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Cabinet Date: 20 February 2019
Pupil Admission Arrangements for Primary and Secondary Schools – September 2020
Report of the Corporate Director Children, Adults and Health
Cabinet Portfolio/Lead Member: Cllr Moira Smith, Children, Young People and Families
Purpose of Report
1. This report presents the outcome of the 2018/19 consultation exercise with Governing Boards of Local Authority (LA) Schools and others in respect of proposed pupil admission arrangements for September 2020, and specifically seeks the Council’s determination of the pupil admission arrangements for those schools for which it is the admission authority i.e. Community and Voluntary Controlled Schools, and agreement to the operation of the Co-ordinated Admission Scheme.
2. The report also takes into consideration the most recent version of the School Admissions Code issued by the Department for Education (DfE) which came into force on 19 December 2014.
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Contact Officer: Christine Henderson, Governor Support and School Admissions Manager (4247847) cabinet cabinet cabinet cabinet cabinet cabinet cabinet Pupil Admission Arrangements for Primary and Secondary Schools – September 2020
Introduction
3. All Admission Authorities have a duty to publish details of their own admission arrangements. Governors of all Roman Catholic schools in the Borough are their own Admission Authorities, as are St Oswald’s C of E Primary School and Jarrow School and as such, determine their own admission policies. The relevant Academy Trust determines the admission policy(ies) for its Academy(ies). The LA is the Admission Authority for all Community and Voluntary Controlled schools.
4. The Education (School Information) (England) Regulations 2008 require the LA to publish information annually about admission arrangements for the following year for all maintained schools in its area, and to publish for each school year a ‘composite prospectus’ giving summary details of admission information. The information is aimed at ensuring that parents make an informed decision about applications for a school place.
5. The LA must also publish the arrangements for admission appeals for community and voluntary controlled schools, and may also publish other information about local admission arrangements which they consider will be of interest to parents. These matters are included in the “composite prospectus”.
6. The LA publishes a ‘composite prospectus’ in the form of an “Information for Parents” booklet for all primary and secondary schools within the Authority in collaboration with, and with the co-operation of, those schools which statutorily manage their own admission arrangements. This is published on the Council’s website but will be available to parents as a hard copy on request.
In-Year Fair Access Protocol
7. This protocol exists to ensure that access to education is secured quickly for children who have no school place, and to ensure that all schools in an area admit their fair share of children with challenging behaviour. The protocol has been in place since September 2007 for Secondary schools and since September 2009 for Infant, Junior and Primary schools. A review of the protocol was carried out in autumn 2018. All admission authorities must participate in the protocol.
School Travel Provisions
8. The statutory duties for free transport for children on compulsory school age are:
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i) Statutory walking distances eligibility
Provide free transport for all pupils of compulsory school age (5 – 16) if their nearest suitable school is • beyond 2 miles (if below the age of 8); or • beyond 3 miles (if aged between 8 and 16).
ii) Special educational needs, a disability or mobility problems eligibility
Make transport arrangements for all children who cannot reasonably be expected to walk to school because of their mobility problems or because of associated health and safety issues related to their special educational needs or disability.
iii) Unsafe route eligibility
Make transport arrangements for all children who cannot reasonably be expected to walk to the nearest school because the nature of the route is deemed unsafe to walk.
iv) Extended rights eligibility
Provide free transport where pupils are entitled to free school meals or their parents are in receipt of maximum Working Tax Credit if • the nearest suitable school is beyond 2 miles (for children over the age of 8 and under 11); • the school is between 2 and 6 miles (if aged 11-16 and there are not three or more suitable nearer schools); • the school is between 2 and 15 miles and is the nearest school preferred on the grounds of religion or belief (aged 11-16).
Consultation
9. All admission authorities are required to consult on the full details of their admission arrangements for a minimum of six weeks. The LA co- ordinated the consultation exercise on behalf of all schools in the Borough where requested.
10. Neighbouring authorities, governors, diocesan boards, parents and local groups with an interest in the area were consulted. The proposed admission arrangements were also published in the local paper and on the Council’s website.
11. There was one response received during the consultation period from Forest View Primary School with a request to reduce their Planned Admission Number (PAN) from 45 to 30.
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12. The recommendation is not to agree the request to the change to PAN for Forest View or any other school for 2020 admissions. A review of the Schools Organisation Plan in order to ensure that there are sufficient school places to accommodate the number of pupils resident in the borough has recently commenced. The analysis of the possible impact of housing development in South Tyneside on the requirement for primary school places is at a very early phase linked with the development of Local Plan covering the period 2020 to 2025.
13. On 4 December 2017 all admission authorities received correspondence from Rt Hon Nick Gibb MP. The letter advised of the intention to change the School Admissions Code to ensure that children previously in care outside of England are given the highest priority for admission.
14. Admission authorities were encouraged to use discretion to amend their admission criteria for 2019/20 to include children previously in care outside of England as the second highest priority in their oversubscription criteria. It was recognised that admission authorities may have already commenced their consultation process and that this may not be possible.
15. The consultation process for the LA concluded on 1 December 2017 for 2019/20 admissions therefore the earliest opportunity for consultation was for 2020/21 admissions.
16. At present there are no pupils attending schools within the Local Authority who would meet this criterion. The number of future applications expected to be received in oversubscribed schools within this criterion would be minimal. The impact of including the additional criterion was insignificant.
17. There were no comments or objections received to the proposal of the additional criterion during the consultation period. It would therefore be recommended that the criterion be included in the admissions arrangements for 2020/21.
Admission Numbers
18. As part of determining their admission arrangements all admission authorities must set an admission number for each relevant age group. LAs use the net capacity method of assessing the sufficiency of school premises. The primary aim of net capacity assessment is to offer a fair and consistent method of identifying any surplus or deficit of pupil places in relation to demand. The calculation of a school’s capacity allows LAs to establish an indicated admission number. Net capacity data is reviewed annually to ensure that all changes to school buildings are taken into account when setting the admission number.
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19. All admission authorities must consult where they propose a decrease to the Published Admission Number (PAN) for a relevant age group and must follow a statutory procedure which involves publishing this information for parents who may object to the admission number. Schools that are their own admission authorities are not required to consult on their PAN where they propose either to increase or keep the same PAN. For a community or voluntary controlled school, the LA (as admission authority) must consult at least the governing body of the school where it proposes either to increase or keep the same PAN. For infant classes, the admission number must be compatible with the duty to comply with the infant class size limit.
20. Admission authorities must notify their LA of their intention to increase the school’s PAN and reference to the change should be made on the school’s website. If, at any time following determination of the PAN, an admission authority decides that it is able to admit above its PAN, it must notify the LA in good time to allow the effective co-ordination of its responsibilities. Admission authorities may also admit above their PAN in-year.
21. Any admissions above the PAN as detailed above will not constitute an increase to the PAN. A variation to increase a school’s PAN in-year is not required to be referred to the Schools Adjudicator.
22. Admission authorities must notify the appropriate bodies of all variations and must display a copy of the full varied admission arrangements on their website until they are replaced by different admission arrangements. Local authorities must display the varied admission arrangements on their website where an admission authority has raised its PAN.
23. In a normal year of entry, it would be unusual for a child to be refused admission to a school on the grounds of prejudice to efficient education or the efficient use of resources except where the number of applications for admission exceeds the admission number.
24. Governors have been requested to consider the appropriateness of their admission numbers in the light of operational issues e.g. Infant class size limit. No changes were identified.
Co-ordinated Admission Scheme
25. There is a statutory duty on LAs to formulate schemes covering every school in their area to co-ordinate the admissions process for the normal year of entry. There is no requirement for LAs to co-ordinate in- year applications.
26. All applications for infant, junior, primary and secondary schools in South Tyneside are to continue to be co-ordinated under one scheme, with the home admission authority dealing with all applications.
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27. The national closing date for primary applications will be 4.30pm on Wednesday 15 January 2020 (National Closing Date) and offers of places will be made on Thursday 16 April 2020 (National Offer Day). The national closing date for secondary applications will be 4.30pm on Thursday 31 October 2019, and offers will be made on Monday 2 March 2020 (National Offer Day 1 March 2020).
Criteria for Determining Applications for Admissions in Instances of Oversubscription for all Community and Voluntary Controlled Schools
28. Admission Authorities are legally required to publish oversubscription criteria to cover those situations where the number of parents expressing a preference for a particular school exceeds the number of available places in that year.
