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EL/17/01 Cabinet 10 February 2017

ADMISSION ARRANGEMENTS FOR 2018-19 including In-Year arrangements 2017-18 and the Education Travel Policy 2018-19

Report of the Head of Education and Learning

Please note that the following recommendation is subject to approval by the Cabinet and confirmation under the provisions of the Council’s Constitution before taking effect.

1. Note the admission arrangements were proposed and consulted on by the Local Authority 2. Consider recommendations numbered 1-10 at section 2. 3. Determine the recommended admission arrangements at www..gov.uk/admissionarrangements 4. Determine the Education Travel Policy for 2018-19 at www.devon.gov.uk/admissionarrangements

1. PURPOSE OF REPORT

1.1 The Local Authority (LA) has statutory responsibilities to propose, consult on and determine admission arrangements for community and voluntary controlled (VC) schools and co-ordinated admission schemes for the normal round of admissions to all state-funded schools. Consultation in Devon is held ahead of the statutory deadline for annual determination by Cabinet. Schools that are their own admissions authority are responsible for their own arrangements and determined by the schools themselves. Further detail on the statutory requirements and the consultation procedures are below at sections 3 and 4.

1.2 This paper is to report the outcome of the consultation on primary and secondary school admission arrangements for 2018-19 and the co-ordination of primary and secondary school admissions and to seek approval to the schemes.

2. RECOMMENDATIONS 2.1 Members are requested to:

1. Approve the proposed normal round co-ordinated admissions scheme for primary and secondary schools published at www.devon.gov.uk/admissionarrangements 2. Approve the proposed in-year co-ordinated admissions scheme for all schools for 2017-18 published at www.devon.gov.uk/admissionarrangements 3. Approve the proposed Education transport policy for 2018-19 published at www.devon.gov.uk/admissionarrangements 4. Approve the proposed admissions oversubscription criteria for community and voluntary controlled (VC) schools set out at Appendix One. 5. Approve the proposed Published Admission Numbers for community and VC schools set out at Appendix Two. 6. Approve the proposed amendments to the catchment areas for the named community and VC schools set out at Appendix Three. 7. It is recommended to review catchment areas with schools during 2017, using the existing network (as at Appendix Six). 8. Approve the timetable drawn up for the following year’s admissions arrangements cycle, set out at Appendix Four. 9. It is recommended not to introduce an admissions oversubscription priority for children at a school-run nursery (as at Appendix Six). 10. It is recommended to respond to delayed admission requests in line with the existing Admissions Code on a case by case basis and that all own admission authority schools be encouraged to adopt this approach (as at Appendix Six).

3. CONSULTATION ON ADMISSION ARRANGEMENTS 3.1 The Local Authority (LA) is required to consult on its admission arrangements and to determine them by 28 February each year. The LA consulted on the proposed admission arrangements for community and VC schools for which it is the admissions authority and on the proposed co-ordinated admission schemes for primary and secondary schools. Where a school converts to academy status after determination, the published admission arrangements for them will remain in place.

3.2 Consultation took place from the beginning of November 2016 on the admission arrangements. The details of the consultation are at Appendix Five. It was open to own admission authority schools to participate in the LA consultation, including academies through an Admissions Traded Service. Joint consultation is intended to place as many admission arrangements in one place as possible for the benefit of consultees.

4. CO-ORDINATED ADMISSION ARANGEMENTS 2017-18

4.1 The LA is required under the School Admissions Code to co-ordinate all normal round admissions to state-funded schools. The LA has consulted annually on co- ordinated admissions schemes for primary and secondary schools; the proposed scheme for 2018-19 was a combined scheme, bringing the primary and secondary schemes together into one document. It brought forward the arrangements from the previous academic year, with some amendments, detailed at Appendix Six. On average, the co-ordinated schemes manage 7,500 primary admissions, 7,000 secondary admissions and 6,500 in year admissions each year.

