Agenda item

6.1  Fay Hammond, Departmental Finance Manager, briefly presented the report. She explained that schools receive over £15 million through Pupil Premium. The method of calculation has changed so that if a child has ever been eligible for the last 6 years for free school meals then they will continue to attract the Pupil Premium throughout their school attendance even if their family’s circumstances change – this is referred to as the Ever6 programme. The department is not required to ask schools for details on their spending but the council does because it considers this a very important area. Officers also ask schools for their education plans for Looked After Children.

6.2  The chair asked if schools all provide the requested information and the officer confirmed that 100 % did. Another member asked why over £2million was carried forward by schools and officers responded that this might be to do with the timing of the calculation. Members asked if this money might be lost if it went unspent or the risk that money could be hoarded. Officers commented that the culture has changed and it is now unusual for funding streams to stipulate that money is spent within a financial year. Members requested more clarification on the reasons for the carry over and commented that they would like reassurance that this money continues to be used for the purpose it has been allocated for. 

6.3  Members asked why the some schools receive so much more money and the officer explained there are significant variations in school size, which is the major reason.

6.4   A member asked how the percentage of 72% spending on staffing was calculated and officers referred to the calculation in paragraph 16.

6.5  Officers were asked about the percentage of parents who do not claim free school meals and thus do not attract Pupil Premium and the risk that Southwark Free Healthy School Meal programme could increase the amount of parents who do not make a claim. Officers said that the council does look at census data and uses this to provide a challenge to schools where there looks to be a discrepancy. Officers explained that that is a national problem with under claiming.   The chair commented that the Ever6 programme should help and officers agreed. Officers explained that they had worked with Southwark schools to simplify the forms with the local roll out of FHSM and added that with the national roll out of free school meals this will be a national challenge. Colin Gale said that some schools provide an incentive – such as a voucher for a sweatshirt for every registration form filled out.

ACTION

Officer will provide more information on the £2,460,989 carried forward by schools.