Schools forum consultation
Government have not yet advised on the indicative Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) Allocations figures for Local Authorities, which used to be published annually in July. These are expected in late Autumn 2025. However, DfE expect Local Authorities to have undertaken consultation with all maintained Schools and Academies on the formula options in line with the school’s operational guide1 before setting the budgets.
The schools formula funding consultation will be taking place during November and will be announced in Schools News. The final formula must be proposed by the Local Authority in consultation with Schools Forum in January. This is submitted to, and subsequently confirmed by, DfE in February each year.
The DfE also expect Local Authorities to have consulted with all maintained schools and Academies where a block transfer is proposed. The Schools operational guide: 2025 to 2026 - GOV.UK allows Local Authorities via schools forum to request a block transfer of up to 0.5% of the schools block to the High needs block (S4.3) and must consult with all local authority maintained schools and Academies. Schools Forum members must take the outcomes of the consultation into account in the final decision making.
Consultation runs from Friday 28th November until Friday 19th December and the outcomes will be considered at the next meeting of the Schools Forum on Monday 19th January.
This paper therefore forms the required consultation with all maintained schools and Academies and contains the information which outlines Oxfordshire County Council’s proposals for the Block transfer for 2026/27.
Background
In November 2022 Oxfordshire County Council sought a Block transfer of 0.5% of the 2023/24 grant funding. Schools Forum voted against this transfer. Subsequently the SOS approved the Block transfer, and this funding supported the development of the Relational Schools programme and the Enhanced pathways programme.
The Local Authority did not apply for a block transfer for the 2024/25 and 2025/26 financial years. Schools’ budgets were set using the agreed funding formula only. In the 2025/26 financial year, this included a -0.14% reduction across all per pupil factors for each school due to a funding gap between the funding allocated to the Local Authority and the amount funding required to pay Schools in line with the National Funding Formula (NFF) factor values.
In 2023/24 the Local Authority took part in the Delivering Better Value (DBV) programme funded by the DfE, which culminated in a £1m grant for investment opportunities to be used across Oxfordshire schools and funded the development programmes of Special School outreach (SSOR) and Behaviour Inclusion Officers (BIOs).
Collectively these investments have supported evidenced based improvements through the pilot programmes across several pupil outcomes and were recognised as good practice through the recent Ofsted and CQC Local Area monitoring visit.
OCC are therefore seeking agreement for the school’s block transfer proposals to continue for a further year which will increase the numbers of pupils and schools supported and aligns with current wider system transformation underway through LCSS and Family Hubs.
Continuing these programmes provide an opportunity to build on the work of the Oxfordshire County Education Partnership (OCEP) and reflects National policy drivers of supporting mainstream inclusion, through the awaited White Paper and new Ofsted Framework.
The Enhanced Pathways has now been formally adopted into the High Needs block and will continue as planned. This therefore does not form part of this block transfer consultation.
Total Schools Block to High Needs Block transfer proposed £1,421,000
The proposals are as follows;
To continue and grow: Behaviour Inclusion Officers (BIO) team: £456k: This supports the continuation and expansion of the current Behaviour Inclusion Officers team, which was previously funded by the DVB grant to support children at risk of exclusion (7 posts).
In 2024–25, the BIO team handled 400 referrals, with over 96% involving children and young people with identified SEND. Of these, 20% had received suspensions in the six weeks before a BIO visit. Following BIO involvement, suspensions dropped by 34% for this group.
Referrals are expected to double in 2025–26.
To continue and grow: Relational practice: £300k: this supports additional cohorts of schools able to access training, moving towards a target of 50% of all schools across Oxfordshire receiving training.
The Relational Schools Programme is a whole-school approach that improves relationships and school culture. It aims to reduce conflict, suspensions and exclusions; boost attendance and achievement; and support social development.
To date, 52 schools have taken part across five cohorts, with two completed. In Cohort 1, 70% of schools reported a reduction in persistent absenteeism in the first year, and 40% saw a drop in severe absenteeism.
To continue: Special School Outreach: £400k: Special School Outreach links mainstream and colleagues from specialist provisions to provide support for mainstream schools around leadership and key worker development with the aim of ensuring cultural change and long-lasting impact. Since September 2023, 11 special schools have supported the project, resulting in 340 referrals by July 2025. 91% of post-support feedback reported improved staff confidence in assessing needs, applying strategies, adapting the curriculum, and managing challenging behaviour for children with special educational needs.
New: Attendance team: £265k: this supports the implementation of Working Together to improve School attendance, and will focus upon those children with severe Absence (5 posts)
Total: £1,421,000
A presentation at Schools Forum on Monday 19th January will further outline the current evidence of each programme. The final decision will be made by School Forum representatives, alongside outcomes from this consultation.
Consultation for schools Block transfer to High needs block is within this survey.