Lambeth Schools Forum

All local authorities are required to establish a Schools Forum in accordance with regulations, Section 47A of the 1998 Schools Standards and Framework Act (as amended by the 2002 Education Act).

Schools Forums were established as consultative bodies to advise local authorities on matters, prescribed in regulations, relating to the recurrent funding arrangements for schools and other non-school-based pupil provision.

A minimum of 80% of the members of a Schools Forum must be 'schools members' (either head teacher representatives or governors) while the remaining 20% of members can be 'non-schools members' nominated by a local authority. Non-school 'relevant bodies' who have a legitimate interest in local school and other pupil provision funding processes

Lambeth Schools Forum, helps to maintain, develop and review Lambeth's Scheme of Devolved Funding, as well as the Lambeth Schools Fair Funding Formula.

The Schools Forum is consulted over arrangements for the following:

• changes to the School Fair Funding Formula and their financial implications
• the terms of any proposed contract for supplies and services that is expected to be over the threshold of £50,000
• the arrangements for the education of pupils with special educational needs
• 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
• revision to the scheme for the financing of schools
• administrative arrangements for the allocation of central government grants paid to schools via the authority
• arrangements for free school meals.

The schools forum meets approximately six times per year in time for its views to be taken into account in deciding on the disposition of the school's budget for the following financial year.

The dates for 2012-13 are as follows:

• 20 March 2012
• 15 May 2012
• 09 October 2012
• 04 December 2012
• 05 February 2013
• 19 March 2013

Go to the schools forum section of the Department for Education website for more information.