Agenda and draft minutes

The minutes of the previous meeting held on 20th April, 2012, and the working group held on 22nd June, 2012, were considered. 

Resolved: -  That the minutes of the previous meetings be agreed as a correct record.  

There was nothing to report under this item that was not covered on this meeting’s agenda. 

• Decision meetings;
• Impact and Information meetings.  

Discussion took place on how Rotherham Schools’ Forum meetings should operate during the 2012/13 school year. 

Three options were considered: -

1)         Run a series of information gathering meetings, followed by a decision                  meeting 2/3 weeks later.

2)         Have longer meetings that included information gathering and decision     sections.  

3)         Keep current format of meetings. 

Members of the Rotherham Schools’ Forum discussed the options and voted on them. 

Resolved: -  That option 2 be the preferred option for the forthcoming meetings of the Rotherham Schools’ Forum. 

• David Silvester, Chair of the Rotherham Schools’ Forum, to report.  

Consideration was given to adopting the Transforming Rotherham Learning (TRL) principles and the Rotherham School Improvement Partnership’s (RoSIP) mission as the overarching principles of the Rotherham Schools’ Forum.

TRL Principles: -

• We are all responsible for all Rotherham’s children and young people;
• All Rotherham’s learners will achieve: no one will be left behind;
• Learning is the core business: investment, policy and strategy must be driven by opportunities for learners;
• Learning communities will be rooted in and responsive to the needs of local people. 

RoSIP mission: -

• All students making at least good progress;
• No underperforming cohorts;
• All teachers delivering at least good learning;
• All schools moving to at least the next level of successful performance.  

Resolved: -  That the Rotherham Schools’ Forum unanimously agreed to adopt the Transforming Rotherham Learning principles and the Rotherham School Improvement Partnership mission as their overarching principles.   

• Vera Njegic, Principal Finance Officer, Financial Services, Resources Directorate, to report.

Vera Njegic, Principal Finance Officer, Financial Services, Resources Directorate, provided a presentation on the changes to the ‘factors’ within the DSG. 

• There would be 12 factors (increased from 10 as a result of consultation);
  • Previously 22;
  • All formulas must include the ‘basic’ and ‘deprivation’ factors. 
  • There were 8 ‘special’ factors;

• Other issues included: -
  • Small schools;
  • Mobility;
  • Roma / Slovak pupils;
  • Threshold;
  • Assessment of Special Educational Needs and when assessment took place. 

Discussion ensued and the Rotherham Schools’ Forum agreed to use the 10 factors that formed the original consultation.  

Resolved: -  (1)  That the information shared be noted. 

(2)  That the next meeting of the Rotherham Schools’ Forum consider the figures based on modelling of the 10 factors to school budget allocations. 

• David Silvester, Chair of the Rotherham Schools’ Forum, to report.  

It was noted that the Rotherham School Improvement Partnership (RoSIP) had been in operation for twelve months. 

Discussion ensued on development requirements of the organisation: -

• Mission;
• Audit of need;
• Branding/marketing;
• Production of an annual report. 

RoSIP’s summer term newsletter was circulated. 

Resolved: -  That the information shared be noted. 

• David Ashmore, Rotherham Teaching School Alliance Representative, to report. 

Resolved: -  (1)  That budget opportunity and risk proformas be circulated to Heads of Services that received DSG funding.

(2)  That the next meeting of the Rotherham Schools’ Forum consider the completed proformas. 

• Joanne Robertson on behalf of Joyce Thacker, Strategic Director, Children and Young People’s Services, to report. 

It was noted that there were 31 Rotherham schools currently holding excess balances over the DfE thresholds of 5% and 8%. 

The 31 schools had completed returns that indicated why they were maintaining a surplus. 

Resolved: -  That a sub-group of the Rotherham Schools’ Forum meet early in the Autumn term to consider the returns. 

The update provided by the CYPS Capital Projects Officer in relation to caretakers’ properties was circulated to the members of the Rotherham Schools’ Forum.  

• Spend in 2011/12.
• 2012/13.
• Acadmisation;
• Increased rents. 
• Job log for 2011/12.

Resolved: -  That the information shared be noted. 

• Friday 5^th October, 2012;
• Friday 30^th November, 2012  (delete 7^th December);
• Friday 18^th January, 2013;
• Friday 1^st March, 2013;
• Friday 19^th April, 2013;
• Friday 28^th June, 2013 (delete 21^st June).

• Friday 5^th October, 2012;
• Friday 30^th November, 2012  (delete 7^th December);
• Friday 18^th January, 2013;
• Friday 1^st March, 2013;
• Friday 19^th April, 2013;
• Friday 28^th June, 2013 (delete 21^st June).