Revised Devolved School Management (DSM) Scheme ECSPB
Renfrewshire Council · 18 August 2022
Back to Education and Children's Services Policy Board — 18 August 2022 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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Page 1 of 30 To: Education and Children’s Services Policy Board On: 18 August 2022 ___________________________________________________________________ Report by: Director of Children’s Services ___________________________________________________________________ Heading: Revised Devolved School Management (DSM) Scheme ___________________________________________________________________ 1. Purpose 1.1 The purpose of this paper is to seek approval from Elected Members to implement the revised Devolved School Management (DSM) Scheme. Appendix 1. 2. Recommendation 2.1 It is recommended that the Panel: 2.1.1 considers and approves the revised Devolved School Management (DSM) Scheme (attached as Appendix 1); and 2.1.2 delegates authority to the Director of Children’s Services to amend the Devolved School Management (DSM) Scheme to reflect any future Council decisions that impact on it. 3. Background 3.1 Devolved school management (DSM) was introduced in 1993 to enhance and improve the management of resources at school level. Schools have benefited from the introduction of DSM as they have greater control over their budgets which allows them to respond to local needs more effectively. 3.2 In June 2017 the Scottish Government consulted on changes to DSM as part of the wider ‘Fair Funding to Achieve Excellence and Equity in Education’ consultation. In June 2019, the Scottish Government published updated DSM guidelines1, which sought to build on and improve on the DSM arrangements in Local Authorities2 whilst reflecting the priorities emerging from the Education Reform Joint Agreement of June 2018 such as Leadership, Empowerment, Collaboration and Funding. 3.3 Following the publication of the revised DSM guidelines a working group was established to review the Council’s existing DSM scheme. The group consisted of representatives from the Children’s Services team, Corporate
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Page 2 of 30 Finance, Head Teachers from all school sectors and a representative from the Trade Union body. The group discussed the issues with the existing scheme and agreed that the structure of school budgets should be simplified and that most of the budget formulas needed to be revised to incorporate previous changes. This is to ensure that the formulas were transparent and could be fairly and consistently applied. 3.4 The review of DSM was discussed at a Head Teachers’ meeting and the proposed DSM scheme reflects the feedback gathered. 4. Proposals 4.1 The revised DSM Scheme (attached as Appendix 1) reflects the Council’s priorities and the requirements of the Scottish Governments new DSM guidelines. The scheme is simplified and ensures greater transparency regarding how school budgets are calculated and allocated to schools. Generally, budgets are based on the size of the school but also take account of staff numbers, pupil demographics and the profile of children and young people with additional support needs. 4.2. Next Steps for Decision Tracking Purposes If the recommendations above are approved by Members, the Director of Children’s Services will ensure that all necessary steps are taken to ensure full implementation of the decision. 1Scottish Government Devolved School Management Guidelines 2 Scottish Government Devolved School Management - Framework for Local Authorities Implications of this report 1. Financial There are no financial implications arising from this report. School DSM budgets reflect central education budgets that are then incorporated into the DSM arrangements. Schools will continue to have the powers to agree budget transfers and carry forwards within the context of the Council’s Financial Regulations and DSM guidelines. The scheme specifically gives the Director of Children’s Services the right to “utilise school or Early Learning Centre carry forward balances on either a temporary or permanent basis to address overall service financial pressures. 2. HR and Organisational Development None. 3. Community/Council Planning Renfrewshire’s new Council Plan is currently being developed and will be presented to elected members after the summer recess. The Plan will identify high-level strategic outcomes the Council intends to achieve over the next five years and the actions needed to deliver on these. For now, actions are grouped under the following four themes:
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Page 3 of 30 Place People Sustainability Living Our Values The matters referred to in this report contribute to proposed high-level strategic outcomes. Empowering Head Teachers to make financial decisions at a local level ensures resources are directed to children, young people and their families within the context of their needs and respective communities. This people and place-based approach also evidences the Council’s approach to working fairly and collaboratively to deliver better services 4. Legal None. 5. Property/Assets None. 6. Information Technology None. 7. Equality and Human Rights None. 8. Health and Safety None. 9. Procurement None. 10. Risk Risk Implications of Adopting the Recommendations. There are no risks associated with adopting the recommendations. Risk Implications of Rejecting the Recommendations. Rejecting the recommendations will require schools to continue to operate within the current scheme which is not transparent and does not meet the requirements of the new DSM guidelines published by the Scottish Government. 11. Privacy Impact None. 12. 13. Cosla Policy Position None. Climate Risk None. List of Background Papers None
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Page 4 of 30 ___________________________________________________________________ Children’s Services TMcG/KO 25/07/22 Author: Tracy McGillivray, Head of Education, 0141 618 7194
