The Prime Minister has today set out the next steps in the easing of lockdown. See the press conference at Youtube: Prime Minister's Coronavirus press conference (10 May 2021) for details.

Between 4.00pm on Wednesday 12 May and 7.30am on Thursday 13 May, the following systems will be unavailable due to essential maintenance: our online council tax, business rates and housing benefit overpayments service, our welfare assistance form and our test and trace payments form. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.

Durham Schools Forum

The Durham Schools Forum is a formal advisory and decision making body on matters relating to school funding.

It consists of school and academy representatives, headteachers, governors, non-school members, 14-19 partnership, early years private, voluntary/independent sector providers, diocese and union representatives.

The forum meets at least four times a year and is open to the public.

It provides a means of communication between local authorities and schools on funding matters affecting schools. It must be consulted on any changes to the formula used to fund schools, and the financial effects of any proposed changes. Finally, it is consulted annually on financial issues relating to:

pupils with special educational needs
use of pupil referral units and education of children otherwise at school
early years
administration of the allocation of central government grants paid to schools via the local authority
contracts for provision of services to schools.