Agenda item

Atul Lad presented the paper which was to inform Schools Forum of the current position of the 13/14 Growth Fund and request permission to hold a Growth Fund for 14/15.

£385,000 in the current year has gone towards supporting 4 new classes across 3 schools. Additional pupil numbers indicate a requirement for 4 more classes. A £300,000 Growth Fund for 14/15 would support those new classes.

Discussion took place as to whether academies were included in this as Nicky Willis raised that they have additional classes every year and in previous years they had to make a business case to the EFA and then the funding comes out of the LA Growth Fund. Mike Barbour confirmed that business cases are no longer used and it is covered by the Growth Fund which is a Schools Forum decision. Gillian Coffey confirmed that there is a year’s lag in academies where they have a class without funding. Mike Barbour clarified that additional pupils starting in September are picked up by the Growth Fund and therefore included in the next year’s budget.

Maggie Waller asked Steve Elson and Atul Lad to clarify whether account of academies’ extra classes have been included in the £300,000 and what the process is.

Steve Elson confirmed that the Growth Fund is set up for the first year of permanent expansion. Maggie Waller suggested that the criteria for the Growth Fund be revisited.

Action: Atul Lad will bring a paper in January.