Issue - decisions

As Cabinet Member for Education and Skills, I agree to:

·         Approve changes to the Kent County Council local funding formula for schools and early years providers that is used to calculate school budgets and early years rates from 1 April 2026 as set out below:

1. Transfer 1.2% of the Schools Block (equates to approximately £17.4m) into the High Needs Block for 2026-27

2. In relation to the Kent Local Funding Formula for primary & secondary schools in 2026-27:

i.             Set the local Minimum Funding Guarantee (MFG) percentage at 0.0% for primary & secondary schools

ii.            Increase the following factor values as set out in the table below to reflect the incorporation of grants (which were previously received separately) including the full year effect of the Schools Budget Support Grant (SBSG):

*National Insurance Contributions (NICs) grant; Schools Budget Support Grant (SBSG)

iii.          Set the Minimum Per Pupil Level (MPPL) as per the values in the table below. This is equivalent to 99.1% of the National Funding Formula Rate

iv.          All other factors within the current local funding formula to increase in line with the National Funding Formula by approximately 2% (after grant funding has been added).

3. In relation to the Kent Early Years Local Funding Formula for 2026-27:

i.              The base rates for the Free Entitlement offer will increase in line with grant changes (subject to final affordability checks*):

ii.            Increase the 3- and 4-year olds quality supplement by £0.06 per hour to £1.40 per hour for settings with a nominated leader with a qualified teacher status and employed on & paid under the Statutory Teachers’ Terms & Conditions.

iii.          reduce the proportion of the Early Years Block retained by the Council to fund services for early years from a maximum of 4% to 3% in line with government guidance (total estimated budget of £8.3m)

iv.          Remove the contingency for variations in demand for payments for children aged 2 years.

v.            Early Years Pupil Premium and Disability Access Fund to be set in line with nationally prescribed rates.

·         Delegate authority to the Corporate Director of Children, Young People and Education, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Education, to make any necessary changes to the Local Funding Formula rates once final affordability is known.

·         Delegate authority to the Corporate Director of Children, Young People and Education, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Education and Skills, to agree the distribution method for school & early years specific education grants during 2026-27 provided by the Department of Education, in line with grant conditions.