New Governor Induction Training

1. New Governor Induction Training School Funding Team Officer Name Here

2. Induction Topics • What do you know? (Quiz) • School Funding Team & Schools Forum • National Funding Formula • Grants & Responsibilities • Governing Body Responsibilities • Key Actions / Frameworks & Reporting • Q&A • Key Messages • How to Find Out More • Quiz Answers

3. SchoolFunding Team • Part of Corporate Services within Bradford Council • Dedicated to supporting schools with specific responsibilities for the financial accounting of schools maintained by Bradford Council • Undertake monitoring of maintained school budgets providing support & challenge to schools • Oversee the operation of the 4 main protocols maintained schools must adhere to • Calculate and manage funding payments to schools on a monthly basis • Manage Bradford Schools Forum

4. Schools Forum A representative group of head teachers / principals, governors and non school members, including academies and free schools, that makes recommendations to the Council’s Executive Committee on how schools and other providers in the District are funded and how the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) is used. The formula funding that is currently set by the Council for Bradford schools is also used by the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) to calculate the General Annual Grant (GAG) allocations for academies and free schools. this means that maintained schools and academies in Bradford are funded on the same basis. The LA provides Schools Forum meeting papers, which must be published in advance of each meeting. All Schools Forum meetings must be open to the public and the agendas, minutes and supporting documents published on the Council website

5. National Funding Formula (NFF) • Why is it being introduced? Similar schools in different authorities receive very different levels of funding, as differing local formula funding arrangements have been in place for a number of years • What does NFF do? Aims to remove the discrepancies in funding that have arisen from budgets being allocated by local authorities rather than central Government, and ensure that all budgets are set using the same criteria

6. National Funding Formula (NFF) Information released by the DfE in August 2017 confirmed: • An increase in the basic amount that every pupil will attract in 2018 -19 and 2019-20 • Allow for gains of up to 3% per pupil for underfunded schools for the next 2 years • Provide at least a 0.5% a year per pupil cash increase for every school in 2019-20 • Continue to protect funding for pupils with additional needs, as proposed in the consultation published in December 2016. Government released confirmed information and data in September 2017. This will be analysed and individual school data will be released to Bradford schools during the autumn 2017 term.

7. Grants & Responsibilities • Pupil Premium Grant • Raising attainment of disadvantaged pupils of all abilities to reach their potential • Supporting children & young people with parents in the regular armed forces or in receipt of an MOD pension All schools in receipt of pupil premium grant MUST publish a report annually on the school website detailing how their allocations are being used and the impact the additional funding has had on disadvantaged pupils in the school. • Universal Infant Free School Meals (UIFSM) • Provides a free school meal for all reception, year 1 and year 2 pupils (£437 per child) • Year 7 Catch Up Premium • For pupils who do not achieve expected level in the summer KS2 assessments (£500 per pupil)

8. Grants & Responsibilities • PE & Sports Premium • Used to fund additional and sustainable improvements to the provision of PE and sport, for the benefit of primary aged pupils to encourage the development of healthy, active lifestyles. All schools in receipt of the PE premium must publish about how the grant was spent by 4 April each year Government has announced allocations will increase using funds raised from the introduction of the of the Soft Drinks Industry Levy (aka The Sugar Tax) LA currently awaiting further announcements on the new allocations and conditions of grant.

9. Governing Bodies All governing body boards, regardless of type of school have 3 core functions: • Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction • Holding executive leaders to account for the educational performance of the organisation and its pupils, and the performance management of staff • Overseeing the financial performance of the organisation and making sure money is well spent

10. Effective Governance What does it look like? Based on 6 key features • Strategic Leadership: champions vision, ethos & strategy • Accountability: that drives up educational standards financial performance • People: with the right skills, experience, qualities and capacity • Structures: that reinforce clearly defined roles and responsibilities • Compliance: with statutory and contractual requirements • Evaluation: to monitor & improve the quality and impact of governance

11. Are there any differences? Maintained Schools • More specific activity and reporting based responsibilities • Continue to have direct relationship with the LA Academies & Free Schools Responsible under the Academy Trust’s Articles of Association to: • Direct the affairs of the Academy Trust • Ensure that the Trust’s charitable outcomes are delivered • Ensure that the Trust is compliant, solvent and well run. Academies have members and trustees. Trustees are the equivalent of governors of maintained schools.

12. Key Actions – Maintained Schools • Set & monitor the school budget • Establish sound finance procedures and internal controls • Establish written scheme of delegation • Determine staff complement and pay policy • Determine other school policies e.g. lettings • Ensure accurate records are kept • Oversee private and voluntary funds • Ensure adequate insurance arrangements • Publish business interests Governors are expected to delegate a level of financial ‘power’ to their head teacher – 2 elements • Power to incur new financial commitments not previously included in the approved budget • Power to move spending between budget headings (virement)

13. Framework – Maintained Schools • Financial Year runs 1 April to 31 March • Reporting (accountable) to the Council • Payment of funding directly from Council • Adhere to Bradford’s Scheme for Financing Schools • SFVS reporting (statutory annual self assessment) • CFR reporting to LA and DFE (coding framework) • Council provides reporting templates • Council has key protocols in place • Control of surplus balance mechanism • Deficit balance management mechanism

14. Key Actions - Academies All the key actions of governors of maintained schools apply to Academy Trusts. In addition: • Annual audited accounts, filed with Companies House, with a statement on regularity, propriety and compliance and a government statement • Must appoint a named accounting officer • Must appoint a chief financial officer • Must establish a finance committee (and a dedicated audit committee if >£50m)

16. Key Messages Be aware and take action: • National Funding Formula • Focus on Pupil Premium and vulnerable groups • Tighter financial times and efficiency • Self-sufficiency (services and expertise) • Bradford’s sector led improvement model

17. How Can I Find Out More? • Induction Handbook • LA Course: Effective Financial Governance • Bradford Schools Online (website) • ESFA Website