Norfolk Schools Forum

The Norfolk Schools Forum represents education establishments and the PVI sector in the funding consultation process.

The Education Act 2002 made it a legislative requirement for all LEAs to set up a Schools Forum. This body must be consulted on certain school funding issues and in turn must inform the governing bodies of maintained schools about these consultations.

Members of the Forum are keen that this should be an interactive process. If you wish to make any comments or you have any queries, email [email protected]. Your emails will be passed to Forum representatives.

School Forum meetings are open to the public. However, we would require prior notice of anyone wishing to attend. In this instance please contact [email protected] and you will be sent a link to enable you to join the meeting as an observer.

The members of the Forum are:

• Primary, secondary, academy and special school headteachers
• Governors representing the primary and secondary sectors
• Representatives from:
  • The Norwich Diocesan Board of Education
  • The Roman Catholic Church Diocese
  • The Joint Consultative Negotiating Committee
  • The Joint Consultative Committee Teachers' Panel

These are the current members of the Norfolk Schools Forum.

Maintained primary school representatives

• Sarah Shirras: St Williams Primary School. Email: [email protected]
• Stuart Allen: Mile Cross Primary School. Email: [email protected]

Maintained primary school governors

• Martin White (Forum chair): Nebula Federation. Email: [email protected]

Maintained secondary school representative

• Joanna Tuttle: Aylsham High School. Email: [email protected]

Academy representatives

• Joanne Philpott: Ormiston Academy Trust. Email: [email protected]
• Steven Dewing: Sapientia Education Trust. Email: [email protected]
• Daniel Thrower: Wensum Academy Trust. Email: [email protected]
• Peter Pazitka: St John the Baptist Catholic Multi Academy Trust. Email: [email protected]
• Owen Jenkins: Broad Horizons Education Trust. Email: [email protected]
• David Cousins: Eastern Multi Academy Trust. Email: [email protected]
• Natalie Paine: Eastern Learning Alliance. Email: [email protected]   
• Helen Seath: Creative Education Trust. Email: [email protected]

AP Academy representative

• Glyn Hambling: Unity Trust. Email: [email protected]

Special school academy representative

• Vacancy

Special school representative

• Matthew Smith: Sheringham Woodfields School. Email: [email protected]

Nursery school representative

• Claire Hooker: Emneth Nursery. Email: [email protected]

Early Years representative

• Lacey Douglass: Freelance Early Years Advisor. Email: [email protected]

16-19 representative

• Martin Colbourne: City College Norwich. Email: [email protected]

School union representatives

• Adrian Lincoln: NASUWT. Email: [email protected]
• Vacancy

Non-school members

• Stephen Beeson: Representing the Norwich Diocesan Board of Education. Email: [email protected]
• Rachel Edwards : Representing the Roman Catholic Church Diocese. Email: [email protected]

The following Norfolk School Forum meetings are due to take place between 9am and 13:00 pm as follows.

Academic Year 2024/25

Academic Year 2025/26

2026 agendas and papers

20 January 2026

• Agenda and papers (PDF, 2 MB)
• Supplementary agenda items (PDF, 1 MB)

17 March 2026

• Agenda and papers (PDF, 1 MB)
• Supplementary agenda items (PDF, 1 MB)

26 June 2026

• Agenda and papers (PDF, 2 MB)
• Supplementary agenda items (PDF, 9 MB) (if a more accessible version is needed, please contact [email protected])

2025 agendas and papers

31 January 2025

• Agenda and papers (PDF, 1 MB)
• Pupil variations prior year Oct 24 est vs actual (Excel doc, 19 KB)

4 March 2025

• Agenda and papers (PDF, 2 MB)

26 March 2025

• Agenda and papers (PDF, 2 MB)
• Supplementary agenda item (PDF, 897 KB)

09 May 2025

• Agenda and papers (PDF, 2 MB)

02 July 2025

• Agenda and papers (PDF, 756 KB)

24 September 2025

• Agenda and papers (PDF, 1 MB)
• Supplementary agenda item (PDF, 1 MB)

26 November 2025

• Agenda and papers (PDF, 2 MB)
• Supplementary agenda item (PDF, 823 KB)

2024 agendas and papers

26 January 2024

• Agenda and papers (PDF, 1 MB)
• 2024-01-26 Learning First Inclusion update - January 2024 (PDF, 1 MB)

13 March 2024

• Agenda and papers (PDF, 717 KB)

17 May 2024

• Agenda (PDF, 96 KB)
• Schools Forum minutes 13 March 2024 (PDF, 230 KB)
• DSG Final Outturn and Balances 2023-24 (PDF, 353 KB)
• Local First Inclusion Update - May 2024 (PDF, 859 KB)

10 July 2024

• Agenda and papers (PDF, 1 MB)
• Supplementary agenda (PDF, 1 MB)
• Schools Forum minutes 17 May 2024 (PDF, 143 KB)

20 September 2024

• Agenda and papers (PDF, 1 MB)

19 November 2024

• Agenda and papers (PDF, 3 MB)

6 December 2024

• Agenda and papers (PDF, 1 MB)
• Supplementary agenda Item (no. 8) and paper (PDF, 1 MB)