4.2 Devon’s arrangements oversaw applications for the 2016-17 normal round of admissions when 97.6% of (6984) applicants for secondary transfer were offered their first preference school and 99.5% were offered one of their preferences. For admissions into the Reception class, 94.7% of (7628) were offered their first preference school and 98.6% were offered one of their preferences. For in-year admission, 90% were offered their first preference and 97% were offered one of their preferences.

4.3 The LA is not required to co-ordinate in-year admissions to all state-funded schools. It is required to manage in-year applications for community and VC schools and extends this facility to all state-funded schools. The purpose is to enable parents to apply for more than one school at the same time and promote a fair, transparent and lawful admissions process for all children in the county. By doing so, the LA seeks to minimise instances where children are out of school. The LA has consulted annually on an in-year co-ordinated admissions scheme; the proposed scheme for 2017-18 was brought forward from the previous academic year.

4.4 Published Admission Numbers (PANs) were proposed for community and VC schools, taking into account the accommodation available, expected local demand, sensible organisation and the constraints of Key Stage One Class Size Legislation and the flexibility to increase PANs where this becomes necessary. The proposed PANs are listed at Appendix Two and can be found in the individual admissions policy document for each school at www.devon.gov.uk/admissionarrangements

4.5 The proposed catchment areas for community and VC schools were brought forward from the previous academic year with amendments proposed for the following schools: Hazeldown, Bishopsteignton, Payhembury, Starcross, Cockwood and Kenn and Church of primary schools. Details can be found at Appendix Three.

4.6 The LA’s Fair Access Protocol provides for vulnerable children who otherwise would be out of school. It is continually reviewed in consultation with Devon schools. Representatives of Devon schools will be invited to review the Protocol again in the summer term. There will be discussion with representatives of Devon Association of Primary Head teachers, Devon Association of Secondary Head teachers and the Devon Association of Governors in February 2017 as part of this process.

4.7 The primary and secondary co-ordination schemes have statutory timescales. They must be determined in February ahead of applications in September for admission the following September. This has been taken into account in a timetable for the admissions process which is detailed at Appendix Four.

4.8 Devon children who are transgender may wish to apply for single sex schools in other Local Authority areas. Such applications will be forwarded to the appropriate admissions authorities and the normal round scheme (and the Step by Step Admissions Guide) will make this clear, encouraging parents to apply according to their preference. There are no single-sex schools in Devon.

5. EDUCATION TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS

5.1 In previous years, the Education Transport Policy has been included in the admissions consultation and Members have been requested to consider them at the same time. The arrangements proposed for 2018-19 are those previously determined for 2017-18 with an increase in the contribution to the costs of the Local Authority required in certain circumstances from parents. This increase was set out in the 2017-18 arrangements.

6 FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS 6.1 There are no direct financial considerations of this report however as the numbers of own admissions schools increase, Devon will need to continue to develop its Admissions Traded Service offer.

7 SUSTAINABILITY CONSIDERATIONS 7.1 The admissions policy supports the principle of providing local places for local schools.

8 EQUALITY CONSIDERATIONS 8.1 Equality of access to education opportunities is a fundamental feature of school admission arrangements. All policies for consideration have been subject to an Equality Impact Needs Assessment, at www.devon.gov.uk/admissionarrangements

9 LEGAL CONSIDERATIONS

9.1 School admission arrangements are a statutory function of the LA. Setting fair, transparent and legal co-ordinated admission arrangements ensures that the LA meets its duty and enables parents, schools and other interested parties to have confidence in them.

9.2 The admission arrangements have been proposed and the subject of consultation under requirements of the statutory School Admissions Code 2014. Arrangements must be determined by the LA by 28 February and must be compliant with the statutory requirements of the Code. The amendments to policies are compliant with the Code.

10 RISK MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS 10.1 The key risk is that admission arrangements are not determined by the statutory date of 28 February. This would mean that the LA was not compliant with the requirements of the Code. It would be liable to censure from the Department for Education and the Office of the Schools’ Adjudicator (OSA).

