hall

·       Tuesday 15^th January at 5pm In person City Hall – provisional Date dependent on Budget Council

·       Tuesday 25^th March 2025 at 5pm on Zoom

·       Tuesday 20^th May 2025 at 5pm on Zoom

·       Tuesday 15^th July 2025 at 5pm on Zoom

The training session on a date to be agreed in Spring of 2025.

The date for the Finance Sub-group to be identified for a date in October 2024

Verbal Report with Presentation to be shared at the conclusion of the meeting.

-          To include Bristol Hospital Education School Daily Contributions

Reena Bhogal-Welsh, Director of Education and Skills addressed the matters arising from the previous meeting:

·       Inclusion Hubs:  That Special Heads were consulted on the wider position on the outreach & targeted funded model but not the initial conception of the hubs.

·       In answer to the question on teaching professionals being permitted to be that expert voice as part of an EHCP application:  Protocol remains consistent that this intelligence should be shared with the SENDCO lead to enable it to be fed into the assessment process.   This is good practice that should be encouraged amongst professionals.

The presentation covered:

School Improvement

·       Head Teachers have been involved in a workshop to explore establishing a system lead improvement model

·       New appointments include a service manager, together with 3 SEND School Improvement Officers

·       Good governance will be established to oversee the development of the improvement model

Targeted Support Fund and Outreach Model Workshops

·       This is about the funds available to support settings when the non-strategy top-up funding comes to an end.

·       Working across different settings to support children and young people by sharing best practices.

·       Emma Lloyd, Inclusion Manager, is leading on the co-production and all are encouraged to direct intelligence and knowledge to her and at the established workshops.

From the discussion that arose:

·       There was concerns about what happens in the intervening period when the non-statutory top-up ceases particularly when the EHCP process could take up to 2 years.

·       The operation of the target fund was explained at the workshop, the intention is for this fund to be accessed to support the needs of children and young people during this period.

·       Acknowledged that target times to complete the EHCP process is missed but the intention moving forward is to work within the 20 week time line. 

·       Assurances was given that the service would communicate with all established networks to share messages to provide reassurance to parent carers and teaching professionals.

·       Noted the suggestion being fed back from teaching professionals that each setting should only have Inclusion Officer.  They find having in some cases 60 officers supporting 60 children to liaise with non-productive.

·       Question on accountable and reporting on impact and monitoring:  The suggested model proposes liaison and sharing of good practice between special school settings and mainstream settings. The ask was for this process to be transparent and reported on to the forum and for the information to include details of any commissioning, funds committed to the practice; good practice identified and onward shared; the overall general monitoring of effectiveness to be reported back to Forum as soon as feasibly possible.   

·       There was a general consensus for the need for transparency with regards commissioning and timely reporting as the strategy developed and progressed.

·       Actions: RBW noted the suggestions made to share with Executive Director of Children & Education.

Hospital Education Report

Philippa Scholar, Head Teacher, Bristol Hospital Education School, spoke to the report setting out the background and projections.

The report directed Forum to note the details of the nominal charge being introduced by  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

To receive a verbal presentation  

Scheme for Financing Schools

The Local Authority is required to publish schemes for financing schools (the Scheme) setting out the financial relationship between them and the schools they maintained.  The current scheme was last updated in November 2021.  The few changes had been highlighted.  It includes the DfE update document relating to International Financial Reporting Standard (IFRS16).  The Scheme includes an updated list of maintained schools removing those that have closed and/or converted to Academy status.

The following was noted:

·       It was suggested that 3 years before, that The Scheme had in accurate information that had to be revised and a question was asked as to whether this version included the required adjustments directed by Audit.

·       Members directed that as this was a late paper that Officers investigate and provide an update at the next forum.

·       Action: That this report returns to the July forum with confirming that The Scheme is the updated version including historic revisions.

·       Members asked that reports for the Maintained settings to approve to be shared in advanced of future meetings.

·       That reports be provided well in advance of their implementation of any strategy or decision and/or change.

The Chair thanked those present for their contribution.