Oxfordshire Schools' Forum
Our schools' forum, which represents the governors and headteachers of our schools.
About the Schools' Forum
The government requires every local authority to set up a schools' forum.
Its purpose is to provide strategic direction for the funding of schools in the local authority and support services in relation to new school funding arrangements covering:
- the Dedicated Schools' Grant (DSG)
- the Schools' Budget (centrally retained and Individual School Budget)
- wider issues such as service contracts and service level agreements.
The following regulations govern the composition, constitution and procedures of the schools' forum:
- Section 47A of The School Standards and Framework Act 1998 (as amended) requires every local authority to establish a schools' forum.
- The Schools Forums (England) Regulations 2012 No 2261 (pdf format, 72Kb) govern the composition, constitution and procedures of the schools' forum.
Constitution
The forum is required to operate in accordance with a formal constitution:
- Constitution and Terms of Reference (pdf format, 42Kb)
- Schools' Forum membership list (pdf format, 41Kb)
Further information and guidance
- Responsibilities of the schools' forum (pdf format, 223Kb)
- Schools Forums: Operational and Good Practice Guide for Local Authorities and Members of Schools Forums (pdf format, 325Kb)
- Schools forums structures (pdf format, 183Kb)
- Template for Schools Forum papers (pdf format, 126Kb)
- Protocol for papers to Schools Forum (pdf format, 90Kb)
The Oxfordshire Schools Forum has two committees and one working group affiliated to it:
- Schools and High Needs Committee
- Services and Contracts Committee
The minutes of these committees/working groups can be found with the papers for Schools Forum meetings.
Meetings
Calendar of Forum Meetings
The Oxfordshire Schools Forum meets five times a year and recent non-confidential papers for meetings that have taken place can be downloaded below.
12 February 2025
- 0. Schools Forum_Agenda_12Feb2025 (docx format, 45 KB)
- 2.2 Catering Services_Letter 28thJanuary 2025 (docx format, 49 KB)
- 2. Schools Forum_Minutes_20Jan2025 (pdf format, 193 KB)
- 3.1 Update on Schools Funding and APT for 2025-26 (pdf format, 165KB)
- 3.2.1 Special Schools Funding for 2025-26 (pdf format, 212 KB)
- 3.2.2 Update on Hospital School Funding and Charging Policy (pdf format, 144 KB)
- 3.2.3 OHS funding update (pdf format, 336 KB)
- 4. DLT.Schools'Forum Property and Maintenance paper (docx format, 67 KB)
- 5. Buyback Paper-January 2025 v0.4 (docx format, 76 KB)
- 5. DSG High Needs Summary (pdf format, 609 KB)
- 5.1 Enhanced Pathways Outline Business Case (SF) September 24 (1) (docx format, 241 KB)
- 5.1 Enhanced Pathways Paper for Schools Forum Feb 25 (docx format, 951 KB)
- 6. Fees and Charges Overview (pdf format, 142 KB)
- 6.1 School appeal charges-Schools Forum Feb25 (docx format, 67 KB)
- 7. Early Years Funding (pdf format, 611 KB)
20 January 2025
- 0. 2025-01-20 Schools Forum Agenda (docx format, 43 KB)
- 2. Schools Forum_Minutes_12Nov2024 (pdf format, 290 KB)
- 3. Updated OCC Educational Visits guidance policy 2024 (docx format, 51KB)
- 4. DSG 2025-26 Paper (docx format, 145 KB)
- 5. Schools block mainstream Budget 2025.26 Proposals APT-Annex4 Consultation (pdf format, 186 KB)
- 5. Schools block mainstream Budget 2025.26 Proposals APT Paper-Annex3 (docx format, 200 KB)
- 5. Schools block mainstream Budget 2025.26 Proposals APT-Report (pdf format, 185KB)
- 6. De-delegation Requests-Union duties 25.26 (docx format, 76KB)
- 7. School Improvement De-delegation 2025-26 (docx format, 291KB)
- 8. Special Schools Formula 2025.26 (docx format, 52 KB)
- 9. Topup Funding Rate 2025.26 (docx format, 61KB)
- 10. Central School Services Block 2025-26 (docx format, 63KB)
- 11 .DLT.Schools' Forum Property and Maintenance paper (docx format, 67 KB)
- NEU seedhouse letter 25 (pdf format, 449 KB)
12 November 2024
- Members - Oxfordshire Schools Forum from GH (docx format, 21KB)
- National Funding Update - including DfE changes October 2024 (pptx format, 380KB)
- Agenda for schools forum 12 November 2024 (docx format, 43KB)
- Draft minutes for 12 November 2024 (docx format, 52KB)
17 September 2024
- Schools Forum Sep 2024 Delivery of SEND Places (docx format, 146KB)
- DSG Announcement and National Funding Formula Consultation Dates (Maintained Schools Budget Submission Dates 2025) (docx format, 38KB)
- Provisional Special Places and Alternative Provision (docx format, 100KB)
- School Meals 25-26 (docx format, 40KB)
- School Meals 25-26 Summary (docx format, 12KB)
- REPORT SEND place planning School Forum November 2024 (docx format, 700KB)
- Traded Services and Charges 25-26 (docx format, 25KB)
- Banding Review (docx format, 54KB)
- Uplift to Hourly Rate (Core Schools Budget Grant) (docx format, 33KB)
Previous meetings
If you would like copies of papers from earlier meetings contact the Schools' Forum.