Guidance

Schools forum operational and good practice guide

Information for local authorities, school leaders and governing bodies about their schools forum obligations and duties.

From:
Education and Skills Funding Agency and Department for Education
Published
26 March 2015
Last updated
22 March 2021 鈥� See all updates

Applies to England

Documents

PDF, 267 KB, 28 pages

PDF, 110 KB, 6 pages

PDF, 138 KB, 4 pages

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Details

The Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) closed on 31 March 2025. All activity has moved to the Department for Education (DfE). You should continue to follow this guidance.

These guides are designed to provide local authority officers and schools forum elected members with advice and information on good practice in relation to the operation of schools forums.

Schools forum operational and good practice guide

This guide provides detailed information for local authorities, schools forum members and members of the public around the requirements of running effective school forum meetings. It provides good practice recommendations and information on how to comply with the regulations.

Schools forum powers and responsibilities guide

This guide provides in depth detail around the voting rights of schools forum elected members. It highlights the topics members are required to vote or be consulted on. It also provides information on which sector is required to vote and any restrictions.

Schools forum structure guide

This guide provides further detail on the required structure for the schools forum. The guide breaks down the types of members and elections.

Schools forum self-assessment toolkit

This document allows local authority officers and elected schools forum members to identify the strengths and potential weaknesses of their schools forum.

Updates to this page

Published 26 March 2015
Last updated 22 March 2021 show all updates

  1. We have updated the schools forum operational and good practice guide and the schools forum powers and responsibilities guide to make permanent provisions to enable schools forum meetings to be held remotely.

  2. We have updated the operational and good practice guide: schools forums can meet remotely until 31 March 2021 due to coronavirus (COVID-19).

  3. We've updated the operational and good practice guide, and the powers and responsibilities guide and made it clearer who the intended users are for each of the documents.

  4. We鈥檝e updated the schools forum operational and good practice guide and the schools forums powers and responsibilities.

  5. 'Schools forums power and responsibilities' table updated. Date removed from the 'schools forums: operational and good practice guide'.

  6. First published.

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