Agenda item

School Admission Arrangements 2017

Minutes:

Background:

 

This report provided details of the consultation on the co-ordinated admission schemes and arrangements for primary and secondary schools for September 2017. The schemes set out how the Local Authority will co-ordinate the processing of applications to schools. The Arrangements set out the relevant entry arrangements (oversubscription criteria and published admission numbers) for Community and Voluntary Controlled primary, infant and junior schools.

 

The report detailed the proposed changes for 2017 admissions, which consisted of minimal changes to the oversubscription criteria and an increase of the Published Admission Numbers of Bligh Infant School.

 

The report noted that the consultation period opened on Thursday 1 October 2015 and closed on Friday 13 November 2015 in accordance with the requirements of the School Admissions Code 2014 to consult for a minimum of 6 weeks. No consultation responses were received.

 

The Leader stated that although no formal responses were received, the Council had received some recent correspondence regarding the arrangements for summer born children. As a result of this correspondence, some further changes to the wording of the scheme on page 104 of the Cabinet agenda were proposed, as tabled at the meeting. These changes, which were consistent with the Schools Admissions Code and other ministerial guidance, would ensure that the arrangements were clear about parental rights.

 

The Children and Young People Overview and Scrutiny Committee considered this report on 8 December 2015 and its views were set out in an addendum report.

 

A Diversity Impact Assessment had been undertaken on the proposals, as set out in Appendix 1 to the report.

 

Decision number:

Decision:

The Cabinet noted the outcome of the consultation process and the comments of the Children and Young People Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

170/2015

The Cabinet approved the proposed 2017 admissions arrangements and schemes as set out in Appendix 1 to the report subject to the following amendments to the arrangements as set out in page 104 of the Cabinet Agenda:

Deferred start (second paragraph):

“Parents/carers who have been offered a September place may ask to defer their child’s admission until later in the school year or until the child reaches compulsory school age in that school year without losing the offer of a place.”

Part-time attendance:

“Parents/carers can also choose request that their child attends part-time until the child reaches compulsory school age.

Similarly, parents can choose request that their child starts full time from the start of the academic year, even if the school would prefer phased part-time attendance to begin with.”

Delayed start to the next academic year (within the second paragraph):

“…If parents/carers wish to apply to do this they must should submit a written request along with evidence information clearly stating why this is in the best interest of their child. This may be on the basis of academic, medical, social, emotional or behavioural need or if the child is a premature child who would have fallen into a lower year group had they gone to full term…”

 

Reasons:

 

The Council is required to undertake a detailed consultation exercise prior to the determination of its school admission arrangements and schemes. The

decisions take into account the responses from consultation.

Supporting documents: