Schools Forum

​Schools Forums were set up to give schools greater involvement in the distribution of funding within their Council. The Council must consult its Schools Forum on the School Funding Formula, as well as other issues in connection with schools budget.

Cheshire West and Chester's Schools Forum was established in December 2008 in accordance with Department for Education Schools Forum Regulations.

The Council and Schools Forum

The Council consults the Forum on the following areas:
  • Limits on central expenditure in the schools budget
  • Combined budgets
  • School specific contingencies
  • Minimum funding guarantee
  • The Council's proposed school funding formula
  • Issues within the schools budget, such as arrangements for pupils with special educational needs or early years education
  • Service contracts

Meetings

  • Tuesday 4 July 2023 4.30pm until 6.30 pm - venue to be confirmed

Members of the public wishing to attend Schools Forum meetings should contact the Schools Forum Clerk:

Membership

​There are currently 32 elected members.

Schools members

  • Primary School Headteachers (five)
  • Primary Governors (five)
  • Secondary Headteachers (two)
  • Secondary Governors (two)
  • Special School Headteacher (one)
  • Special School Governor (one)
  • Pupil Referral Units Executive Headteacher (one)

Academy members (including free schools) (seven)

  • Primary/Secondary (six)
  • Special (one)

Non schools members

  • Diocesan Authorities (two)
  • Private, Voluntary and Independent Sector (two)
  • Trade Unions (two)
  • 16-19 Providers (one)
  • Chair of Primary Association of Headteachers (one)
Schools Forum members have a four year term of office and the Chair is elected every two years.   The Education and Children Portfolio Holder of the Council and a representative from the Education Funding Agency can attend as a non-voting observer. Senior Council staff act as advisors to the Forum. ​​

Funding consultation

The Department for Education (DfE) requires the Local Authority to consult with schools annually on the formula factors used to allocate Schools Block funding. Views are therefore sought from representatives from all primary and secondary schools and academies on the use of the allowable formula factors in allocating funding for the next financial year.

Scheme for financing schools

In accordance with the Schools Standards and Framework Act 1998, the Local Authority maintains a Scheme for Financing Schools which sets out the financial relationship between the Local Authority and the schools which it maintains.

It contains requirements relating to financial management and associated issues which are binding on both the Local Authority and on schools.

The document is published on this page and was last updated in July 2021 to reflect the latest directed revisions issued by the Secretary of State and changes approved by the Schools Forum.​​​

Latest documents

Type Title Size
PDF 11 October 2022 Schools Forum agenda and papers 414.1 KB
PDF 11 October 2022 Schools Forum item 3 Scorecard 145.2 KB
PDF 11 October 2022 Schools Forum item 8 Early Years Funding Formula Consultation 2022 386.8 KB
PDF 11 October 2022 Schools Forum minutes 194.7 KB
PDF 12 January 2021 - Schools Forum papers item 6 appendix D 556.2 KB
PDF 18 January 2022 - Minutes 166.5 KB
PDF 18 January 2022 item 3 appendix B 179.7 KB
PDF 18 January 2022 item 4 194.1 KB
PDF 18 January 2022 item 5 appendix 338.4 KB
PDF 19 October 2021 - School Forum papers item 9 Fair school funding for all consultation response 44.9 KB
PDF 19 October 2021 minutes 192.8 KB
PDF 19 October 2021- Schools Forum Agenda & papers 869.4 KB
PDF 20 October 2020 Schools Forum minutes 192.1 KB
PDF 5 July 2022 item 5 Annex Analysis of School Balances 2021-22 183.9 KB
PDF 5 July 2022 item 5 Appendix A Academy balances 2020-21 57.6 KB
PDF 5 July 2022 Schools Forum Agenda and Papers 414.9 KB
PDF 5 July 2022 Schools Forum Minutes 160.8 KB
PDF 6 July 2021 – item 5 - Analysis of School Balances 2020-21 196.6 KB
PDF 6 July 2021 – item 5 Appendix A Academy balances 2019-20 73.1 KB
PDF 6 July 2021 - item 8 - Cheshire West and Chester Council response to Sparsity Consultation 14.7 KB
PDF 6 July 2021 – item 8 - Schools NFF: Proposed changes to sparsity funding from 2022-23 354.9 KB
PDF 6 July 2021 – Schools Forum minutes 188.7 KB
PDF 7 December 2021 - agenda & papers 365.0 KB
PDF 7 December 2021 - Minutes 165.8 KB
PDF 7 July 2020 - item 5 - Analysis of School Balances 2019-20 191.5 KB
PDF 7 July 2020 - Schools Forum papers 528.1 KB
PDF 8 February 2021 - Schools Forum item 5 appendix D 119.9 KB
PDF 8 February 2021 - Schools Forum item 5 appendix E’ 453.4 KB
PDF 8 February 2021 – Schools Forum minutes 162.3 KB
PDF 8 February 2022 – Agenda and papers 490.8 KB
PDF 8 February 2022 – Item 4 736.0 KB
PDF 8 February 2022 – minutes 135.5 KB
PDF Analysis of school balances 2018-19 195.0 KB
PDF Constitution and Terms of Reference 99.5 KB
PDF Scheme for Financing Schools 753.8 KB
PDF School funding consultation 2021-2022 - Illustrative financial models 604.4 KB
PDF School funding consultation 2021-2022 - Proposals 180.5 KB
Word School funding consultation 2021-2022 – Questionnaire 104.0 KB
PDF Schools Forum 17 January 2023 - item 3 appendix B 221.7 KB
PDF Schools Forum 17 January 2023 - item 5 appendix D 558.6 KB
PDF Schools Forum 6 July 2021 papers 562.3 KB
PDF Schools Forum agenda and papers - 17 January 2023 505.7 KB
PDF Schools Forum membership 56.2 KB
PDF Schools Forum Minutes - 12 January 2021 181.5 KB
PDF Schools Forum Minutes 10 December 2019 338.0 KB
PDF Schools Forum Minutes 10 February 2020 167.9 KB
PDF Schools Forum Minutes 11 February 2019 227.0 KB
PDF Schools Forum Minutes 14 January 2019 234.9 KB
PDF Schools Forum Minutes 14 January 2020 266.9 KB
PDF Schools Forum Minutes 17 January 2023 191.6 KB