10.2 By not determining compliant arrangements, Devon parents and schools would be unable to plan effectively for the next school admissions round in 2018-19, applications for which will open in the autumn 2017 or to effectively plan for in-year admissions during 2017-18. This would be a failure of the LA to formulate and manage a fair and transparent admissions system. Furthermore, Devon’s neighbours would have cause for concern that Devon may not meet its duty to co-ordinate arrangements for admissions across local authority boundaries. Action on the recommendations addresses this risk.

11. CONCLUSION 11.1 The LA has more than one role in school admissions. It must set admission arrangements for those schools where it is the admissions authority and it must manage normal round admissions for all state-funded schools and children within its area. Where it believes that the arrangements for own admission authority schools are unlawful, it has a further duty to seek a local agreement for them to be lawful or make a formal objection.

The recommendations in this paper will ensure meets its statutory responsibilities in respect of school admissions. Dawn Stabb Head for Education and Learning

ELECTORAL DIVISION: All

Cabinet Member for Children, Schools and Skills: Councillor James McInnes Strategic Director People: Jennie Stephens

Contact for enquiries: Andrew Brent Education and Learning Policy Officer 01392 383000

Local Government Act 1972. Background Papers: Appendix One – Proposed oversubscription criteria for community and voluntary controlled schools

For infant and primary schools:

1. Children in Care or who ceased to be in Care because they were adopted or made the subject of a child arrangements order or made the subject of a special guardianship order. 2. Children for whom an exceptional medical or social need to attend the school is demonstrated. 3. Children who live in the designated area for the school with a sibling on roll at the school (or, for an infant school, the linked junior school) at the point of application. 4. Other children who live in the designated area for the school. 5. Children who live outside the designated area for the school, but with a sibling on roll at the school (or, for an infant school, the linked junior school) at the point of application. 6. Children of members of staff employed for more than two years up to the point of application or recruited within the past two years to fill a vacancy for which there was a skills shortage. 7. Other children.

For junior schools:

1. Children in Care or who ceased to be in Care because they were adopted made the subject of a child arrangements order or made the subject of a special guardianship order. 2. Children for whom an exceptional medical or social need to attend the school is demonstrated. 3. Children who live in the designated area for the school with a sibling on roll at the school or the linked infant school at the point of application. 4. Other children who live in the designated area for the school – no sibling, but attending a linked infant school.* 5. Other children who live in the designated area for the school. 6. Children who live outside the designated area for the school, but with a sibling on roll at the school or the linked infant school at the point of application. 7. Other children who live outside the designated area for the school – no sibling, but attending a linked infant school.* 8. Children of members of staff employed for more than two years up to the point of application or recruited within the past two years to fill a vacancy for which there was a skills shortage. 9. Other children.

For secondary schools with the exception of St Luke’s Science and Sports College which also has criteria for sporting aptitude:

1. Children in Care or who ceased to be in Care because they were adopted or made the subject of a child arrangements order or made the subject of a special guardianship order. 2. Children for whom an exceptional medical or social need to attend the school is demonstrated. 3. Children who live in the designated area for the school with a sibling on roll at the school at the point of application. 4. Other children who live in the designated area for the school – no sibling, but attending a linked school.* 5. Other children who live in the designated area for the school. 6. Children who live outside the designated area for the school, but with a sibling on roll at the school at the point of application. Appendix One – Proposed oversubscription criteria for community and voluntary controlled schools

7. Children who live outside the designated area for the school – no sibling, but attending a linked school.* 8. Children of members of staff employed for more than two years up to the point of application or recruited within the past two years to fill a vacancy for which there was a skills shortage. 9. Other children.

