To approve additional in-year expenditure within the Dedicated Schools Grant for 2020/21 for

(a)        revenue pupil growth funding for 33 pupils from September 2020 for Fairfield High School; and

(b)        to commission 15 additional places for the Pupil Referral Unit from September 2020 to provide secondary intervention places.

That:

(a)       Revenue growth funding of £77,731.50 funded from Dedicated Schools Grant reserves for Fairfield High School be approved for 33 pupils over the school’s Planned Admission Number (PAN) for the autumn and spring terms at the per pupil funding amount of £4,038 pa pro-rata for the seven month period; and

(b)  An additional 15 places be commissioned at the Pupil Referral Unit from September 2020 for the autumn and spring terms at a cost of £87,500 funded from Dedicated Schools Grant reserves at the mandatory Department for Education place funding amount of £10,000 pa pro-rata for the seven month period.

1.         The only alternative for the growth funding is not to fund Fairfield High school and this is unfair as the school will be pushed into deficit due to no fault of its own.

2.         The alternative option of requiring secondary schools to fully fund the intervention places has been frustrated due to COVID-19 and a new approach is necessary. The introduction of the additional places from September provides a service that schools have been asking for and will help schools meet their responsibilities to those pupils potentially at risk of exclusion in a cost effective way that meets COVID-19 distancing requirements.