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Page 5 of 30 Renfrewshire Council Appendix 1 Devolved School Management - Draft Scheme August 2022 Contents 1. Introduction 1.1 Introduction to Renfrewshire Council 1.2 Education Context 1.3 Objectives of the Devolved School Management (DSM) 1.4 Devolved School Management (DSM) Overview 1.5 Principles of Devolved School Management (DSM) 1.6 Parent Council 2 Budget Overview 2.1 Budget Overview 2.2 Budget flexibility during the year and at the year-end 3. Areas of Expenditure Devolved 3.1 Employee Costs 3.2 Transport 3.3 Supplies and Services 3.4 Areas identified as not suitable for devolving and are deemed non- controllable by schools 4. Key Areas to be covered by schemes 4.1 Financial Regulations 4.2 Best Value Principles 4.3 Local Authority Commitment to Devolved School Management 4.4 School expenditure within wider Strategic Planning
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Page 6 of 30 4.5 Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers and Local Negotiating Committees for Teachers’ Agreements 4.6 Publication Availability 4.7 Training 4.8 Consultation and Engagement 4.9 Transparency 4.10 Staffing Structures 4.11 Legislative and Contractual Requirements 4.12 Staff Resource 4.13 Professional Support teams, functions, and transparency 4.14 Review, Methodology and Stakeholders
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Page 7 of 30 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 Introduction to Renfrewshire Council Renfrewshire is one of 32 Scottish Local Authorities and comprises of 12 electoral wards, each ward has either three or four elected members. Renfrewshire is a place with a rich history, strong resilient communities, and great economic potential. Underpinned by the Council values, the work of the council focuses on “thriving people, connected communities” and we have a clear and ambitious vision to work collaboratively for our people and places to reach their full potential. The council is working to deliver against five strategic objectives that provide the framework for everything we do as a Council. Reshaping our place, our economy, and our future Building strong, safe, and resilient communities Tackling inequality, ensuring opportunities for all Creating a sustainable environment for all to enjoy Working together to improve outcomes The Council’s Management Team (CMT) is structured around the People and Place agenda and is led by the Chief Executive supported by the Directors of Children’s Services; Communities, Housing and Planning Services; Environment and Infrastructure; and Finance & Resources. 1.2 Education Context within Renfrewshire Renfrewshire Council is responsible for the education provision of approximately 27,000 children and young people. This is delivered through 11 secondary schools, 50 primary schools, two schools, Riverbrae and Mary Russel, for children and young people with Additional Support Needs (ASN). In addition to the two schools there are also a number of integrated specialist facilities for children and young people with additional support needs. Council operates 15 dedicated Early Learning and Childcare Centres (ELCCs) and a further 18 ELCCs within our primary schools. Early Learning and Childcare (ELCC) is delivered in partnership with private sector providers.
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Page 8 of 30 Sector Pupil Numbers Teacher Numbers (FTE Secondary 13,021 840.6 Primary 10,508 840.0 Additional Support Needs 388 86.7 Centrally Employed 25.9 Total 23,917 1793.3 Source: School Pupil and Staff Census - September 2021 1.3 Objectives of the Devolved Management Scheme (DSM) The underlying objective of Devolved School Management (DSM) is to enable decisions, relevant to the day-to-day management and provision of school education, to be made at local level. The scheme of DSM provides the method of calculating how resources are allocated to schools on the basis of clearly defined allocation criteria. The DSM scheme is not a prescriptive guide. Head Teachers have responsibility for determining how this budget will be allocated within the school to meet the needs of their school community. This approach will ensure schools are resourced in a fair and consistent manner, whilst embracing the empowerment agenda. Head Teachers are empowered to allocate resources in a manner that best suits the needs of the learners within their school community. 1.4 Devolved Management Scheme (DSM) Overview DSM was introduced nationally in 1993 to enhance and improve the management of resources at school level. The DSM guidance was reviewed in 2006, and again in 2012, taking account of the changing economic and financial climate for both Local Authorities and the Scottish Government. In June 2017, the Scottish Government consulted on changes to DSM as part of the wider "Fair Funding to Achieve Excellence and Equity in Education" consultation. Following the consultation, an Education Reform Joint Agreement between the Scottish Government and COSLA was introduced in 2018 with priorities focusing on school empowerment, collaboration, parental involvement and
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Page 9 of 30 engagement and pupil participation. In June 2019, updated DSM guidelines were published, which sought to build and improve on the DSM Guidelines of 2012 and reflects and integrates with the Education Reform Programme and priorities emerging from the Joint Agreement of June 2018. These guidelines can be found here https://www.gov.scot/policies/schools/devolved-school-management. They have been prepared through collaboration and consultation with a wide range of stakeholders and has helped Local Authorities review and develop their own DSM schemes with the aim of encouraging participation from stakeholders. Collaboration is essential to a successful local DSM scheme, and this is captured within the Joint Agreement and Head Teachers’ Charter to which these guidelines align and support. DSM is already a key policy of Renfrewshire Council and operates within the Council’s overarching Scheme of Delegation, Financial Regulations and Standing Orders. Through this process decision-making powers and budgetary responsibilities are devolved to Head Teachers to allow them to respond to local needs more effectively. DSM is intrinsically linked to the school improvement planning process and enables schools to plan for improvement and raise educational attainment. The scheme ensures that there is transparency throughout the process and that budgets are allocated on a fair and consistent basis. The specific responsibilities of Head Teachers in relation to the administration and management of school budgets are clearly identified within the scheme. The DSM scheme will adapt to the inclusion of future funding streams that may be allocated to Education and likewise will incorporate any future budget adjustments as part of the council’s efficiency exercise. 