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: Department for Education and Education and Skills Funding Agency
• Published: 26 March 2015
• Last updated: 22 March 2021
  Show all updates

  1. 22 March 2021

     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. 28 May 2020

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

  3. 17 September 2018

     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. 27 September 2017

     We’ve updated the schools forum operational and good practice guide and the schools forums powers and responsibilities.

  5. 1 December 2016

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

  6. 26 March 2015

     First published.

Applies to England

Documents

Schools forum operational and good practice guide

PDF, 267 KB, 28 pages

Schools forum powers and responsibilities

PDF, 110 KB, 6 pages

Schools forums structure

PDF, 138 KB, 4 pages

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Schools forum self-assessment toolkit

PDF, 158 KB, 3 pages

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.