* Priority for children attending a linked school applies only at the normal round, not for in-year admissions. Appendix Two – Proposed Published Admission Numbers for Community and Voluntary Controlled schools

DfE school PAN Sixth number 2018 form PAN 2400 Abbotskerswell Primary School 12 3070 Ashleigh CofE (VC) Primary School 45 2201 Primary School 8 2206 Community Primary & Nursery School 15 3101 Berry Pomeroy Parochial Church of England Primary School 15 3053 Berrynarbor Church of England Primary School 12 2210 Bishops Nympton Primary School 10 2402 Bishopsteignton School 30 3056 Church of England Primary School 8 2717 Bolham Community Primary School 16 2404 Bovey Tracey Primary School 40 2002 Bow Community Primary School 20 2212 Bradford Primary School 10 2472 Bradley Barton Primary School and Nursery Unit 60 3001 Brampford Speke Church of England Primary School 10 3002 Branscombe Church of England Primary School 10 2214 Bratton Fleming Community Primary School 10 3057 Church of England Primary School 10 3003 Broadhembury Church of England Primary School 8 2408 Broadhempston Village Primary School 10 2218 Community Primary School 7 3004 Burlescombe Church of England Primary School 12 2215 Caen Community Primary School 60 2476 Canada Hill Community Primary School 45 3151 Chagford Church of England Primary School 30 3104 Charleton Church of England Primary School 10 2006 Cheriton Bishop Community Primary School 10 2007 Cheriton Fitzpaine Primary School 15 3105 Chudleigh Church of England Community Primary School 60 2220 Primary School 13 3777 Clyst Heath Nursey and Community Primary School 45 2009 Clyst St Mary Primary School 30 2411 Cockwood Primary School 12 2010 Colyton Primary School 25 2222 Combe Martin Primary School 30 2011 Copplestone Primary School 30 3152 Cornwood Church of England Primary School 15 2025 Countess Wear Community School 60 2015 Culmstock Primary School 15 3107 Dartington Church of England Primary School 50 2431 Decoy Primary School 60 2416 Denbury Primary School 20 Appendix Two – Proposed Published Admission Numbers for Community and Voluntary Controlled schools

2417 Doddiscombesleigh Community School 10 2418 Dunsford Community Primary School 12 2223 East Anstey Primary School 7 2207 East-The-Water Community Primary School 60 2603 Ermington Primary School 25 3153 Exbourne Church of England Primary School 12 2420 Exminster Community Primary 60 2022 Exwick Heights Primary School 90 2225 Filleigh Community Primary School 15 2204 Forches Cross Community Primary School 30 2226 Fremington Community Primary and Nursery School 50 3059 Georgeham Church of England (VC) Primary School 15 3060 Goodleigh Church of England Primary School 10 3061 Bluecoat Church of England Primary School 70 2604 Primary School 10 2228 Halwill Community Primary School 15 2605 Community Primary School 30 3779 Haytor View Community Primary School 30 2012 Hayward's Primary School 60 2448 Hazeldown School 60 3062 High Church of England Primary School 10 2255 Highampton Community Primary School 7 2432 Highweek Community Primary and Nursery School 60 2607 Holbeton School 15 3063 Church of England Primary School 45 3064 Holywell Church of England Primary School 14 2048 Honiton Primary School 60 2231 Horwood and Newton Tracey Community Primary School 14 3065 Ilfracombe Church of England Junior School 120 2232 Ilfracombe Infant and Nursery School 135 2233 Instow Community Primary School 20 2423 Ipplepen Primary School 30 3111 Kenn Church of England Primary School 15 3013 Kentisbeare Church of England Primary School 15 2234 Kentisbury Primary School 8 2424 Kenton Primary School 15 2050 Kilmington Primary School 15 2257 Kingsacre Primary School 30 2425 Kingsbridge Community Primary School 60 3112 Church of England Primary School 60 2026 Ladysmith Infant School 90 2027 Ladysmith Junior School 90 3154 Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School 8 2236 Landkey Primary School 30 2079 Landscore Primary School 60 Appendix Two – Proposed Published Admission Numbers for Community and Voluntary Controlled schools

