Decision details

To consider the proposals for schoool admission arrangements for September 2005

The Cabinet approved the admission arrangements and co-ordinating scheme for secondary schools as set out in Appendices 1 and 2.
The Cabinet approved the admission arrangements and co-ordinating scheme for primary community and voluntary schools as set out in Appendices 3 and 4, which included an alteration to the current admissions policy to allow the admission of all children at the start of each school year in September, only in those schools meeting agreed criteria concerning the delivery of the Foundation Stage of Learning.
The Cabinet approved the procedure for the establishment of foundation stage education places for 3 year olds as set out at paragraph 6.2 of the report subject to the following additional conditions: -a. The council should develop a strategy for targeting capital funding for nursery provision to schools in deprived areas of Medway where additional places will result in more equality of provision;
b. Schools should be encouraged to consider working in partnership with existing providers to run school based provision;c. Schools with nursery provision should have safe drop off points;d. Nursery provision should not adversely impact upon the quality of accommodation provided for statutory school age children.e. When a school is seeking to establish a nursery class a report is submitted to Cabinet for consideration.

The council is required to undertake a detailed consultation exercise prior to the determination of its school admission arrangements for community and voluntary controlled schools for September 2005 and these decisions take into account the views received. The schemes have taken into account any comments received and all other admission authorities that have circulated their proposed arrangements have made them consistent with the proposed schemes.The final decision would enable a clear procedure for the establishment of Foundation Stage education places for 3 year-olds at schools in Medway that was consistent with the council's statutory duty to secure places. The procedure took into account the views of schools and other stakeholders, and the current evidence concerning young children's learning.