29. The oversubscription criteria must be set out clearly and unambiguously, stating what the criteria are and the way and order in which they will be applied. The admission authority is then under a duty to apply fairly and reasonably the oversubscription criteria it has published.
30. On 4 December 2017 the Minister of State for School Standards announced that when the opportunity arises he intends to amend the School Admissions Code to ensure that children who were previously in state care outside of England, and have ceased to be in state care as a result of being adopted, also receive the same highest priority for admission into school in England.
31. Any change to the Admissions Code will be subject to consultation and the will of Parliament but the Minister has encouraged admission authorities to use their discretion and give these children second highest priority in their oversubscription criteria.
32. The proposed criteria for pupil admissions into schools from September 2020 are as follows:
“In determining admissions where there is pressure on places, account will be taken of the following factors, in priority order:-
(a) A 'looked after child' or a child who was previously looked after but immediately after being looked after became subject to an adoption, child arrangement, or special guardianship order. See Note 1 below.
(b) Children who appear to have been in state care outside of England and ceased to be in state care as a result of being adopted. See note 2 below.
(c) Parental home residence within the defined catchment area of the school. Document filename: Cabinet Date: 20 February Admission Arrangements 2020 2019 Version (DRAFT) Page 6
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(d) Concurrent sibling link (an older brother or sister attending the school at the same time and residing at the same address, to include adoptive siblings, half siblings, step siblings and long term fostered children,).
(e) Shortest distance measured as a straight line, from the Ordnance Survey coordinates for the parental home residence (including flats) to the school main entrance, using South Tyneside Council’s Geographic Information System (GIS), with those living closer to the school receiving higher priority.
The above distance measurement will also be used as a ‘tie breaker’ within each criterion, if necessary.
Note 1: Looked after child' is a child who is (a) in the care of a local authority, or (b) being provided with accommodation by a local authority in the exercise of their social services functions (see the definition in Section 22(1) of the Children Act 1989) at the time of making an application to a school.
• An “adoption order” is an order made under Section 46 of the Adoption and Children Act 2002.
• A ‘child arrangement order’ is an order made outlining arrangements as to the person with whom the child is to live under Section 8 of the Children Act 1989.
• ‘Special guardianship order’ is an order appointing one or more individuals to be a child’s special guardian or guardians (Section 14A of the Children Act 1989).
Note 2: A child is regarded as having been in state care in a place outside of England if they were accommodated by a public authority, a religious organisation or any other provider of care whose sole purpose is to benefit society.
In determining admissions, priority will be given to those applications where the parental application form is received by the published deadline date.
Admission into schools is by an equal preference system for processing parental preferences. This means that all first, second and third preference applications are considered equally against the admission criteria. If a pupil qualifies for a place at more than one school, the parent’s highest ranked preference will be offered and any lower ranking offers will be disregarded. If it becomes necessary to decide between applicants within the same criterion, a distance tiebreak described above will be used.
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Where two or more applicants meet the same admission criteria and the measured distance between home and school is the same to 3 decimal places, the tie break will be random allocation and will be by the drawing of lots to determine the rank order for each child. In order to ensure fairness the School Admissions Team will administer the random allocation system overseen by an independent adjudicator in accordance with the random allocation procedure.
Financial and Value for Money Implications
33. The financial implications arising from this report are connected to the eligibility for school travel provisions in paragraph 8. The Council is not predicting a material change in the numbers of pupils eligible for free transport for 2019/20, so the cost of school travel provisions will be met from existing resources included in the 2019/20 budget.
Legal Implications
34. There is a statutory duty on all admission authorities to determine and to publish their admission arrangements for the next admission round by 28 February 2019.
35. The LA is the admitting authority for all community and voluntary controlled schools and, therefore, it must discharge its statutory duty in this respect.
36. The LA as an admissions authority must comply with the requirements of the School Admissions Code in respect of setting fair oversubscription criteria.
Risk and Opportunity Implications
37. If the LA fails to determine or determine appropriately its pupil admission arrangements it could be judged to be in breach of its statutory duties and could be subject to enforcement procedures from the Secretary of State so that the pupil admission process is undertaken correctly within the Borough. There is also the potential for intervention by other agencies e.g. the Local Government Ombudsman and the Schools Adjudicator.
38. Failure to publish adequately agreed arrangements could result in a lack of clarity regarding admission procedures. This would increase the risk of disputes arising between schools, the LA and parents (or other interested stakeholders) and could lead to legal challenges being brought against the Local Authority.
Equality and Diversity Implications
39. Chapter 1 of Part 6 of the Equality Act 2010 sets out provisions in relation to schools and means it is generally unlawful for maintained Document filename: Cabinet Date: 20 February Admission Arrangements 2020 2019 Version (DRAFT) Page 8
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schools to discriminate against a person on the grounds of disability, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation. Exceptions do apply to single sex schools, schools with a religious character, and disabled pupils and selection on academic ability or aptitude. Admission authorities must carefully consider the possible impact, direct or indirect, on equal opportunities of their proposed admission arrangements especially oversubscription criteria (The Equality Act’s definition of disability is not the same as the definition of Special Educational Needs in S312 of the Education Act 1996. There will be some pupils who are covered by the Equality Act’s definition of disability but not the Education Act’s definition of special educational needs and vice versa).
40. Specifically, where a school is named in an Education Health and Care Plan, the governing board of a maintained school has a duty to admit the child to the school and an admission authority should determine and apply the oversubscription criteria as fairly to children with Special Educational Needs but no Education Health and Care Plan, or to children with a disability, as to other applicants.
41. ‘Looked After Children’ are a disadvantaged group and admission authorities must give these children top priority in their oversubscription criteria.
Environmental and Sustainability Implications
42. There are no environmental and sustainability implications arising from the decision to be made.
Options to be considered
43. There are no other options to be considered.
Recommendations
44. Cabinet is requested to determine the following matters in the light of the outcome of the consultation exercise:-
• Publication of admission numbers for individual schools.
• Criteria to be utilised in the event of oversubscription at Community and Voluntary Controlled Schools.
• Co-ordinated Admission Schemes.
• Delegating authority to the Corporate Director Children Adults and Health in consultation with the Leader, Deputy Leader and the Lead Member Children, Young People and Families to take necessary action to determine fully the admission arrangements and related
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matters for September 2020 in the light of any issues which may arise subsequent to consideration of this report.
45. The specific recommendations are:
Oversubscription Criteria
That the criteria to be utilised in the event of oversubscription at Community and Voluntary Controlled schools is as follows:-
“In determining admissions where there is pressure on places, account will be taken of the following factors, in priority order:-
(a) A 'Looked After Child' or a child who was previously looked after but immediately after being looked after became subject to an adoption, residence, or special guardianship order. See Note 1 below.
(b) Children who appear to have been in state care outside of England and ceased to be in state care as a result of being adopted. See note 2 below.
(c) Parental home residence within the defined catchment area of the school (catchment areas as attached).
(d) Concurrent sibling link (an older brother or sister attending the school at the same time and residing at the same address, to include adoptive siblings, half siblings, step siblings and long term fostered children,).
(e) Shortest distance measured as a straight line, from the Ordnance Survey coordinates for the parental home residence (including flats) to the school main entrance, using South Tyneside Council’s Geographic Information System (GIS), with those living closer to the school receiving higher priority.
The above distance measurement will also be used as a ‘tie breaker’ within each criterion, if necessary.
Note 1: “Looked After Child” is a child who is (a) in the care of a LA, or (b) being provided with accommodation by a LA in the exercise of their social services functions (see the definition in Section 22(1) of the Children Act 1989) at the time of making an application to a school.
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• An adoption order is an order made under Section 46 of the Adoption and Children Act 2002.
• A ‘child arrangement order’ is an order made outlining arrangements as to the person with whom the child is to live under Section 8 of the Children Act 1989.
• ‘Special guardianship order’ is an order appointing one or more individuals to be a child’s special guardian or guardians (Section 14A of the Children Act 1989).
Note 2: A child is regarded as having been in state care in a place outside of England if they were accommodated by a public authority, a religious organisation or any other provider of care whose sole purpose is to benefit society.
In determining admissions, priority will be given to those applications where the parental application form is received by the published deadline date.
Through the application of the equal preference system, all first, second and third preference applications are considered equally against the admission criteria. If a pupil qualifies for a place at more than one school, the parent’s highest ranked preference will be offered and any lower ranking offers will be disregarded. If it becomes necessary to decide between applicants within the same criterion, the distance tiebreaker described above will be used.
