Schools Forum
The Education Act 2002 made it a statutory requirement upon every local authority (LA) to establish a Schools Forum. The purpose of the forum is to advise the LA on matters relating to school funding. The LA in its turn is required to consult the forum annually on a specified range of issues.
The Forum is expected to meet at least three times a year in order to consider the following matters. The LA is required to consult upon these annually, and the timing will allow for the Forum’s views to be taken into account before any decision is made.
- Consultation on any proposed changes to the funding formula for schools.
- Consultation on any proposed invitations to tender for supplies and services on behalf of schools.
- Consultation on the authority’s functions relating to the arrangements to be made for the education of pupils with special educational needs; the arrangements for the use of pupil referral units and the education of children otherwise than at school; arrangements for early years education; arrangements for insurance; prospective revisions to the authority’s scheme for the financing of schools; administrative arrangements for the allocation of central government grants paid to schools by the authority; and arrangements for free school meals.
- Consultation on any other matters concerning the funding of schools.
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