1.5 Principles of Devolved School Management (DSM) DSM is built upon the foundations and principles of: Subsidiarity and Empowerment Collaboration Accountability and Responsibility Clarity and Equity
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Page 10 of 30 These principles reflect the National Improvement Framework aims of excellence through raising attainment and achieving equity. The principles also fully endorse those proposed in the Fair Funding consultation: support excellence and equity - ensuring every child and young person has the same opportunity to succeed be fair - placing the needs of all children and young people at the centre be simple, transparent, and predictable – ensuring the costs of delivering education can be easily understood and explained and that schools are able to manage and plan ahead with certainty deliver value for money – ensuring that every penny spent is used effectively 1.6 Parent Council Parents and carers are the most important influence throughout a child’s education and parental involvement in learning makes a real difference to children’s achievements. Parent Councils help parents and carers to become more actively and effectively involved in their children’s learning. They were established under the Scottish Schools (Parental Involvement) Act 2006 in recognition of the important role that parents can play, both in their own children’s learning, and in the life of a school. Parent Forum is the collective name for every parent, carer or guardian at a school. The Act gives each school’s Parent Forum the right to set up a Parent Council. More information can be found on the Parents’ page of the Scottish Government website www.scotland.gov.uk/parents The role of the Parent Council is to: Support the school in its work with children and young people Represent the views of parents and carers Encourage links between the school, parents and carers, children and young people, pre-school groups and the wider community Parent Councils play an important part in providing opportunities for parents to get involved in ways that suit them and to support their school in getting the best education for their children and young people. Under the Council’s DSM Scheme, Head Teachers will be required to update their Parent Council’s on their school budget throughout the school year.
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Page 11 of 30 2 BUDGET OVERVIEW 2.1 Budget Overview Tables 1 & 2 below show Council’s Education budget as of 24 June 2022. Table 1: Divisional Analysis Description Budget £000 Directorate 485 Early Learning & Childcare 34,013 Primary 56,474 Secondary 78,189 ASN Schools 6,361 ASN Budget 15,295 Psychological Service 741 Education Development 1,845 Attainment Challenge 655 Facilities Management 598 Total 194,656 Table 2: Subjective Analysis Description Budget £000 Employee costs – teachers 103,624 Employee costs – APTC 36,658 Premises costs 8,608 Transport costs 4,271 Supplies and Services 33,874 Third party payments 878 Transfer payments 11,934 Support services 16 Income (5,207) Total 194,656
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Page 12 of 30 2.2 Budget flexibility during the year and at the year-end The ability to move budget from one line to another is known as virement and is permitted on most budget lines. With the excepting of staffing, which is limited to 1 Full Time Equivalent (FTE), carry forward is at the discretion of the Head Teacher in consultation with staff, parents & children. Financial support staff will closely monitor the amounts of virement and raise any issues if necessary. If a Head Teacher makes a discretionary decision to incur expenditure on a non- devolved line, the school will be required to vire budget into the non-devolved line. Upon request, schools are required to provide the Head of Service, or their delegate a forecast of year end carry forward a written statement explaining any underspend an outline business plan for the use of funds a forecast roll for the forthcoming academic year an explanation of variance between the forecasted and actual roll Unspent funds are expected to be used in the following financial year unless they are being put aside for a specific purpose, outlined in the business case, and approved by the Head of Service. Net overspends in a school budget are not normally allowed. However, it is accepted that unexpected pressures towards the end of a financial year may cause overspends of a scale which can be successfully managed by being carried forward as deficits to the following financial year. The Director may, at their discretion, utilise school or Early Learning Centre carry forward balances on either a temporary or permanent basis to address overall service financial pressures. Specialist resources to support children with Additional Support Needs are within Additional Support for Learning (ASL) management and are not included in DSM. ASL division charges secondaries for pupil attendance at units, the FTE attended x 0.0575 unpromoted teacher budget at average salary. The scheme only includes items within the Council’s base budget that are devolved. Specific grants such as Pupil Equity Fund (PEF) from Scottish Government are devolved to Head Teachers but are subject to different accounting regimes and must be kept discrete from other budgets.