Where two or more applicants meet the same admission criteria and the measured distance between home and school is the same to 3 decimal places, the tie break will be random allocation and will be by the drawing of lots to determine the rank order for each child. In order to ensure fairness the School Admissions Team will administer the random allocation system overseen by an independent adjudicator in accordance with the random allocation procedure.
Co-ordinated Admissions Schemes
That the Co-ordinated Admissions Schemes (Primary and Secondary) be agreed (as attached).
Delegated Authority
That delegated authority is granted to the Corporate Director Children, Adults and Health, in consultation with the Leader, Deputy Leader and the Lead Member Children, Young People and Families to take whatever decisions are required to determine fully the admission arrangements for Community and Voluntary Controlled schools and any related matters for pupil admissions in September 2020.
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Reasons for Recommendations
46. The recommendations on the publication of admission numbers will allow the proposed admission numbers for individual schools to be reviewed and determined accordingly in time for the commencement of the September 2020 admission round.
47. The oversubscription criteria will support the most vulnerable pupils while ensuring that admission to schools is based on equitable, objective and transparent criteria. The proposed oversubscription criteria show proper regard to the School Admissions Code 2014 and the outcome of the consultation exercise.
48. Each LA is under a statutory duty to formulate and publish the Co- ordinated Admission Schemes. These schemes have been drawn up collaboratively with our neighbouring LA’s to assist in inter-authority arrangements whereby all pupils will receive the offer of a school place simultaneously and parents are dealing with consistently managed sets of admission arrangements irrespective of municipal boundaries which must not restrict parental choice.
49. Giving delegated authority to the Corporate Director Children, Adults and Health, in consultation with the Leader, Deputy Leader and the Lead Member Children, Young People and Families where indicated, will allow any outstanding or unforeseen minor issues to be resolved speedily.
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Proposed Co-ordinated Admissions Scheme for Infant, Junior and Primary Schools in the area of South Tyneside Local Authority
Introduction
1. This Scheme is made by South Tyneside Council under the School Admissions (Admissions Arrangements and Co-ordination of Admissions Arrangements) (England) Regulations 2012 and applies to all Primary schools in South Tyneside.
Interpretation
2. In this Scheme -
"The LA" means South Tyneside Council acting in their capacity as Local Authority;
"The LA area" means the area in respect of which the LA is the Local Authority;
"Primary education" has the same meaning as in section 2(1) of the Education Act 1996;
"Secondary education" has the same meaning as in section 2(2) of the Education Act 1996;
"Primary school" has the same meaning as in section 5(1) of the Education Act 1996;
"Secondary school" has the same meaning as in section 5(2) of the Education Act 1996;
"School" means a community, foundation or voluntary school (but not a special school), which is maintained by the LA;
“Voluntary controlled school” means such of the schools, as are voluntary controlled schools, where the LA sets the admission criteria and offers the places;
“VA school" means such of the schools as are voluntary aided schools; where the governing board sets the admission criteria and offers the places;
“Trust School” means such of the schools as have trust status;
“Academy” means such of the schools as have academy status;
Pupil Admission Arrangements for Primary and Secondary Schools – September 2020
"Admission Authority" in relation to a community or voluntary controlled school means the LA , in relation to a VA school and a Trust School means the governing board of that school and in relation to an Academy means the Academy Trust of that school;
“The equal preference system” the scheme operated by South Tyneside Council whereby all preferences listed by parents/carers on the common application form are considered under the over- subscription criteria for each school without reference to parental rankings. Where a pupil may be offered a place at more than one school, the rankings are used to determine the single offer by selecting the one ranked highest on the common application form;
"The specified year" means the school year beginning at or about the beginning of September 2020;
“Academic year” means a period commencing with 1st August and ending with the next 31st July.
“The determination year” means the academic year beginning two years before the admission year.
"Admission arrangements" means the arrangements for a particular school or schools, which govern the procedures and decision making for the purposes of admitting pupils to the school;
“Parent/Carer” means any person who holds parental responsibility, as defined under the 1989 Children Act, and with whom the child normally resides;
“Shortest distance” means the shortest distance measured as a straight line, from the Ordnance Survey coordinates for the parental home residence (including flats) to the school main entrance, using South Tyneside Council’s Geographic Information System (GIS), with those living closer to the school receiving higher priority.
“In Year “admission means any application for a place other than the normal year of entry.
“’Home’ local authority” means the local authority in whose area the parents live.
“Eligible for a place” means that a child has been placed on a school’s ranked list at such a point, which falls within the school’s published admission number.
Pupil Admission Arrangements for Primary and Secondary Schools – September 2020
Commencement and extent
This scheme applies in relation to the admission arrangements for the schools for admission year 2020-2021 (the specified year).
The LA will include in its admission arrangements for the specified year the provisions set out in Schedule 1 to this scheme, or provisions having the same effect.
The admission authority of each of the VA schools, Trust and Academies will include in its admission arrangements for the specified year the provisions set out in the Schedule, so far as relevant to that school, or provisions having the same effect.
The Scheme
1. The Scheme shall be determined in accordance with the provisions set out in Schedule 1 and processed in accordance with the timetable set out in Schedule 2.
2. The scheme shall apply to every school in the LA area as identified in Appendix 1 and shall take effect from 1 August 2020.
3. The Scheme will also include applications from parents seeking admission to South Tyneside schools who live within the following neighbouring LA’s:
• Gateshead Local Authority
• North Tyneside Local Authority
• Sunderland Local Authority
We will also co-ordinate our admission process with any other Admission Authorities where relevant.
SCHEDULE 1
PART I-THE SCHEME
1. There will be a standard form known as the Common Application Form.
2. The Common Application Form will be used for the purpose of admitting pupils into the first year of Infant, Junior and Primary education in the specified year, and for applications made outside the normal year of entry i.e. ‘In Year’ admissions leading up to, and during, the academic year 2020/2021.
Pupil Admission Arrangements for Primary and Secondary Schools – September 2020
3. The Common Application Form must be used as a means of expressing up to 3 preferences for the purposes of section 86 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998, by parents resident in the LA area wishing to express a preference for their child-
a To be admitted to a school within the LA area (including VA Schools, Trust and Academies);
b To be admitted to a school located in another LA’s area (including VA Schools, Trust and Academies)
4. The Common Application Form will -
a Allow parents to express up to 3 preferences, including, where relevant, any schools outside the LA’s area, in the rank order in which they wish their child to receive an offer of a place at the respective schools,
b Specify the closing date and where the application form must be returned in accordance with paragraph 10.
5. The LA will make appropriate arrangements to ensure:
a That the Common Application Form is available on request from the LA and on-line at www.southtyneside.gov.uk/schooladmissions until the closing date; and,
b. That the Common Application Form is accompanied by a written explanation of the key features of the co-ordinated admissions scheme.
6. The LA will take all reasonable steps to ensure that: a Every parent resident in the LA area who has a child attending a nursery class or early years setting and is eligible to commence primary education has access to a copy of the Common Application Form (and a written explanation) either on-line or paper copy (on request only); and
b Every parent whose application falls within the category of an ‘In Year’ transfer has access to a copy of the Common Application Form (and written explanation), on request, and understands the process.
Parents will be advised that they will receive no more than one offer of a school place and that:
(i) If more than one school is nominated and two or more preferences can be offered the parent will be regarded as having
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ranked the schools in the order appearing on the form (the first- mentioned being ranked the highest); and
(ii) Places at any oversubscribed school will be offered on the basis of equal preference rank order and that where an offer is made it would be for the highest ranked school.
(iii) If a place cannot be offered at a nominated school, a place will be offered at an alternative school.
7. The Common Application Form will include an extra section to be completed by parents who express a preference for a Voluntary Aided School to enable them to provide additional relevant information. No supplementary information forms will be used unless the information is insufficient for consideration of the application against the published admission criteria. Where admission authorities within South Tyneside use supplementary information forms, the LA will seek to ensure that these only collect information, which is required by the published oversubscription criteria, in accordance with paragraphs 1.9 and 2.4 of the School Admissions Code.
8. Where a school receives a supplementary information form from a South Tyneside resident it will not be regarded as a valid application unless the parent has also completed a Common Application Form and the school is nominated on it. Where supplementary information forms are received directly by Foundation or VA Schools the school must inform the LA immediately so it can verify whether a Common Application Form has been received from the parent and, if not, the LA will contact the parent and ask them to complete a Common Application Form. Under the requirements of the scheme parents will not be under any obligation to complete an individual school’s supplementary information form where this is not strictly required for the governing board to apply their oversubscription criteria.