2023 agendas and papers

27 January 2023

• Agenda and papers (PDF, 744 KB)
• Amalgamation Protection - Disapplication (Word doc, 86 KB) 
• Exceptional Premises Factor - Disapplication (Word doc, 86 KB)
• Proposed DSG Budget 2023-24 (Word doc, 98 KB) 

22 March 2023

• Agenda and papers (PDF, 349 KB)
• School forum briefing (Powerpoint, 486 KB) (PowerPoint)
• Overview of options following deletion of point 1 (Excel doc, 20 KB) (Excel)
• Deletion of bottom point MI sheet (PDF, 105 KB)
• Budget 2023 - What it means for Early Years and Childcare (Powerpoint, 273 KB) (PowerPoint)

17 May 2023

• Agenda and papers (PDF, 406 KB)
• Local First Inclusion Update May 2023 (PDF, 1 MB)

7 July 2023

• Agenda and papers (PDF, 2 MB)

29 September 2023

• Agenda and papers (PDF, 3 MB)

22 November 2023

• Agenda and papers (PDF, 804 KB)
• Item 5: Schools Block Consultation Part B (PDF, 269 KB)
• Item 8: De-delegation / central school services block (PDF, 379 KB)

2022 agendas and papers

19 January 2022

• Agenda and papers (Word doc, 130 KB)
• Possible school closure - APT adjustment (Word doc, 31 KB)
• SIMB grant update paper - Jan 22 (Word doc, 27 KB)

18 May 2022

• Agenda and papers (Word doc, 123 KB)
• School Catering - Renewal of NCC Group Contract (Word doc, 89 KB)

8 July 2022

• Agenda and papers (Word doc, 1 MB)

30 September 2022

• Agenda and papers (Word doc, 833 KB)

16 November 2022

• Agenda and papers (PDF, 562 KB)

Norfolk School Forum agendas and papers for dates prior to these are available on this archive page, or email [email protected].

2021 agendas and papers

26 January 2021

• Agenda and papers (Word doc, 199 KB)
• School balances analysis review (Word doc, 118 KB)

12 March 2021

• Agenda and papers (Word doc, 110 KB)
• DfE HNB consultation NCC response (PDF, 208 KB)
• HNB national position presentation (Powerpoint, 2 MB)
• Mental health redesign presentation (Powerpoint, 597 KB)

14 May 2021

• Agenda and papers (Word doc, 120 KB)
• School forum forward plan (PDF, 144 KB)
• Growth Fund: Pre-and-Post Opening Costs (LA Presumption Process) (PDF, 325 KB)

9 July 2021

• Agenda and papers (Word doc, 215 KB)
• Regional letter from schools forums to DfE (Word doc, 83 KB)

29 September 2021

• Agenda and papers (Word doc, 4 MB) (4.5MB; may not be fully accessible - for this information in a different format, please email [email protected])

17 November 2021

• Agenda and papers (Word doc, 242 KB)

2020 agendas and papers

10 January 2020

• Agenda and papers (Word doc, 512 KB)

18 March 2020

• Agenda and papers (Word doc, 53 KB)
• Service improvement update regarding the Norfolk Speech and Language Therapy Service (SLT) (PDF, 222 KB)

8 July 2020

• Agenda and papers (Word doc, 177 KB)
• CERF energy report 2018-2020 (PDF, 423 KB)
• Scheme for financing schools 2020 (Word doc, 1 MB) (for reference in meeting only)

30 September 2020

• Agenda and papers (Word doc, 219 KB)

13 November 2020

• Agenda and papers (Word doc, 104 KB)
• Early Years Consultation Response (Word doc, 112 KB)
• Buyback 2122 Nursery (Excel doc, 11 KB)
• Buyback 2122 Specials (Excel doc, 13 KB)

2019 agendas and papers

11 January 2019

• Agenda and papers (PDF, 269 KB)
• CLEAPSS subscription information (Word doc, 14 KB)
• Reasons for primary schools to belong to CLEAPSS (PDF, 349 KB)
• Local authority membership of CLEAPSS (PDF, 144 KB)
• HR de-delegated budget information (Word doc, 14 KB)

15 March 2019

• Agenda and papers (PDF, 196 KB)
• Pupil variation (Excel doc, 14 KB)
• NCC Group Catering Contract - increase to school meal prices from 1 April (Word doc, 23 KB)

10 May 2019

• Agendas and papers (PDF, 617 KB)

11 September 2019

• Agenda and papers (PDF, 686 KB)
• Cluster balances (Excel doc, 51 KB)

22 November 2019

• Agenda and papers (PDF, 527 KB)
• Schools Operational Guide 2020-21 (PDF, 671 KB)
• Education strategy and infrastructure - final draft (place planning item) (Word doc, 216 KB)
• Primary Local Authority school places scorecard 2018 (PDF, 118 KB)
• Secondary Local Authority school places scorecard 2018 (PDF, 118 KB)
• Primary Schools Block Consultation Final (Word doc, 187 KB) (November 18 2019)

2018 agendas and papers

10 January 2018

• Agenda and papers (PDF, 231 KB)

18 May 2018

• Agenda and papers (PDF, 345 KB)

12 September 2018

• Agenda and papers (PDF, 305 KB)

17 October 2018

• Agenda and papers (PDF, 390 KB)

If you need agendas and papers for dates prior to these or in a more accessible format, please email [email protected].