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Page 13 of 30 3.0 AREAS OF EXPENDITURE TO BE DEVOLVED The areas that will be devolved to schools under this scheme and subject to its conditions are: 3.1 Employee Costs The budgets for staff have been broken down into teaching and school support staff most of which are allocated on a formula basis. Head Teachers will continue to appoint and manage employees in accordance with the Council’s policies and procedures. Although the scheme gives greater flexibility for the management of employee budgets, Head Teachers should always consider the wider implications of any proposals, for example, staffing standards, employment rights etc; and therefore, Head Teachers should contact appropriate staff within the central office who can assist/advise them with any such decisions. 3.1.1 Primary staffing entitlement Teaching Primary teacher staffing is based on the number of class groups which need to be formed while observing the statutory maximum limits of pupils in each class and class contact time. In general, there as there is no scope for operating additional or fewer classes, core teacher staffing is not devolved in primary schools. Maximum class contact time for Newly Qualified Teachers (NQT) is 18.5 hours which equates to 0.82 FTE. To allow for mentoring, the maximum deployment for an NQT is 0.7 FTE. An NQT may be appointed to lesser pointages as part of the overall commitment to the national NQT placement strategy and this is via discussion with Head of Service with responsibility for staffing Decisions on staffing are made in March to ensure compliance with the regulations in respect of placing requests. Head Teachers are notified of these decisions on completion of this exercise. Each primary school also gets an allocation of unpromoted teacher FTE to support children with additional support needs (network allocation). This allocation may be reviewed by the Head of Service with responsibility for Inclusion.
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Page 14 of 30 Promoted Post Structure Promoted posts are provided in accordance with Standard Circular 66, see table below. The budget is not devolved. Our practice is that schools transitioning between roll bands must be established in the new band before entitlement changes. Pupil Roll Max no. of posts HT DHT PT 1 - 150 2 1 0 1 151 - 249 2 1 1 0 250 - 349 3 1 1 1 350 - 419 4 1 2 1 420+ 5 1 2 2 Absence Cover The absence cover in primary schools comes from various support mechanisms available to schools. In the first instance schools will cover on a short-term basis from within the school resources – this may take the form of: Management time via promoted structures for short term and emergency situations Surplus staff in post Additionality in the school from NQT staffing Other funding sources and posts Option of additional hours for part time staff Use of permanent cover pool Devolved Absence Cover Budget Formula Fixed primary (5 days per teacher FTE) x daily rate Variable primary (4.5 days per teacher FTE) x daily rate Virement from the absence cover budget s in accordance with JNC11. Continuous Professional Development Each school gets £65 per teacher FTE.
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Page 15 of 30 Staff Development The budget of £82,400 is devolved, allocated £500 per school and the balance distributed according to teacher FTE. Classroom Assistants The budget is devolved, each school gets an allocation of hours per year at pay point 23, the midpoint of Grade 02. Supervisory Assistants Each school gets a devolved budget equivalent to 5-hours per week for 46 weeks at pay point 19 (Grade 01) less 4% turnover. 3.1.2 Secondary Staffing Entitlement Teaching The formula for devolved main grade teacher full time equivalents (FTE) in secondary schools is: - 10.24 + (0.0575 pupils) + network allocation) The main grade FTE, although set at the beginning of April, will be reassessed with a final setting dependent on the September census. Therefore, all schools should reflect budget planning based on census projections in April. Each secondary school, within their core allocation, should utilise appropriate FTE to support additional needs requirements. In addition, each secondary school also receives an allocation of unpromoted teacher FTE to support children with additional support needs. This allocation may be reviewed by the Head of Service responsible for inclusion. A school’s main grade FTE is reduced by the pointages into which newly qualified teachers (NQTs) are deployed under the Teacher Induction Scheme (TIS). The devolved FTE is then multiplied by the average salary to arrive at the devolved budget. The average salary is set at the start of the financial year but may be adjusted mid-year should Finance or the Head of Service deem it necessary.