9. Any school which operates criteria for selection by ability or aptitude must ensure that its arrangements for assessing ability or aptitude, to enable decisions to be made on nominations, conform with the timing requirements of the scheme as set out in Schedule 2. (N.B. no school in South Tyneside operates criteria for selection based on ability or aptitude)
Processing of Common Application Forms
10. It will be the responsibility of parents to ensure that Common Application Forms are received directly to the LA by the closing date of 4.30pm on Wednesday 15 January 2020 (National Closing Date). Common Application Forms may also be completed on-line by the closing date.
Pupil Admission Arrangements for Primary and Secondary Schools – September 2020
Determining offers in response to the Common Application Form
11. The LA will act as a clearing house for the allocation of places by the relevant admission authorities in response to the Common Application Forms. The LA will only make any decision with respect to the offer or refusal of a place in response to any preference expressed on the Common Application Form where-
(a) It is acting in its capacity as an admission authority, or
(b) An applicant is eligible for more than one place and is allocated a place at the highest ranked school, or
(c) An applicant is not eligible for a place at any school that the parent has nominated.
The LA will allocate places in accordance with the provisions set out in paragraph 18 of this Schedule.
12. Completed application forms must be received by the closing date of 4.30pm on Wednesday 15 January 2020 (National Closing Date).
13. Completed application forms, which are received after the closing date will be marked ‘LATE’ and considered on an individual basis except that the procedure must not prevent the proper processing under the Scheme of application forms received on time.
14. The LA will process all application forms; any completed application forms must be treated as a confidential communication between the parent and the LA. All ranked applications received by the closing date will be considered before any ranked applications received after this closing date unless exceptional circumstances apply.
15. By Monday 20 January 2020 the LA will notify the admission authority for each of the schools of every nomination that has been made for that school, including all relevant details (SEN, LAC or Late) and any supplementary information received by this date, which schools require in order to apply their oversubscription criteria. Where parents have nominated a school outside the LA area, the LA will also similarly notify the relevant authority/authorities on the same day.
16. By Tuesday 25 February 2020 the admission authority for each school will provide the LA with a list in rank order, in accordance with their admission criteria of all pupils who applied for a place at the school, indicating those who can be offered a place and those (if any) who cannot. The LA will then match this ranked list against the ranked lists of the other schools nominated. The LA will also require additional names in criteria order of the next possible offers, up to 25% above the admission number of the school, so that schools will not need to be contacted by the LA at each iteration
Pupil Admission Arrangements for Primary and Secondary Schools – September 2020
17. By Friday 6 March 2020 the admission authority for neighbouring LA schools will produce a list of parental applicants and waiting lists (if appropriate).
18. By Monday 23 March 2020 the LA will match the provisional offers of places against each parent’s ranking and proceed as follows:
• Where the child is eligible for a place at only one of the preferred schools, a place at that school will be offered to the child.
• Where the child is eligible for a place at two or more of the preferred schools they will be offered a place at whichever school is the highest ranked and any lower offers will be disregarded.
• Where none of the preferences can be met, the child will be offered a place at the catchment area school if a vacancy exists, or at the nearest appropriate school with a vacancy, as measured by the shortest distance using a straight line, from the Ordnance Survey coordinates for the parental home residence (including flats) to the school main entrance, using South Tyneside Council’s Geographic Information System (GIS), with those living closer to the school receiving higher priority.
• The LA will allocate a school place to those pupils who have not submitted a Common Application Form after all other pupils who submitted a Common Application Form have been considered. The LA will allocate a place at the catchment area school if a vacancy exists, or at the nearest appropriate school with a vacancy, as measured by shortest distance using a straight line, from the Ordnance Survey coordinates for the parental home residence (including flats) to the school main entrance, using South Tyneside Council’s Geographic Information System (GIS), with those living closer to the school receiving higher priority.
19. Friday 3 April 2020 – By this date the LA informs its Infant, Junior and Primary Schools of the pupils to be offered places at their schools, and informs other LAs of places in South Tyneside schools to be offered to their residents.
20. On Thursday 16 April 2020 (National Offer Day) parents will be notified by either via e-mail (on-line applications) or a letter posted 2ndclass (paper applications) informing them of the school place allocated. This will give the following information
• The name of the school at which a place is offered;
• The reasons why the child is not being offered a place at any of the other higher ranked schools nominated on the Common Application Form;
Pupil Admission Arrangements for Primary and Secondary Schools – September 2020
• Information about their statutory right of appeal against the decisions to refuse places at the other nominated schools;
• Invite parents to contact the LA if they want to be considered for any places that might become available in schools they ranked higher than the school they are offered, in the re- allocation process on 24 April 2020 i.e. waiting list;
• Contact details for the schools (in the case of nominated Academy, VA, Trust and Academies schools where they were not offered a place) so that they can lodge an appeal, with the governing board, and the relevant LAs.
The letter will not inform parents of places still available at other schools.
21. Friday 24 April 2020: (1) The initial deadline for parents to accept the place offered. If they do not respond by this date, the LA will continue to pursue parents for written confirmation of acceptance for oversubscribed schools by issuing a reminder letter. (2) The deadline for parents to request to place their child’s name on a waiting list for any school they ranked higher on their Common Application Form than the school they were offered.
WAITING LISTS
22. Parents may ask for their children to be kept on a waiting list of children to be re-allocated places if they become available after 16 April 2020 (National Offer Day) at any school they have ranked higher on their Common Application Form than the school they were offered. Where a parent has been offered a place at a school, which they did not nominate on their Common Application Form they may be placed on the list of all the schools they did nominate and can then be considered for places at those schools. If pupil numbers fall below the published admission number then children will be admitted from the waiting list according to the admission criteria regardless of when their application form was received. The LA will hold all waiting lists for Community and Voluntary Controlled Schools and where requested for VA, Trust and Academies. Waiting lists for the normal year of entry will be kept open until 31 December 2020.
23. Tuesday 28 April 2020: The LA re-allocates any places that may have become vacant since 16 April 2020 (National Offer Day), in accordance with the school admission criteria, which will include the following:
• Those who have not yet been offered any school place, for example, late applications from parents who have just moved into the area and have not been offered a school place.
Pupil Admission Arrangements for Primary and Secondary Schools – September 2020
• Those who have not been offered a school place at any of the schools they nominated on the Common Application Form and the place that has become available is at a school originally nominated on the Common Application Form.
• Those who have been offered a school place but who ranked the school at which a place has now become available higher on the Common Application Form.
Where there are more applicants than places available then the priorities used within the schools admission criteria will also be applied to all applicants on the waiting list to determine the allocation of places.
24. Where a parent has been allocated a place at their second ranked school, they may be placed on a waiting list of their first ranked school but not their third and so on.
25. Tuesday 5 May 2020: Where parents have not returned their acceptance slip for oversubscribed schools the LA may withdraw the offer of the school place. Where places have been withdrawn pupils will be re- allocated a place at the nearest appropriate school with a vacancy as measured by the shortest distance using a straight line, from the Ordnance Survey parental home residence point (including flats) to the school main entrance, using South Tyneside Council’s Geographic Information System (GIS), with those living closer to the school receiving higher priority. Places that become available will be re allocated in accordance with paragraph 22 of this schedule.
PART 2-LATE APPLICATIONS
26. The closing date for applications in the normal admissions round is 4.30pm on Wednesday 15 January 2020 (National Closing Date). As far as is reasonably practicable applications for places in the normal admissions round that are received late owing to exceptional circumstances may be considered provided that they are received before 25 February 2020, the date the allocation procedures begin. Examples of what may be considered as exceptional circumstances include: when a lone parent has been ill for some time, or has been dealing with the death of a close relative; a family has just moved into the area or is returning from abroad (proof of ownership or tenancy of a South Tyneside property will be required in these cases). Other circumstances may be considered and each case will be decided on its own merits by each individual admission authority.
CHANGE OF SCHOOL PREFERENCE AFTER 15 JANUARY 2020 (NATIONAL CLOSING DATE)
27. Once parents have submitted their Common Application Form they cannot change their preferences after the closing date without an exceptional reason, for example if the family has recently moved
Pupil Admission Arrangements for Primary and Secondary Schools – September 2020
address, proof of ownership or tenancy of a South Tyneside property will be required.
LATE APPLICATIONS RECEIVED AFTER 25 FEBRUARY 2020
28. Late applications received after 25 February 2020, which, are not deemed to be exceptional by the Authority, will not be processed until all applications received by the closing date have been considered. Parents will, nevertheless receive an offer of a school place on 16 April 2020 (National Offer Day) in accordance with the terms of the scheme.