2237 Community School and Nursery Unit 60 3155 Lew Trenchard Church of England Primary School 12 2612 Lifton Community Primary School 17 3028 Church of England Primary School 30 2428 Loddiswell Primary School 13 3014 Lympstone Church of England Primary School 30 3114 Malborough with Church of England Primary School 15 2610 Manor Primary School, Ivybridge 40 2238 Marwood School 17 2622 Mary Tavy and Community Primary School 15 2614 Milton Abbot School 15 2715 Modbury Primary School 25 2239 Primary School 15 2054 Newton Poppleford Primary School 30 2055 Newton St Cyres Primary School 15 2029 Newtown Primary School 30 2240 North Molton School 15 3157 and Ashbury Parochial Church of England Primary School 7 3015 Offwell Church of England Primary School 17 2241 Primary School 10 3066 Parracombe Church of England Primary School 8 3016 Payhembury Church of England Primary School 15 2205 Pilton Infants' School 60 3017 Plymtree Church of England Primary School 15 2059 Sandford School 30 2060 Seaton Primary School 60 2618 Shaugh Prior Primary School 10 2243 Community School 10 2244 Community Primary School 8 2062 Shute Community Primary School 12 4011 Sidmouth College 150 10 3022 Silverton Church of England Primary School 20 2245 Community Primary School 30 2619 South Tawton Primary School 30 2216 Southmead School 60 2089 Spreyton School 6 2242 St Giles-on-the-Heath Community School 15 4501 St Luke's Science and Sports College 196 3069 St Mary's Church of England Primary School 60 3128 St Michael's Church of England Primary School 60 2442 Starcross Primary School 30 3024 Stoke Canon Church of England Primary School 20 2033 Stoke Hill Infants and Nursery School 90 2034 Stoke Hill Junior School 90 2445 Stokeinteignhead School 15 Appendix Two – Proposed Published Admission Numbers for Community and Voluntary Controlled schools

2446 Stokenham Area Primary School 30 2088 School 17 4000 The Axe Valley Community College 150 10 2609 The Erme Primary School 25 2461 The Grove Primary School 45 2090 The Topsham School 30 3025 Thorverton Church of England Primary School 12 3127 Totnes St John's Church of England Primary School 30 2710 Ugborough Primary School 20 3026 Uplowman Church of England Primary School 8 2073 Upottery Primary School 15 2624 Wembury Primary School 30 3123 West Alvington Church of England Primary School 8 2209 West Croft School 90 2249 West Down School 15 2074 Whimple Primary School 20 2075 Willand School 60 2724 Willowbrook School 60 3068 Witheridge Church of England Primary School 20 3011 Withycombe Raleigh Church of England Primary School 90 2253 Woolacombe School 30 3375 Wynstream School 60 2076 Yeoford Community Primary School 10 Appendix Three – Proposed amendments to Catchment areas for Community and Voluntary Controlled schools

1. The proposed 2018-19 catchment areas have been copied from the previous academic year with the exception of the following:

Dawlish To respond to housing developments in Dawlish, across the boundaries of Gatehouse ACE Academy and Cockwood Primary School which will lead to an increase in the numbers of children living in the catchments for the two schools, it is proposed to amend the boundary between Gatehouse and Cockwood from:

Appendix Three – Proposed amendments to Catchment areas for Community and Voluntary Controlled schools to this:

No impact is expected on Starcross Primary School in area numbers. The impact on the number of children within the catchment areas is:

Cockwood Cohort Current Proposed Including new housing development Appendix Three – Proposed amendments to Catchment areas for Community and Voluntary Controlled schools 1 YO 13 11 16 new housing 2 YO 19 13 18 development 3 YO 9 6 11 1 YO 53 57 91 4 YO 13 10 15 2 YO 68 78 112 Reception 20 15 20 3 YO 64 70 104 Year 1 8 6 11 4 YO 79 86 120 Year 2 9 6 11 Reception 74 80 114 Year 3 8 5 10 Year 1 58 62 96 Year 4 13 9 14 Year 2 51 54 88 Year 5 15 10 15 Year 3 66 71 105 Year 6 7 7 12 Year 4 54 60 94 Average 12 9 14 Year 5 65 72 106 Year 6 63 65 99 Gatehouse Average 63 69 103 Cohort Current Proposed Including Cockwood Primary School has proposed that the boundary with Gatehouse be redrawn so that the housing development to the immediate south of Shutterton Farm lies in its area and that housing development is not split. It is recommended that this is the new boundary between Cockwood and Gatehouse.