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Page 16 of 30 Promoted Post Structure Each secondary receives a promoted element budget being the difference between the average main grade salary and the pay point for each promoted postholder. The table below shows the promoted post structure based on Standard Circular 65. Our practice is that schools transitioning between roll bands must be established in the new band before entitlement changes. School roll DHT PT Curriculum PT Pastoral 0-599 3 7 3 600-799 3 8 3 800-899 3 8 4 900-999 3 10 4 1000-1199 4 10 4 1200+ 4 10 5 In addition, each Secondary receives £5,000 for additional management capacity. Absence Cover The absence cover in a secondary school comes from: Provision within the normal staffing complement of the school. This includes the core staffing allocation and might include additionality agreed through individual arrangements or through maintaining surplus staff in school Management time via promoted structures for short term and emergency situations Additionality in the school from NQT staffing Other funding sources and posts Basic staffing formula Variable secondary (3.5 days per FTE) x daily rate
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Page 17 of 30 Continuous Professional Development Each school gets £65 per teacher FTE. Staff Development The budget of £65,700 is devolved, allocated £400 per school and the balance distributed according to the aggregate of teacher FTE Virement Limit The aggregate virement from all teacher salary accounts is limited to 1 FTE at average teacher salary for that year. Classroom Assistants The budget is devolved, each school gets an allocation of hours per year at pay point 23, the midpoint of Grade 02. Clerical Salaries The budgets are fully devolved. Education Support Manager (ESM) is the incumbent’s pay point minus 3% turnover. Other clerical staff are budgeted at midpoint of each pay grade less 4% turnover. Technicians Each secondary school receives a devolved budget at the incumbent’s pay point. Supervisory Assistants Each secondary school receives a devolved budget equivalent to 5-hours per week for 46 weeks at pay point 19 (Grade 01) minus 4% turnover. 3.1.3 Additional Support Needs Schools – staffing entitlement Teaching The Director determines staffing & management structures budgets in Mary Russell and Riverbrae appropriate to the complexity of children’s need. It is therefore inappropriate to allow virement or carry forward. Absence cover Devolved Absence Cover Budget Formula Fixed (5 days per teacher FTE) x daily rate Variable (4.5 days per teacher FTE) x daily rate
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Page 18 of 30 Continuous Professional Development Each school gets £65 per teacher FTE. Staff Development The budget of £9,600 is devolved, allocated £500 per school and the balance distributed according to the aggregate of teacher, and support staff FTE. Bus Escorts The budget is devolved, each school gets an allocation of hours per year at pay point 22 per table below. School Hours Mary Russell 2,162 Riverbrae 3,525 3.2 Transport Employee Travel The budget is devolved with a fixed amount per school and the balance distributed according to teacher FTE. Sector Total Budget Fixed Amount per School Primary £37,600 £520 Secondary £20,700 £820 ASN Schools £3,750 £520 Consortium Travel The budget is devolved and distributed to secondary schools as instructed by the responsible Education Manager. Work Experience Travel & Subsistence The budget is devolved and distributed according to pupil numbers in the previous year’s census. The budget per sector is: - Sector Total Budget Secondary £19,700 ASN Schools £1,530
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Page 19 of 30 3.3 Supplies and Services The undernoted budgets are devolved. The budget for each sector is distributed with a fixed amount per school and the balance according to pupil numbers in the previous year’s census per the tables below. Classroom Supplies Sector Total Budget Fixed Amount per School Primary £82,500 £260 Secondary £348,500 £1,400 ASN Schools £64,750 n/a Printing & Stationery Sector Total Budget Fixed Amount per School Primary £10,300 £60 Secondary £10,000 £200 ASN Schools £500 £125 Postage Sector Total Budget Fixed Amount per School Primary £13,500 £100 Secondary £15,500 £200 ASN Schools £800 £250 School Activities Sector Total Budget Fixed Amount per School Primary £40,500 £600 Secondary £35,500 £2,400 ASN Schools £2,250 £1,125 Curricular Costs Sector Total Budget Fixed Amount per School Primary + ASN School £50,000 £200 Secondary + ASN School £199,000 £4,000