NO COMMON APPLICATION FORM RECEIVED BY 16 APRIL 2020 (NATIONAL OFFER DAY)
29. Where no Common Application Form is submitted the child will, on 16 April 2020 (National Offer Day) be offered a place at the catchment area school if a vacancy exists, or at the nearest appropriate school with a vacancy. The LA should have the evidence available to establish which parents this situation applies to as a result of liaison with LA nurseries and private nursery providers.
CHANGE OF SCHOOL PREFERENCE AFTER 16 APRIL 2020 (NATIONAL OFFER DAY)
30. Parents cannot change their original school preference(s) without an exceptional reason, for example if the family has recently moved address. Where the LA agrees to accept a change of preference application the original school preference will be cancelled and a new application must be submitted which will be considered as ‘Late’. Any place previously offered at a school in South Tyneside on 16 April 2020 (National Offer Day) will be withdrawn and the parent will be notified in writing of the outcome.
PART 3 - ‘IN YEAR’ ADMISSIONS
31. Applications received after 15 May 2020 and for places in year groups other than the normal year of entry to Infant, Junior and Primary schools will be treated as In-Year admissions.
32. Parents will apply to their ‘home’ local authority regardless of the school they are applying for.
33. Common Application Forms are available from the School Admissions Team.
34. The ‘home’ local authority will process all Common Application Forms and inform parents of the outcome of their application even if the school is Voluntary Aided or Academy.
35. The LA is unable to process applications for schools where the date that the place is required from, is more than 2 months from the date of the application (Service and Crown Personnel are exempt).
Pupil Admission Arrangements for Primary and Secondary Schools – September 2020
36. Children must be resident in the country before a Common Application Form can be considered (Service and Crown Personnel are exempt)
37. School places cannot be allocated on the basis of intended future changes of address unless a house move has been confirmed through the exchange of contracts or a signed rental agreement. The admission authority reserves the right to seek further documentary evidence to support the claim to residence.
CHILDREN WITH AN EDUCATION HEALTH AND CARE PLAN
38. Children with an Education Health and Care Plan will be referred to the Pupil Services Department. Pupil Services will work with the parents of the child to secure a place at a school where the specific needs of the child can be met. If the child is not currently attending a South Tyneside school Pupil Services will contact the LA where the child is currently attending (or previously attended) for details of the current Education Health and Care Plan. Schools must admit such pupils whether they have places or not.
LOOKED AFTER CHILDREN
39. All Schools (including Voluntary Aided) may be directed to admit a 'Looked After Child' even when the year group is full. In respect of admissions for Key Stage 1 these children would be admitted as an ‘excepted pupil’.
RESPONDING TO COMMON APPLICATION FORMS
40. If the application is for a Voluntary Aided School, Trust school or an Academy, the LA will refer the application to the Governing Board or Academy Trust of the school. In the case of applications for schools outside South Tyneside, the LA will contact the relevant authority.
41. All admission authorities should respond to the LA within 10 school days of receiving the Common Application Form informing them of the decision. If there is a place available pupils must be admitted within 20 school days of the application being received by the LA.
42. Where a place is not available at the highest ranked school the LA will co-ordinate with the second and third preference schools until a place can be offered at one of the preferences.
43. If the pupil is not on the roll of a South Tyneside school and a place cannot be offered at any of the nominated schools, the parent will be informed of places available at other schools in the area.
44. If there are more applications than places available the published admission criteria must be applied to all of the applications.
Pupil Admission Arrangements for Primary and Secondary Schools – September 2020
45. Pupils can only be refused a place at a school if one of the statutory reasons in the School Admissions Code applies.
46. The LA will keep a track of any pupils who apply for ‘In Year’ admissions, and intervene as appropriate to ensure that they are placed in a school without undue delay particularly in respect of a Looked After Child or a child who was previously looked after and disadvantaged children moving into the area i.e. Gypsy, Roma, Traveller and Service children.
DETERMINING OFFERS IN RESPONSE TO THE COMMON APPLICATION FORM
47. Pupils living in South Tyneside and applying for a school in the area (including Voluntary Aided Schools, Academy or Trust) The LA will notify the parent of the outcome of the place for all schools.
48. Pupils living in South Tyneside applying for a school out of the area
The ‘Home’ authority (South Tyneside) must contact the maintaining authority to confirm the availability of a place. The ‘Home’ authority (South Tyneside) would then confirm the offer of the place in writing to the parent, with a copy to the maintaining authority.
49. Pupils living out of the area applying for a South Tyneside school The admission or ‘Home’ authority must contact South Tyneside LA to confirm the availability of a place. The admission or ‘Home’ authority would then confirm the offer of a place to the parent, with a copy of the offer to South Tyneside LA.
Acceptance of the school place 50. Parents will be expected to contact the school offered to accept or decline the offer within 10 school days, failure to do so may result in the school place being withdrawn and offered to the next child on the waiting list if appropriate.
WAITING LISTS
51. The LA will hold the waiting list for all Community and Voluntary Controlled Schools and where requested for Voluntary Aided schools, Trust schools and Academies.
• The waiting list for the normal year of entry i.e. reception, and year 3 for oversubscribed schools will be kept open until 31 December 2020.
• Academies, Voluntary Aided or Trust schools may hold their own waiting list for in year applications but this will be confirmed
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within their own admission arrangements. Cleadon CE Academy hold their own waiting list.
PART 4 – ADMISSION OUTSIDE OF THE NORMAL AGE GROUP
52. It is the expectation of the LA that a child is placed within their normal age group and educated alongside his / her equivalent peers, in almost all cases. The LA will consider any requests for children to be educated outside of their normal age group on an individual basis. Please refer to the separate LA policy for guidance.
Pupil Admission Arrangements for Primary and Secondary Schools – September 2020
SCHEDULE 2
Timetable of Co-Ordinated Scheme
Friday 6 September 2019: Common Application form made available to parents on-line or paper copy (on request only)
4.30pm on Wednesday 15 January Common Application forms, together 2020: with any supplementary forms (as required) to be returned to the School Admissions Team at South Shields Town Hall or completed on-line.
Monday 20 January 2020: Details of applications to be sent to Academy, VA and Trust schools,
Tuesday 28 January 2020: Exchange preference data with other LA’s
Wednesday 12 February 2020: Details of preferences received from other LA’s to be sent to Academy, VA and Trust Schools
Tuesday 25 February 2020: Academy, VA and Trust schools provide the LA with ranked list of applicants.
Friday 6 March 2020: LA’s exchange information with other LA’s on offer or refusal of school places
Monday 23 March 2020: The LA will match the ranked lists of all the schools and allocate places in accordance with paragraph 18 of Schedule 1.
By Friday 3 April 2020: By this date the LA will notify schools, which parents have been offered places at their schools, and other LA’s will be notified of places in South Tyneside schools that will be offered to their residents.
Thursday 16 April 2020: Notifications sent to parents. (National Offer Day)
Friday 24 April 2020: Initial date for offers to be accepted by parents.
Pupil Admission Arrangements for Primary and Secondary Schools – September 2020
Friday 24 April 2020: Initial date for parents to request to place their child’s name on waiting list.
Monday 27 April 2020: Appeal forms to be sent out where requested.
Tuesday 28 April 2020: Any places that have become available are allocated to parents in priority order in accordance with paragraph 22 of Schedule 1.
Tuesday 5 May 2020: Where parents have not returned their acceptance slip for oversubscribed schools the LA may withdraw the offer of the school place and places will be re-allocated in accordance with paragraph 24 of Schedule 1.
Monday 18 May 2020: Deadline for the return of appeal forms.