This would not prevent any parent seeking admission at any schools according to their preference. Appendix Three – Proposed amendments to Catchment areas for Community and Voluntary Controlled schools Feniton and Payhembury In response to an increase in the capacity of Payhembury Church of England Primary School and oversubscription at Feniton Church of England Primary School, it is proposed to amend the boundary between the two schools so that more children live in area for Payhembury. The amendment is proposed from:

Appendix Three – Proposed amendments to Catchment areas for Community and Voluntary Controlled schools to this:

The impact on the number of children within the catchment areas is:

Payhembury Feniton Cohort Current Proposed Cohort Current Proposed 1 YO 4 6 1 YO 33 31 2 YO 9 10 2 YO 28 27 3 YO 7 9 3 YO 25 23 4 YO 12 13 4 YO 34 33 Reception 10 11 Reception 35 34 Year 1 17 22 Year 1 37 32 Year 2 10 11 Year 2 26 25 Year 3 13 17 Year 3 28 24 Year 4 12 17 Year 4 43 38 Year 5 16 16 Year 5 30 30 Year 6 8 11 Year 6 40 37 Average 11 13 Average 33 30

It is recommended that the boundary is amended as proposed.

This would not prevent any parent seeking admission at any schools according to their preference. Appendix Three – Proposed amendments to Catchment areas for Community and Voluntary Controlled schools Teignmouth In response to a request from a parent to review the catchment boundaries so that housing closer to Hazeldown Primary School is in area for Hazeldown rather than the more distant Teignmouth Community School, Mill Lane, it is proposed to amend the boundary between the two schools from: Appendix Three – Proposed amendments to Catchment areas for Community and Voluntary Controlled schools To this:

The impact on the number of children within the catchment areas is:

Hazeldown Cohort Current Proposed Teignmouth 1 YO 57 43 Cohort Current Proposed 2 YO 65 47 1 YO 70 83 3 YO 66 50 2 YO 82 100 4 YO 79 62 3 YO 75 91 Reception 57 41 4 YO 90 107 Year 1 73 61 Reception 85 101 Year 2 66 51 Year 1 76 88 Year 3 78 61 Year 2 65 80 Year 4 56 45 Year 3 74 91 Year 5 69 54 Year 4 72 83 Year 6 75 60 Year 5 92 107 Average 67 52 Year 6 52 67 Average 76 91

Hazeldown proposed in response that the boundary change be adopted with two amendments, following the blue line in two places as in the next map: Appendix Three – Proposed amendments to Catchment areas for Community and Voluntary Controlled schools

The impact on the number of children within the catchment areas is:

Hazeldown Cohort Current Proposed Counter Counter Counter proposal proposal proposal inc north inc south total 1 YO 57 43 7 0 50 2 YO 65 47 10 0 57 3 YO 66 50 5 3 58 4 YO 79 62 8 1 71 Reception 57 41 9 2 52 Year 1 73 61 5 2 68 Year 2 66 51 6 3 60 Year 3 78 61 5 1 67 Year 4 56 45 4 2 51 Year 5 69 54 7 0 61 Year 6 75 60 6 2 68 Average 67 52 60

Teignmouth Cohort Current Proposed Counter Counter Counter proposal proposal proposal inc north inc south total

1 YO 70 83 7 0 77 2 YO 82 100 10 0 90 3 YO 75 91 5 3 83 4 YO 90 107 8 1 98 Reception 85 101 9 2 90 Appendix Three – Proposed amendments to Catchment areas for Community and Voluntary Controlled schools Year 1 76 88 5 2 81 Year 2 65 80 6 3 71 Year 3 74 91 5 1 85 Year 4 72 83 4 2 77 Year 5 92 107 7 0 100 Year 6 52 67 6 2 59 Average 76 91 83

It is recommended that the boundary be changed accordingly to the proposal by Hazeldown.

This would not prevent any parent seeking admission at any schools according to their preference.