Minutes for the Norfolk Schools Forum meetings are available below.

2026 minutes

20 January 2026

• Minutes (PDF, 248 KB)

17 March 2026

• Minutes (PDF, 498 KB)

2025 minutes

31 January 2025

• Minutes (PDF, 262 KB)

4 March 2025

• Minutes (PDF, 201 KB)

26 March 2025

• Minutes (PDF, 294 KB)

9 May 2025

• Minutes (PDF, 291 KB)

2 July 2025

• Minutes (PDF, 218 KB)

24 September 2025

• Minutes (PDF, 222 KB)

26 November 2025

• Minutes (PDF, 249 KB)

2024 minutes

26 January 2024

• Minutes (PDF, 187 KB)

13 March 2024

• Minutes (PDF, 230 KB)

17 May 2024

• Minutes (PDF, 143 KB)

10 July 2024

• Minutes (PDF, 264 KB)

20 September 2024

• Minutes (PDF, 218 KB)

19 November 2024

• Minutes (PDF, 341 KB)

6 December 2024

• Minutes (PDF, 193 KB)

2023 minutes

27 January 2023

• Minutes (Word doc, 64 KB)

22 March 2023

• Minutes (PDF, 209 KB)

17 May 2023

• Minutes (PDF, 205 KB)

07 July 2023

• Minutes (PDF, 202 KB)

29 September 2023

• Minutes (PDF, 197 KB)

22 November 2023

• Minutes (PDF, 227 KB)

2022 minutes

19 January 2022

• Minutes (Word doc, 42 KB)

18 May 2022

• Minutes (Word doc, 43 KB)

8 July 2022

• Minutes (Word doc, 57 KB)

16 November 2022

• Minutes (Word doc, 69 KB)

Norfolk School Forum minutes for dates prior to these are available on this archive page, or email [email protected].

2021 minutes

26 January 2021

• Minutes (Word doc, 33 KB)

12 March 2021

• Minutes (Word doc, 35 KB)

14 May 2021

• Minutes (Word doc, 39 KB)

9 July 2021

• Minutes (Word doc, 37 KB)

29 September 2021

• Minutes (Word doc, 38 KB)

17 November 2021

• Minutes (Word doc, 43 KB)

2020 minutes

10 January 2020

• Minutes (Word doc, 34 KB)

8 July 2020

• Minutes (Word doc, 38 KB)

30 September 2020

• Minutes (Word doc, 42 KB)

13 November 2020

• Minutes (Word doc, 42 KB)

2019 minutes

11 January 2019

• Minutes (PDF, 136 KB)
• Disapplication Request (PDF, 161 KB)

15 March 2019

• Minutes (PDF, 138 KB)

10 May 2019

• Minutes (PDF, 199 KB)

11 September 2019

• Minutes (PDF, 169 KB)

22 November 2019

• Minutes (PDF, 200 KB)

2018 minutes

10 January 2018

• Minutes (PDF, 141 KB)

18 May 2018

• Minutes (PDF, 109 KB)

12 September 2018

• Minutes (PDF, 138 KB)

17 October 2018

• Minutes (PDF, 147 KB)

If you need minutes for dates prior to these or in a more accessible format, please email [email protected].

To communicate with those they represent, the Norfolk Schools Forum members produce the Schools Forum Briefing. It provides a brief summary of the discussions and decisions taken by the Schools Forum at their most recent meeting. These notes are intended to be brief and largely capture just the headlines.

If you want to find more detail, the minutes and papers from all meetings, as well as contact details for Forum representatives, are available in this Norfolk Schools Forum section on the Norfolk Schools website.

• Forum Briefing - March 2026
• Forum Briefing - January 2026
• Forum Briefing - November 2025
• Forum Briefing - September 2025
• Forum Briefing - March 2025 (PDF, 281 KB)
• Forum Briefing - December 2024 (PDF, 330 KB)
• Forum Briefing - November 2024 (PDF, 352 KB)
• Forum Briefing - September 2024 (PDF, 402 KB)
• Forum Briefing - May 2024 (PDF, 333 KB)
• Forum Briefing - March 2024 (PDF, 370 KB)
• Forum Briefing - January 2024 (PDF, 349 KB)
• Forum Briefing - November 2023 (PDF, 378 KB)
• Forum Briefing - September 2023 (PDF, 512 KB)
• Forum Briefing - July 2023 (PDF, 257 KB)
• Forum Briefing - May 2023 (PDF, 254 KB)

Please see the following for more information about Norfolk Schools Forum governance:

• Constitution and Guidance 2025/26 (PDF, 311 KB) (PDF)
• Schools forum operational and good practice guide (DfE)

Working Groups

Working Groups established by the Schools Forum

• High Needs Working Group 

Working groups who feedback to the Schools Forum 

• Financial Consultative Group 
• Local Inclusion Partnership
• Early Years Consultative Group