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Page 20 of 30 Furniture & Fittings Sector Total Budget Fixed Amount per School Primary £15,000 £200 Secondary £20,000 £800 ASN Schools £685 £200 Office Equipment & Materials Sector Total Budget Fixed Amount per School Primary £8,500 £150 Secondary £29,500 £850 ASN Schools £1,750 £500 The undernoted budgets are devolved, each school receives a fixed amount for each expense. Membership Fees & Subscriptions Sector Fixed Amount per School Primary £40 Secondary £350 Education Journals Sector Fixed Amount per School Primary £60 Secondary £100 Health & Safety / Medical Equipment Sector Fixed Amount per School Primary £350 Secondary £1200 ASN £800 Small Tools Sector Fixed Amount per School Primary £30 Secondary £180
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Page 21 of 30 Payments to Chaplains or Churches Sector Fixed Amount per School Primary £30 Secondary £30 Hospitality Sector Fixed Amount per School Primary £35 Secondary £110 Protective Clothing Applies to secondary only, each school receives £200. Parent Council Support There are three elements of devolved budget for Parent Council support. Each school; receives a fixed amount for Clerk’s fee and travel per the table below. Expense Total Budget Fixed Amount per School Clerk’s Fee £16,695 £265 Travel £1,260 £20 In addition, the administration cost budget for each sector is distributed with a fixed amount per school and the balance according to pupil numbers in the previous year’s census per the tables below. Sector Total Budget Fixed Amount per School Primary £4,750 £35 Secondary £,1800 £35 ASN £250 £35 PE Facilities The total primary budget is £24,000 which is distributed according to pupil numbers in the previous year’s census. Each secondary receives £1,100. General Administration Cost The total primary budget is £8,200 which is distributed according to pupil numbers in the previous year’s census. Each ASN school receives £300.
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Page 22 of 30 3.4 Areas identified as not suitable for devolving Whilst Head Teachers are given maximum flexibility over their budgets, there are areas of expenditure that are generally not considered suitable for devolution. The reasons for this may include but are not limited to areas outside the influence of a Head Teacher; areas that are too bureaucratic such as property maintenance costs; have unacceptable levels of risk, benefit from economies of scale; require professional expertise; and complex by their nature. These budgets are managed at a central resource level and are not included in schools’ carry forward figures and virements are not permitted. In line with national guidance and following local consultation, the following areas have not been included the devolved scheme: Rent in relation to school premises Capital expenditure, including PPP/PFI costs Property insurance Non-domestic rates Statutory contracted work on managing the school estate Corporate support function costs including finance, HR, and legal functions School clothing grants Education maintenance allowances Home to school pupil transport Premature retirement costs SEEMIS School meals Waste Collection Energy costs Carbon charges Janitorial and cleaning staff costs
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Page 23 of 30 Central support services including educational psychology, quality improvement, speech and language therapy, hearing and visually impaired support and significant enhanced provision for children with additional support needs. SQA fees Elements of long-term sickness absence and maternity leave Primary & ASN school teacher salary costs Chartered teacher salary element Conserved pay elements Primary & ASN admin salaries Classroom & Additional Support Needs Assistants deployed to schools but charged to central ASN budget Primary budgets allocated to Service Delivery Officers Janitorial Supplies Television Licence costs Budgets supporting facilities management costs including catering, cleaning and janitorial as well as ground maintenance of schools are managed and budgeted within Environment and Infrastructure (E&I) Early Years Centres & Classes The benefits of devolved management apply to Early Years as well as schools. We have not applied a formula-based approach to Early Years due to the rapid expansion of provision in recent years, variable service delivery pattern and anticipated future funding changes. Centre budgets are set by Early Years management in consultation with centre managers and responsible Head Teachers. Although staffing is not devolved in Early Years settings, managers may vire or carry forward budget for the same elements of overhead costs as schools.