Pupil Admission Arrangements for Primary and Secondary Schools – September 2020
Appendix 1
CO-ORDINATED ADMISSIONS SCHEME – PRIMARY SCHOOLS
Admission Authorities in the Area of South Tyneside to which the scheme applies
The Scheme applies to the Governing Board as the Admissions Authority for the following Voluntary Aided Schools:
St Aloysius RC Juniors School Argyle Street Hebburn NE31 1BQ
St Aloysius RC Infant School Argyle Street Hebburn NE31 1RZ
St Bede’s RC Primary School Claypath Lane South Shields NE33 4PG
St Bede’s RC Primary School Harold Street Jarrow NE32 3AJ
St Gregory’s RC Primary School Harton House Road East South Shields NE34 6DZ
St James’ RC Primary School Solway Road Hebburn NE31 2BP
St Joseph’s RC Primary School St Joseph’s Way Jarrow NE32 4PJ
St Mary’s RC Primary School Ayr Drive Jarrow NE32 4AW
St Matthews’ RC Primary School Alnwick Grove Jarrow NE32 5YT
St Oswald’s RC Primary School Nash Avenue South Shields NE34 8NS
St Oswald’s C of E Primary School St Oswald’s Road Hebburn NE31 1HT
Ss Peter and Paul RC Primary Olive Street School South Shields NE33 4RD
Pupil Admission Arrangements for Primary and Secondary Schools – September 2020
Community Schools where the LA is the Admission Authority
Ashley Primary School Temple Park Road South Shields NE34 0QA
Bede Burn Primary School Dene Terrace Jarrow NE32 5NJ
Biddick Hall Junior School Chesterton Road South Shields NE34 9SP
Biddick Hall Infant School Galsworthy Road South Shields NE34 9JD
Dunn Street Primary School Staple Road Jarrow NE32 3QL
East Boldon Junior School North Lane East Boldon NE36 0DL
East Boldon Infant School Front Street East Boldon NE36 0SW
Fellgate Primary School Oxford Way Off Durham Drive Jarrow NE32 4XA
Forest View Primary Rembrandt Avenue South Shields NE34 8RZ
Hadrian Primary School Baring Street South Shields NE33 2BB
Hebburn Lakes Primary Campbell Park Road Hebburn NE31 2SH
Harton Primary School East Avenue South Shields NE34 6PF
Hedworthfield Primary School Linkway Hedworth Estate Jarrow NE32 4QF
Hedworth Lane Primary School Hedworth Lane Boldon Colliery NE35 9JB
Pupil Admission Arrangements for Primary and Secondary Schools – September 2020
Jarrow Cross C of E Primary Borough Road School Jarrow NE32 5UW
Laygate Community School Laygate Lane South Shields NE33 4JJ
Lord Blyton Primary School Blyton Avenue South Shields NE34 9BN
Marine Park Primary School Hatfield Square Woodbine Estate South Shields NE33 2RD
Marsden Primary School Mill Lane Whitburn Colliery Nr Sunderland SR6 7HJ
Mortimer Primary School Mortimer Road South Shields NE34 0RW
Sea View Primary Norham Avenue North South Shields NE34 7TD
Simonside Primary School Glasgow Road Jarrow NE32 4AU
Stanhope Primary School Gresford Street South Shields NE33 4SZ
Toner Avenue School Johnston Avenue Hebburn NE31 2LJ
Valley View Primary School Valley View Jarrow NE32 5QT
West Boldon Primary School Hindmarch Drive West Boldon NE36 0HX
Westoe Crown Primary School Village Centre Sea Winnings Way South Shields NE33 3NS
Whitburn Village Primary School Cleadon Lane Whitburn Nr Sunderland SR6 7NS
Pupil Admission Arrangements for Primary and Secondary Schools – September 2020
The Scheme applies to the Academy Trust as the Admissions Authority for the following Academies:
Monkton Junior School Dame Flora Robson Avenue South Shields NE34 9RB
Monkton Infant School St Simon Street South Shields NE34 9SD
Ridgeway Primary Academy Park Avenue South Shields NE34 8AB
Cleadon Village Church of England Boldon Lane Academy Cleadon Nr Sunderland SR67RP
Holy Trinity Church of England (South Brockley Avenue Shields) Academy South Shields NE34 0TS
Pupil Admission Arrangements for Primary and Secondary Schools – September 2020
Proposed Co-ordinated Admissions Scheme for Secondary Schools in the area of South Tyneside Local Authority
Introduction
1. This Scheme is made by South Tyneside Council under the School Admissions (Admissions Arrangements and Co-ordination of Admissions Arrangements) (England) Regulations 2012 and applies to all Secondary Schools in South Tyneside.
Interpretation
2. In this Scheme -
"The LA" means South Tyneside Council acting in their capacity as Local Authority;
"The LA area" means the area in respect of which the LA is the Local Authority;
"Primary education" has the same meaning as in section 2(1) of the Education Act 1996;
"Secondary education" has the same meaning as in section 2(2) of the Education Act 1996;
"Primary school" has the same meaning as in section 5(1) of the Education Act 1996;
"Secondary school" has the same meaning as in section 5(2) of the Education Act 1996;
"School" means a community, foundation or voluntary school (but not a special school) which is maintained by the LA;
“Voluntary controlled school” means such of the schools, as are voluntary controlled schools, where the LA sets the admission criteria and offers the places;
“VA school" means such of the schools as are voluntary aided schools; where the governing board sets the admission criteria and offers the places;
“Trust School” means such of the schools as have trust status;
“Academy” means such of the schools as have academy status;
Pupil Admission Arrangements for Primary and Secondary Schools – September 2020
"Admission Authority" in relation to a community or voluntary controlled school means the LA, in relation to a VA and Trust school means the governing board of that school and in relation to an Academy means the Academy Trust of that school;
“The equal preference system” the scheme operated by South Tyneside Council whereby all preferences listed by parents/carers on the common application form are considered under the over- subscription criteria for each school without reference to parental rankings. Where a pupil may be offered a place at more than one school, the rankings are used to determine the single offer by selecting the one ranked highest on the common application form;
"The specified year" means the school year beginning at or about the beginning of September 2020;
“Academic year” means a period commencing with 1st August and ending with the next 31st July.
“The determination year” means the academic year beginning two years before the admission year.
"Admission arrangements" means the arrangements for a particular school or schools, which govern the procedures and decision making for the purposes of admitting pupils to the school;
“Parent/Carer” means any person who holds parental responsibility, as defined under the 1989 Children Act, and with whom the child normally resides;
“Shortest distance” means the shortest distance measured as a straight line, from the Ordnance Survey coordinates for the parental home residence (including flats) to the school main entrance, using South Tyneside Council’s Geographic Information System (GIS), with those living closer to the school receiving higher priority.
“In year” admission means any application for a place other than the normal year of entry.
“’Home’ local authority” means the local authority in whose area the parents live.
“Eligible for a place” means that a child has been placed on a school’s ranked list at such a point, which falls within the school’s published admission number.
Pupil Admission Arrangements for Primary and Secondary Schools – September 2020
Commencement and extent
This scheme applies in relation to the admission arrangements for the schools for admission year 2020-2021 (the specified year).
The LA will include in its admission arrangements for the specified year the provisions set out in Schedule 1 to this scheme, or provisions having the same effect.
The admission authority of each of the Voluntary Aided Schools, Trusts and Academies will include in its admission arrangements for the specified year the provisions set out in the Schedule, so far as relevant to that school, or provisions having the same effect.
The Scheme
1. The Scheme shall be determined in accordance with the provisions set out in Schedule 1 and processed in accordance with the timetable set out in Schedule 2.
2. The scheme shall apply to every school in the LA area as identified in Appendix 1 and shall take effect from 1 August 2018.
3. The Scheme will also include applications from parents seeking admission to South Tyneside schools who live within the following neighbouring LA’s:
• Gateshead Local Authority
• North Tyneside Local Authority
• Sunderland Local Authority
We will also co-ordinate our admission process with any other Admission Authorities where relevant.
SCHEDULE 1
PART I-THE SCHEME
1. There will be a standard form known as the Common Application Form.
2. The Common Application Form will be used for the purpose of admitting pupils into the first year of secondary education in the specified year, and for applications made outside the normal year of entry i.e. ‘In Year’ admissions leading up to, and during, the academic year 2020/2021.
Pupil Admission Arrangements for Primary and Secondary Schools – September 2020
3. The Common Application Form must be used as a means of expressing up to 3 preferences for the purposes of section 86 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998, by parents resident in the LA area wishing to express a preference for their child-
a To be admitted to a school within the LA area (including VA, Trust and Academy schools);
b To be admitted to a school located in another LA’s area (including VA, Trust and Academy schools)
4. The Common Application Form will -
a Allow parents to express up to 3 preferences, including, where relevant, any schools outside the LA’s area, in the rank order in which they wish their child to receive an offer of a place at the respective schools,
b Specify the closing date and where the application form must be returned in accordance with paragraph 10.
5. The LA will make appropriate arrangements to ensure:
a That the Common Application Form is available on request from the LA and on-line at www.southtyneside.gov.uk/schooladmissions until the closing date; and,
b. That the Common Application Form is accompanied by a written explanation of the key features of the co-ordinated admissions scheme.
