Haringey schools will face a 0% funding increase for the 2026-27 academic year, as the council adopts a new funding model that aligns with the Department for Education's National Funding Formula (NFF).

The decision, approved by Councillor Zena Brabazon, Cabinet Member for Children, Schools & Families, means that while the overall Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) allocation has increased due to additional grants, the core funding per pupil will not see an uplift. This is largely due to a 0% Minimum Funding Guarantee (MFG) for all schools.

The Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) allocation has seen an increase due to the incorporation of additional grants, totalling £6.754 million. Specifically, the School Budget Support Grant (SBSG) and the National Insurance Contributions (NICs) grant will be integrated into the 2026-2027 NFF values.

The new strategy involves several key parameters for funding allocation. A transfer of 0.50% from the Schools Block to the High Needs Block has been agreed as part of a safety valve agreement with the Department for Education. This 'safety valve agreement' is designed to reduce the High Needs Block deficit. While approval for this transfer is highly likely, the long-term implications are not explicitly detailed in the report.

The Growth/Falling Rolls Fund will be set at £666,629, and £210,042 will be de-delegated for Trade Union Representation for maintained schools.

Additionally, a block transfer of £122,000 from the Schools Block to the Central Block for Education Welfare Services is agreed, pending necessary consent from the Department for Education. If this consent is not obtained, the block transfer for both the High Needs Block (HNB) and the Central School Services Block (CSSB) will be restricted to 0.5% of the Schools Block, which is the threshold that does not require approval from the Secretary of State.

The council is legally required to submit its local schools funding formula to the Education and Skills Funding Agency by January 22, 2026. This decision ensures the council meets this statutory deadline. The report, Haringey Schools Funding Formula 2026-27 Cabinet Member Decision, indicates that all maintained and academy schools in the borough were consulted on these proposed changes.

The consultation with maintained and academy schools regarding these proposed funding changes yielded responses from headteachers and governors, detailed in Appendix 2 - Schools Block Consultation Results. Two models were presented to the Schools' Block Working Group (SBWG). Model 1, which uses 100% NFF values, was recommended for adoption to ensure consistency and avoid future funding fluctuations. This model was chosen over an alternative that would have used the maximum allowable lump sum but resulted in a lower growth/falling rolls fund.

The report also notes a decrease in the total pupil count, which impacts the DSG funding, but this is offset by the increase in the DSG allocation due to additional grants being incorporated. The Chief Finance Officer confirmed the affordability of the changes within the total DSG allocation, and the Director of Legal and Governance confirmed compliance with statutory requirements. Further details on the indicative allocations for Haringey schools in 2026-27 can be found in Appendix 1 - Haringey Schools - Indicative Allocation 2026-27.

For more information on the decisions made, please refer to the Decisions document from the Cabinet Member Signing meeting on 21st January 2026.