Bishopsteignton, Chudleigh, Kenn and Westcliff The northern-most section of the catchment for Bishopsteignton lies over 6 miles from the school and contains no dwellings with school-age children. Should housing be built there and a child seek admission to the current catchment school, the home to school travel arrangements would be expensive for the LA and onerous on the child. To redesignate the catchments so that any future residents have priority for admission to a school closer to home and to limit the costs to the LA and to give local priority to children living out of area for Chudleigh but immediately south of the town, it is proposed to amend the boundaries from: Appendix Three – Proposed amendments to Catchment areas for Community and Voluntary Controlled schools To this:

The impact on the number of children within the catchment areas is:

Bishopsteignton Cohort Current Proposed 1 YO 21 18 2 YO 15 12 3 YO 17 15 4 YO 29 25 Reception 20 19 Year 1 21 18 Year 2 29 28 Year 3 20 19 Year 4 21 20 Year 5 25 25 Year 6 21 21 Average 22 20 Appendix Three – Proposed amendments to Catchment areas for Community and Voluntary Controlled schools

Chudleigh Cohort Current Proposed 1 YO 56 59 2 YO 42 45 3 YO 64 66 4 YO 75 79 Reception 49 50 Year 1 55 58 Year 2 55 56 Year 3 51 52 Year 4 60 61 Year 5 52 52 Year 6 50 50 Average 55 57

There is no anticipated impact on numbers for Kenn or Westcliff schools. Further time is required to complete discussions across Learning Community boundaries.

It is recommended that the boundary is not amended and will be considered for 2019-120. Appendix Four – proposed admissions arrangements timetable

Statutory dates are in bold. Action Action by 28 February All policies to be formally determined – Admission Authority including the date of determination in the Policy version section. 28 February Appeals timetable to be published Admissions Service Admissions authority 15 March All policies to be published on school Admission Authority websites All faith policies to be forwarded to Diocese All policies to be forwarded to LA Policy Officer. By 15 May Deadline for objections to the OSA

Summer term Review content and presentation of Admissions Service 2017 policies for 2019-20 By 1 All faith own admission authority schools Admissions Service September will receive a suggested new document for consideration By 15 All other own admission authority schools Admissions Service September will receive a suggested new document for consideration By 30 Faith schools to meet and agree a Admission Authority September proposed policy then forward to Diocese (CE confirmed timescale) By 30 Diocese to forward proposed policies to CE Diocese November LA Policy Officer. Catholic Diocese (to be confirmed) By 30 All other own admission authority schools Admission authority November to return proposed policies to LA Policy Officer. 1 November LA-hosted consultation live Admissions Service 6 January LA-hosted consultation ends Admissions Service 2018 By 31 Any school-run consultation must end Admission Authority January 28 February All policies to be formally determined – Admission Authority 2018 including the date of determination in the Policy version section. 28 February Appeals timetable to be published Admissions Service Admissions authority 15 March All policies to be published on school Admission Authority websites All faith policies to be forwarded to Diocese All policies to be forwarded to LA Policy Officer. By 15 May Objections to the OSA Appendix Five – consultation

1. An email was sent to schools at the beginning of November 2016, notifying them that the consultation website was live. Details of the consultation were also sent electronically to all neighbouring Local Authorities and the Church of England and Roman Catholic Dioceses.

2. The consultation website set out all aspects of the proposed admission arrangements and enabled schools and other consultees to respond to the proposals online via email direct to the LA. Responses were required by 6 January 2017 in order to allow consultees time in which to respond.

3. The following were also used to publicise the consultation:  An advert placed in the first edition of the Western Morning News in November2016  Devon County Council website  Devon’s “Have Your Say”

4. All community and voluntary controlled schools were sent a link to an admissions policy document for the school for 2017-18, drafted on the same lines as those for own admission authority schools.