6. The LA will take all reasonable steps to ensure that:
a Every parent resident in the LA area who has a child in their last year of primary education has access to a copy of the Common Application Form (and a written explanation) either on-line or paper copy (on request only); and
b Every parent whose application falls within the category of an ‘In Year’ transfer has access to a copy of the Common Application Form (and written explanation), on request, and understands the process.
Parents will be advised that they will receive no more than one offer of a school place and that:
(iv) If more than one school is nominated and two or more preferences can be offered the parent will be regarded as having
Pupil Admission Arrangements for Primary and Secondary Schools – September 2020
ranked the schools in the order appearing on the form (the first- mentioned being ranked the highest); and
(v) Places at any oversubscribed school will be offered on the basis of equal preference rank order and that where an offer is made it would be for the highest ranked school.
(vi) If a place cannot be offered at a nominated school, a place will be offered at an alternative school.
7. The Common Application Form will include an extra section to be completed by parents who express a preference for a Voluntary Aided School to enable them to provide additional relevant information. No supplementary information forms will be used unless the information is insufficient for consideration of the application against the published admission criteria. Where admission authorities within South Tyneside use supplementary information forms the LA will seek to ensure that these only collect information, which is required by the published oversubscription criteria, in accordance with paragraphs 1.9 and 2.4 of the School Admissions Code.
8. Where a school receives a supplementary information form from a South Tyneside resident it will not be regarded as a valid application unless the parent has also completed a Common Application Form and the school is nominated on it. Where supplementary information forms are received directly by Trust, Voluntary Aided Schools or Academies the school must inform the LA immediately so it can verify whether a Common Application Form has been received from the parent and, if not, the LA will contact the parent and ask them to complete a Common Application Form. Under the requirements of the scheme parents will not be under any obligation to complete an individual school’s supplementary information form where this is not strictly required for the governing board to apply their oversubscription criteria.
9. Any school which operates criteria for selection by ability or aptitude must ensure that its arrangements for assessing ability or aptitude, to enable decisions to be made on nominations, conform to the timing requirements of the scheme as set out in Schedule 2. (N.B. no school in South Tyneside operates criteria for selection based on ability or aptitude)
Processing of Common Application Forms
10. It will be the responsibility of parents to ensure that Common Application Forms are received directly to the LA by the closing date of 4.30pm on Thursday 31 October 2019 (National Closing Date). Common Application Forms may also be completed on-line by the closing date.
Pupil Admission Arrangements for Primary and Secondary Schools – September 2020
Determining offers in response to the Common Application Form
11. The LA will act as a clearing house for the allocation of places by the relevant admission authorities in response to the Common Application Forms. The LA will only make any decision with respect to the offer or refusal of a place in response to any preference expressed on the Common Application Form where-
(a) It is acting in its capacity as an admission authority, or
(b) An applicant is eligible for more than one place and is allocated a place at the highest ranked school, or
(c) An applicant is not eligible for a place at any school that the parent has nominated.
The LA will allocate places in accordance with the provisions set out in paragraph 18 of this Schedule.
12. Completed application forms must be received by the closing date of 4.30pm on Thursday 31 October 2019 (National Closing Date).
13. Completed application forms, which are received after the closing date will be marked ‘LATE’ and considered on an individual basis except that the procedure must not prevent the proper processing under the Scheme of application forms received on time.
14. The LA will process all application forms; any completed application forms must be treated as a confidential communication between the parent and the LA. All ranked applications received by the closing date will be considered before any ranked applications received after this closing date unless exceptional circumstances apply.
15. By Friday 15 November 2019 the LA will notify the admission authority for each of the schools of every nomination that has been made for that school, including all relevant details (SEN, LAC or Late) and any supplementary information received by this date, which schools require in order to apply their oversubscription criteria. Where parents have nominated a school outside the LA area, the LA will also similarly notify the relevant authority/authorities on the same day.
16. By Monday 6 January 2020 the admission authority for each school will provide the LA with a list in rank order, in accordance with their admission criteria of all pupils who applied for a place at the school, indicating those who can be offered a place and those (if any) who cannot. The LA will then match this ranked list against the ranked lists of the other schools nominated. The LA will also require additional names in criteria order of the next possible offers, up to 25% above the admission number of the school, so that schools will not need to be contacted by the LA at each iteration.
Pupil Admission Arrangements for Primary and Secondary Schools – September 2020
17. By Monday 20 January 2020 the admission authority for neighbouring LA schools will produce a list of parental applicants and waiting lists (if appropriate).
18. By Friday 31 January 2020 the LA will match the provisional offers of places against each parent’s ranking and proceed as follows:
• Where the child is eligible for a place at only one of the preferred schools, a place at that school will be offered to the child.
• Where the child is eligible for a place at two or more of the preferred schools they will be offered a place at whichever school is the highest ranked and any lower offers will be disregarded.
• Where none of the preferences can be met, the child will be offered a place at the catchment area school if a vacancy exists, or at the nearest appropriate school with a vacancy, as measured by the shortest distance using a straight line, from the Ordnance Survey coordinates for the parental home residence (including flats) to the school main entrance, using South Tyneside Council’s Geographic Information System (GIS), with those living closer to the school receiving higher priority.
• The LA will allocate a school place to those pupils who have not submitted a Common Application Form after all other pupils who submitted a Common Application Form have been considered. The LA will allocate a place at the catchment area school if a vacancy exists, or at the nearest appropriate school with a vacancy, as measured by the shortest distance using a straight line, from the Ordnance Survey coordinates for the parental home residence (including flats) to the school main entrance, using South Tyneside Council’s Geographic Information System (GIS), with those living closer to the school receiving higher priority.
19. Monday 24 February 2020 –By this date the LA informs its Secondary Schools of the pupils to be offered places at their schools, and informs other LAs of places in South Tyneside schools to be offered to their residents.
20. On Monday 2 March 2020 (1 March National Offer Day) parents will be notified by either via e-mail (on-line applications) or a letter posted 2ndclass (paper applications) informing them of the school place allocated. This will give the following information
• The name of the school at which a place is offered;
• The reasons why the child is not being offered a place at any of the other higher ranked schools nominated on the Common Application Form;
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• Information about their statutory right of appeal against the decisions to refuse places at the other nominated schools;
• Invite parents to contact the LA if they want to be considered for any places that might become available in schools they ranked higher than the school they are offered, in the re- allocation process on 18 March 2020 i.e. waiting list;
• Contact details for the schools (in the case of nominated Academy, VA and Trust schools where they were not offered a place) so that they can lodge an appeal, with the governing board, and the relevant LAs.
The information will not inform parents of places still available at other schools.
21. Friday 13 March 2020: (1) The initial deadline for parents to accept the place offered. If they do not respond by this date, the LA will continue to pursue parents for written confirmation of acceptance for oversubscribed schools by issuing a reminder letter. (2) The deadline for parents to request to place their child’s name on a waiting list for any school they ranked higher on their Common Application Form than the school they were offered.
WAITING LISTS
22. Parents may ask for their children to be kept on a waiting list of children to be re-allocated places if they become available after 2 March 2020 (1 March 2020 National Offer Day) any school they have ranked higher on their Common Application Form than the school they were offered. Where a parent has been offered a place at a school, which they did not nominate on their Common Application Form they may be placed on the list of all the schools they did nominate and can then be considered for places at those schools. If pupil numbers fall below the published admission number then children will be admitted from the waiting list according to the admission criteria regardless of when their application form was received. The LA will hold waiting lists for all Community and Voluntary Controlled Schools and where requested for VA and Trust Schools. Whitburn C of E Academy will hold their own waiting list. Waiting lists for the normal year of entry will be kept open until 31 December 2020.
23. Wednesday 18 March 2020: The LA re-allocates any places that may have become vacant since 2 March 2020, in accordance with the school admission criteria, which will include the following:
• Those who have not yet been offered any school place, for example, late applications from parents who have just moved into the area and have not been offered a school place.
Pupil Admission Arrangements for Primary and Secondary Schools – September 2020
• Those who have not been offered a school place at any of the schools they nominated on the Common Application Form and the place that has become available is at a school originally nominated on the Common Application Form.
• Those who have been offered a school place but who ranked the school at which a place has now become available higher on the Common Application Form.
Where there are more applicants than places available then the priorities used within the schools admission criteria will also be applied to all applicants on the waiting list to determine the allocation of places.
24. Where a parent has been allocated a place at their second ranked school, they may be placed on a waiting list of their first ranked school but not their third and so on.