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Page 24 of 30 4. GENERAL INFORMATION General Information on Devolved School Management (DSM) 4.1 Financial Regulations Devolved School Management is incorporated into Council’s overall Scheme of Delegation and reflected in the approval hierarchies for financial and Human Resource transactions All budget holders should familiarise themselves with Council’s financial regulations, financial codes and budget holder’s manual which are available on the intranet. Head Teachers may seek specific advice from their Education Support Manager, Service Delivery Officer, or the service’s finance team. The scheme allows Head Teachers to take decisions over the use of budget devolved to them and with that comes the responsibility to deliver and demonstrate best value. A range of distribution methodologies have been employed to ensure the fair, equitable and efficient distribution of resources. The process is consultative and as circumstances change, stakeholders are encouraged to evaluate and question the methodologies so that the operation of the scheme can be improved. This can be done at any time, not just during a review. 4.2 Best Value Principles The Scottish Government issued revised statutory guidance on best value in March 2020. This revised guidance is framed around the following best value themes: 1. Vision and leadership 2. Governance and accountability 3. Effective use of resources 4. Partnerships and collaborative working 5. Working with communities
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Page 25 of 30 6. Sustainability 7. Fairness and equality Head Teachers are expected to deploy the school’s budget in accordance with best value principles. School expenditure should align with the School Improvement Plan supporting both Council, Service and National priorities and frameworks. In considering the above, Head Teachers should also take into account any relevant Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers (SCNT) and the Joint Negotiating Committee for Teachers (JNCT) agreements. Value for money is a key aspect of Best Value and all decisions regarding resource use at school level should provide this. This should be managed within the Council’s procurement strategy. Procurement Although budgets are devolved, all budget holders must adhere to council’s procurement regulations. Advice may be sought from the service’s procurement team. 4.3 Local Authority Commitment to Devolved School Management DSM is a key policy of Renfrewshire Council and operates within the Council’s overarching Scheme of Delegation, Financial Regulations and Standing Orders. Through this process decision-making powers and budgetary responsibilities are devolved to Head Teachers to allow them to respond to local needs more effectively. DSM is intrinsically linked to the school improvement planning process and enables schools to plan for improvement and raise educational attainment. The Council recognises that value is added by enabling key decisions to be made by those who are closed to the educational experience of children and young people. 4.4 School Expenditure within Wider Strategic Planning It is important that decisions are made closest to the learner wherever possible and are delegated to Head Teachers and schools. Head Teachers are accountable and responsible for the use of financial resources within their school and should ensure that school expenditure is in line with their School Improvement Plan which reflects the Council’s strategic plans, priorities, and the National Improvement Framework. This scheme seeks to ensure expenditure is set in the context of our vision and
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Page 26 of 30 priorities as laid out in the council’s education improvement plan. This states that our vision is: “Excellence through raising attainment: ensuring that every child achieves the highest standards in literacy and numeracy, set out within Curriculum for Excellence levels, and the right range of skills, qualifications and achievements to allow them to succeed; and achieving equity: ensuring every child has the same opportunity to succeed, with a particular focus on closing the poverty-related attainment gap.” Renfrewshire’s Education Improvement Plan supports delivery of the priorities contained within key plans such as Renfrewshire’s Community Plan, Council Plan, Children’s Services Partnership Plan and Children’s Services Improvement Plan. It also aligns perfectly with the National Improvement Priorities for education as well as other relevant policy drivers such as the recently published OECD report on ‘Scotland’s Curriculum for Excellence’. Our plan is organised under our five improvement priorities and details the expected outcome and impact, alongside how we will measure if we have been successful, and the actions we will take to bring about improvement. These five priorities are: Placing the human rights and needs of every child and young person at the centre of education Improvement in children and young people’s health and wellbeing Closing the attainment gap between the most and least disadvantaged children and young people Improvement in skills and sustained, positive school-leaver destinations for all young people Improvement in attainment, particularly in literacy and numeracy 4.5 Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers and Local Negotiating Committees for Teachers Agreements In line with the expectations of the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers (SCNT) the joint negotiating committee for teachers (JNCT) has established a recognition and procedure agreement (JNC/1) in order to ensure good relationships between management and teachers. This formally constituted committee of the