5. The number of responses received remains low. A number of responses were received with regard to specific, local admissions issues, detailed at www.devon.gov.uk/admissionarrangements This is in common with neighbouring LAs. Appendix Six – proposed amendments to the co-ordinated schemes

1. Dates have been rolled forward for the new academic year.

2. As for the previous academic year, it has been suggested by some schools that the LA introduce admissions priority for children attending school-run nurseries for community and voluntary controlled schools. This option has been taken up by a small number of own admission authority schools. This remains a contentious issue under The Code as all objections but one nationally have been upheld by the Office of the Schools’ Adjudicator (OSA). Wherever this priority is introduced, the LA will have a responsibility to ensure that the interests of local children who do not attend the nursery are protected and financial support for the school does not influence admissions priority.

Until there is greater clarity nationally through a revised version of The Code or unequivocal Guidance from the Department for Education, it remains likely that objections to the OSA will continue to be withheld. While this LA may not believe that a school’s priority for nursery children breaches The Code and therefore would not be obliged to object, the advice to Devon schools that are their own admissions authority would be to make this provision with caution. The advice to Members with regard to community and voluntary controlled schools is to avoid the provision. It is recommended NOT to introduce an admissions oversubscription priority for children at a school-run nursery.

3. The Schools’ Minister gave a commitment in September 2015 that The Code would be revised to establish a right for parents of summer-born childreni to delay admission to Reception class until the beginning of the September after the fifth birthday. This would then be the child’s accepted cohort for the remainder of his or her education and be binding at transition. All admissions authorities were encouraged to act on this commitment with immediate effect as if The Code had already been amended. The LA has drafted wording into admissions policies anticipating of a revised Code although the existing wording is compatible with the September commitment: all parents must request delayed admission and all admissions authorities can agree to it. Where delayed admission is agreed, parents would still be required to submit an application in the appropriate admissions round.

It remains for the LA to decide whether to adopt the September commitment for 2018-19 and agree to all requests for delayed admission for summer-born children to community and voluntary controlled schools.

A revised Code has yet to be published for consultation and there is no indication that this will occur in the next year. A number of head teachers have expressed concern that this is the position. The matter was discussed in January 2017 with representatives from the Devon Association of Primary Headteachers, Devon Association of Secondary Headteachers and the Devon Association of Governors at a meeting of the School Organisation of governors. It was agreed that a preferred option was to revert to consideration of cases individually. This allows Head teachers of schools to decide the best setting within school for a child as they do for all other pupils. This approach would also be recommended to own admissions authority schools, some of which still operate on a case by case basis. It is recommended to respond to delayed admission requests in line with the existing Admissions Code on a case by case basis and that all own admission authority schools be encouraged to adopt this approach.

4. A parent has proposed that all catchment areas for Devon schools be reorganised to take account of postal code areas or parish and other administrative boundaries. Appendix Six – proposed amendments to the co-ordinated schemes

Information would be available on the whereabouts and ages of children from the Electoral Roll.

The current network of catchment areas has been developed over many years and is reflected in the digitised mapping service oat www.devon.gov.uk/schoolareamaps. It takes account of historic community boundaries and as far as is possible means that each school catchment area contains approximately the number of children in each cohort the school could admit at the normal round, generally with a small margin to allow for other children to be admitted from out of area on parental preference grounds. Other networks are not intended to take into account the numbers of children and would not serve the same purpose. A wholesale change in catchments:  Would have the effect of removing catchment priority for children across the county to an extent that could not be accurately assessed without a significant investment in officer time  changes to catchments would impact on entitlement to free transport on designated school grounds. All changes to entitlement would result in new network routes being set up at the same time as existing passengers routes would continue.  an increasing number of schools are their own admissions authority and it is not for the Local Authority to require amendments  Electoral Rolls do not contain details of children under 16 years of age  Parishes can be significantly larger than current catchment areas and would not serve as a useful replacement.

It would be helpful for all parties to review catchments to check their accuracy and to make more widespread use of natural boundaries such as roads, watercourses and recognisable field boundaries. In some areas, boundaries run across fields and through new housing. A review in co-operation with schools across Learning Communities would be achievable if conducted on a rolling basis through 2017.

It is recommended to review catchment areas with schools during 2017, using the existing network.

i Dates of birth 1 April and 31 August. Letter to all LAs, schools and parents in September 2015.