Essex Schools Forum

The Essex Schools Forum is a statutory body established in accordance with the Schools Standards and Framework Act 1998.

Its main functions include the following: 

• consulting on the Essex funding formula for schools
• agreeing de-delegation from mainstream schools and funding for the local authority to meet its prescribed statutory duties
• creating funds for significant basic need growth and temporary falling rolls
• transferring up to 0.5% of the schools block to either the high needs block, early years block or central school services block
  to agree changes to the Scheme for Financing Schools
   
• allocation and distribution of funding
• free school meals
• special educational needs and disabilities (SEND)
• supplies and services

The Schools Forum's role and responsibilities

Further information about how the School Forum works, its role and responsibilities:

• Schools Forums's powers and responsibilities (Word, 68KB)
• Terms of reference for the Essex Schools Forum (Word, 68KB)
• Schools forum operational and good practice guide (Word, 68KB)

School Funding Consultation 2025/26

Schools Forum has approved the consultation with schools concerning the mechanisms to meet the requirements of the schools national funding and a proposal to transfer 1% from the Schools Block to the High Needs Block.

Schools Forum wants to know the views of schools for each proposal to inform the decisions it will need to make.

School Funding Consultation 2025 to 2026

Membership

Find out who are the 28 School Forum members (Word, 52KB).

The Schools Forum meetings

Meetings take place in person and online, 5 times during the year:

• January - online
• May - in person
• July - online
• September - in person
• November - online

All meetings are public. To attend in person or online, email yannick.stupples-whyley@essex.gov.uk

Meeting agendas, minutes and decisions

Further information about recent Schools Forum meetings, including the agendas and minutes.

Further information about previous Schools Forum meetings, including the agendas and minutes.