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Page 27 of 30 Council meets six times a year with representation of both management and recognised unions in order to discuss and reach agreement on a range of areas devolved to local committees by SNCT. These are detailed in JNC/2. 4.6 Publication Availability The Council’s DSM Scheme will be published on the Council’s website at www.renfrewshire.gov.uk Head Teachers should also arrange for their school DSM budget to be published on the school website and inform parents and other interested parties of its availability. 4.7 Training Training on the devolved arrangements contained in this scheme will be essential to Head Teachers, school staff and other stakeholders. This is to ensure that individuals have a clear understanding of the context of the scheme, its aims, and objectives and how DSM can be used to meet the needs of staff and learners at a local level. Training will take various forms such as iLEARN and induction training (financial regulations and the Council’s policies and procedures relating to standing orders, contracts and procurement) DSM training sessions, job shadowing, presentations at staff meetings and one to one meeting with relevant staff will also be offered where appropriate. 4.8 Consultation and Engagement In reviewing our devolved scheme, a short life working group initially considered how each item of expenditure was treated under the previous devolved scheme. Through a series of meetings and reports the group considered what options were available for each budget line, the likely impact of any change and a proposed treatment for each item for this scheme. It produced a consultation document which was circulated to the wider school community. The Directorate then reflected on responses before compiling this scheme. In exercising their delegated powers Head Teachers and Heads of Centres should ensure that a collegiate approach is taken to planning and managing the school devolved budget. It is expected that Head Teachers should consult with staff, Parent Councils and children and young people on appropriate matters. This may include
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Page 28 of 30 the school’s DSM budget and the Head Teachers spending proposals. All staff must be given access to the full details of any spending proposals including the allocation of departmental resources and the methodology used to allocate budgets. The Council recognises that in relation to the DSM the functions and roles undertaken within an empowered school system are not restricted to Head Teachers. Although the role of the Head Teachers is identified throughout, shared and distributed leadership means that other staff members or groups may undertake an area or aspect of DSM. An empowered school system means that all teachers are empowered and have meaningful input to decisions about school funding. This policy supports distributed leadership, collaboration and consultation whilst recognising that ultimately the accountability and responsibility will lie with the Head Teacher as the leader of their school community, supported by the Local Authority. 4.9 Transparency Full details of the Renfrewshire’s budget are published on the Council web site at www.renfrewshire.gov.uk . This includes details of the budget allocated to the Children’s Services Directorate and subsequently to education and schools as explained in the DSM Scheme. This information will also be published on each school website for parents and other interested parties to access. In the spirit of genuine collaboration and consultation Head Teachers should also discuss the school budget and their spending proposals with their Parent Council and encourage meaningful discussion. Head Teachers should ensure that any costs related to the curriculum are not passed onto young people to ensure equality of access. The core curriculum budget allocation from the Scottish Government must be used to ensure that children and young people are not charged for curriculum experience. It is also recommended that where charges exist for children and young people for extra- curricular activities, they should be clearly detailed in school information published at the start of the academic session. 4.10 Staffing Structures Head Teachers will continue to appoint and manage employees in accordance with the Council’s policies and procedures, and in line with SNCT and JNCT agreements. Although the scheme gives greater flexibility for the management of employee budgets, Head Teachers should always consider the wider implications of any
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Page 29 of 30 proposals, for example, staffing standards, employment rights etc; therefore, Head Teachers should contact appropriate staff within the central office, who can assist them with any such decisions. 4.11 Legislative and Contractual Requirements The legislative context of the Scheme forms part of the wider framework of documentation which relates to local government and schools e.g., Financial Regulation, Standing Orders, Employment legislation and policies and procedures including SNCT and JNCT agreements. It is important that Head Teachers adhere to the legislation and agreements. Head Teachers are required to operate within the agreed SNCT terms and conditions for all staff who come under this scheme. The SNCT handbook is available at www.scnt.org.uk In addition, some terms and conditions are governed by LNCT (local) agreements and there is also a requirement to adhere to these. Details of local agreements can be found: www.snct.org.uk/lnctagreeements.php Local agreements in Renfrewshire are tabled as JNC and are published on the intranet for reference. 4.12 Staff Resource Head Teachers will be given opportunities to participate in the development and review of recruitment and staffing approaches, both for their own school/s and for the Council. For information, on all staffing matters, Head Teachers must adhere to the appropriate legislation and Council, SNCT and JNCT agreements and guidelines. 4.13 Professional Support teams, functions and transparency In carrying out their functions, schools are supported by a wide range of professional support teams. These include Education Managers Children’s Services’ resource team Heads of Service
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Page 30 of 30 Corporate Finance Corporate Employee and Customer Services Procurement services Legal Services Property and Risk Officers Environment and Infrastructure Management Team 4.14 Review, Methodology and Stakeholders The Scheme will be reviewed by the DSM working group every three years from date of publication. The group will consist of representation from schools, central education, corporate finance and trade unions and other stakeholders where appropriate. Elements of the scheme may be reviewed separately on occasions such as the annual budget process. It may be necessary to update the DSM scheme if required following formal agreement of the Council’s budget, or to recognise any Council policy decisions which may have an impact on the scheme.