Decision details

This report deals with the outcome of the consultation on proposed secondary and primary admission arrangements for September 2004. The cabinet needs to make recommendations to the Council about the admission arrangements the Council.

108/2003 The Cabinet recommended to Council, with regard to Secondary Admissions, that:
(i) it determines its secondary admission arrangements as set out in Appendix 1 of the report.
(ii) the LEA includes in its consultation with schools and other admission authorities for September 2005 that in the event of oversubscription at the Hundred of Hoo School the following apply:· Children in public care for whom the school is the nearest appropriate;· Current family association (i.e. an elder brother or sister in the school at the time of application);· Child's health reasons. Medical evidence must be provided which demonstrates a specific health reason which requires a child to attend the preferred school;
· Residence within a particular scheme of education (see maps in the secondary admission booklet). Under this criterion places on the Hoo Peninsula would be allocated measuring distance from East to West with those living furthest away from the school being offered places first;· Nearness of children's homes and ease of access to schools. (The 'nearness of children's homes' part of this criterion operates for this school).
(iii) the minimum entry requirements for year 12 applications at Sir Joseph Williamson's Mathematical School be as follows:'Level 3-a minimum of 5 GCSEs at grade C with at least a B in proposed AS (or related) subject. Other specific course requirements also apply'.
109/2003 The Cabinet recommended to Council, with regard to Primary Schools, that:(i) it determines its primary admission arrangements as set out in Appendix 2 of the report , including operating the 'ease of access' part of the last criterion for Halling Primary School before 'nearness of homes'.(ii) a review of the admissions policy be undertaken in the summer term 2003 with all key stakeholders.
110/2003 The Cabinet recommended to Council that it agrees the Planned Admission numbers for secondary and primary schools as set out in Appendix 3 of the report.

Reasons: Secondary:The secondary admission arrangements as set out in Appendix 1 to the report were recommended in view of the outcome of the consultation. Further consultation on the proposed change for allocating places and prioritising the waiting list at The Hundred of Hoo School, when operating the fourth oversubscription criterion, would give the school and other primary schools in the area sufficient opportunity to express their views about the proposal. The proposed revision to the minimum entry requirements for year 12 at Sir Joseph Williamson's Mathematical School was in line with the request from the school.
Primary:The recommendations recognised the responses to the consultation, which sought a change in the current policy of two intakes to reception classes. A fundamental review of this policy was therefore recommended, involving all key stakeholders, to be undertaken immediately in the summer term of 2003.Planned admission numbers:The recommended planned admission numbers as set out in Appendix 3 of the report would be in line with the indicated admission numbers for schools, would allow for sensible organisation of children and classes within schools and would be consistent with infant class size legislation for infant schools. To agree to exceed the planned admission numbers only in exceptional circumstances would be in line with recommendations in the Code of Practice on School Admissions.