25. Tuesday 31 March 2020: Where parents have not returned their acceptance slip for oversubscribed Community Schools the LA may withdraw the offer of the school place. Where places have been withdrawn pupils will be re- allocated a place at the nearest appropriate school with a vacancy as measured by the shortest distance using a straight line, from the Ordnance Survey parental home residence point (including flats) to the school main entrance, using South Tyneside Council’s Geographic Information System (GIS), with those living closer to the school receiving higher priority. Places that become available will be re allocated in accordance with paragraph 22 of this schedule.
PART 2-LATE APPLICATIONS
26. The closing date for applications in the normal admissions round is 4.30pm on Thursday 31 October 2019 (National Closing Date). As far as is reasonably practicable applications for places in the normal admissions round that are received late owing to exceptional circumstances may be considered provided that they are received before 6 January 2020, the date the allocation procedures begin. Examples of what may be considered as exceptional circumstances include: when a lone parent has been ill for some time, or has been dealing with the death of a close relative; a family has just moved into the area or is returning from abroad (proof of ownership or tenancy of a South Tyneside property will be required in these cases). Other circumstances may be considered and each case will be decided on its own merits by each individual admission authority.
CHANGE OF SCHOOL PREFERENCE AFTER 31 OCTOBER 2019 (NATIONAL CLOSING DATE):
27. Once parents have submitted their Common Application Form they cannot change their preferences after the closing date without an exceptional reason, for example if the family has recently moved
Pupil Admission Arrangements for Primary and Secondary Schools – September 2020
address, proof of ownership or tenancy of a South Tyneside property will be required.
LATE APPLICATIONS RECEIVED AFTER 6 JANUARY 2020
28. Late applications received after 6 January 2020 will not be processed until all applications received by the closing date have been considered. Parents will, nevertheless receive an offer of a school place on Monday 2 March 2020 in accordance with the terms of the scheme.
NO COMMON APPLICATION FORM RECEIVED BY 2 MARCH 2020
29. Where no Common Application Form is submitted the child will, on 2 March 2020, be offered a place at the catchment area school if a vacancy exists, or at the nearest appropriate school with a vacancy. The LA should have the evidence available to establish which parents this situation applies to as a result of liaison with the Primary and Junior Schools.
CHANGE OF SCHOOL PREFERENCE AFTER 2 MARCH 2020
30. Parents cannot change their original school preference(s) without an exceptional reason, for example if the family has recently moved address. Where the LA agrees to accept a change of preference application the original school preference will be cancelled and a new application must be submitted which will be considered as ‘Late’. Any place previously offered at a school in South Tyneside on 2 March 2020 will be withdrawn and the parent will be notified in writing of the outcome.
PART 3 - ‘IN YEAR’ ADMISSIONS
31. Applications received after 1 April 2020 and for places in year groups other than the normal year of entry to secondary school, will be treated as In Year admissions.
32. Parents will apply to their ‘home’ local authority regardless of the school they are applying for.
33. Common Application Forms are available from the School Admissions Team.
34. The ‘home’ local authority will process all Common Application Forms and inform parents of the outcome of their application even if the school is Voluntary Aided, Academy or Trust.
35. The LA is unable to process applications for schools where the date that the place is required from, is more than 2 months from the date of the application (Service and Crown Personnel are exempt).
Pupil Admission Arrangements for Primary and Secondary Schools – September 2020
36. Children must be resident in the country before a Common Application Form can be considered (Service and Crown Personnel are exempt)
37. School places cannot be allocated on the basis of intended future changes of address unless a house move has been confirmed through the exchange of contracts or a signed rental agreement. The admission authority reserves the right to seek further documentary evidence to support the claim to residence.
CHILDREN WITH AN EDUCATION, HEALTH AND CARE (EHC) PLAN
38. Children with an Education, Health and Care Plan will be referred to the Pupil Services Department. Pupil Services will work with the parents of the child to secure a place at a school where the specific needs of the child can be met. If the child is not currently attending a South Tyneside school Pupil Services will contact the LA where the child is currently attending (or previously attended) for details of the current Education, Health and Care Plan. Schools must admit such pupils whether they have places or not.
LOOKED AFTER CHILDREN (LAC)
39. All Schools (including Voluntary Aided) may be directed to admit a 'Looked After Child' even when the year group is full.
RESPONDING TO COMMON APPLICATION FORMS
40. If the application is for a Voluntary Aided Trust school or Academy, the LA will refer the application to the governing board or Academy Trust of the school. In the case of applications for schools outside South Tyneside, the LA will refer the application to the relevant authority.
41. All admission authorities must respond to the LA within 10 school days of receiving the Common Application Form informing them of the decision. If there is a place available pupils must be admitted within 20 school days of the application being received by the LA.
42. Where a place is not available at the highest ranked school the LA will co-ordinate with the second and third preference schools until a place can be offered at one of the preferences.
43. If the pupil is not on the roll of a South Tyneside school and a place cannot be offered at any of the nominated schools, the parent will be informed of places available at other schools in the area.
44. If there are more applications than places available the published oversubscription criteria must be applied to all of the applications.
45. Pupils can only be refused a place at a school if one of the statutory reasons in the School Admissions Code applies.
Pupil Admission Arrangements for Primary and Secondary Schools – September 2020
46. The LA will keep a track of any pupils who apply for ‘In Year’ admissions, and intervene as appropriate to ensure that they are placed in a school without undue delay particularly in respect of a Looked After Child and disadvantaged children moving into the area i.e. Gypsy, Roma, Traveller and Service children .
DETERMINING OFFERS IN RESPONSE TO THE COMMON APPLICATION FORM
47. Pupils living in South Tyneside and applying for a school in the area (including Voluntary Aided, Trust Schools and Academies) The LA will notify the parent in writing of the outcome of the place for all schools including VA, Trust Schools and Academies.
48. Pupils living in South Tyneside applying for a school out of the area The ‘Home’ authority (South Tyneside) must contact the maintaining authority to confirm the availability of a place. The ‘Home’ authority (South Tyneside) would then confirm the offer of the place in writing to the parent, with a copy to the maintaining authority.
49. Pupils living out of the area applying for a South Tyneside school The admission or ‘Home’ authority must contact South Tyneside LA to confirm the availability of a place. The admission or ‘Home’ authority would then confirm the offer of a place to the parent, with a copy of the offer to South Tyneside LA.
50. Acceptance of the school place Parents will be expected to contact the school offered to accept or decline the offer within 10 school days, failure to do so may result in the school place being withdrawn and offered to the next child on the waiting list if appropriate.
51. WAITING LISTS The LA will hold the waiting list for all Community and Voluntary Controlled Schools and where requested for Voluntary Aided, Trust Schools and Academies. Whitburn C of E Academy holds its own waiting list.
• The waiting list for the normal year of entry i.e. Year 7 for oversubscribed schools will be kept open until 31 December 2020.
• Academies, Voluntary Aided or Trust schools may hold their own waiting list for In Year applications but this will be confirmed within their own admission arrangements.
Pupil Admission Arrangements for Primary and Secondary Schools – September 2020
PART 4 – ADMISSION OUTSIDE OF THE NORMAL AGE GROUP
52. It is the expectation of the LA that a child is placed within their normal age group and educated alongside his / her equivalent peers, in almost all cases. The LA will consider any requests for children to be educated outside of their normal age group on an individual basis. Please refer to the separate LA policy for guidance.
Pupil Admission Arrangements for Primary and Secondary Schools – September 2020
SCHEDULE 2
Timetable of Co-Ordinated Scheme
Friday 6 September 2019: Common Application form made available to parents on-line or paper copy (on request only) 4.30pm on Thursday 31 October 2019: Common Application forms, together with any supplementary forms (as required) to be returned to the School Admissions Team at South Shields Town Hall or completed on-line (National Closing Date).
Friday 15 November 2019: Details of applications to be sent to Academy, VA and Trust schools,
Friday 15 November 2019: Exchange preference data with other LA’s
Friday 29 November 2019: Details of preferences received from other LA’s to be sent to Academy, VA and Trust Schools
Monday 6 January 2020: Academy, VA and Trust schools provide the LA with ranked list of applicants.
Monday 20 January 2020: LA’s exchange information with other LA’s on offer or refusal of school places
Friday 31 January 2020: The LA will match the ranked lists of all the schools and allocate places in accordance with paragraph 18 of Schedule 1.
Monday 24 February 2020: By this date the LA will notify schools, which parents have been offered places at their schools, and other LA’s will be notified of places in South Tyneside schools that will be offered to their residents.
Monday 2 March 2020: Notifications sent to parents (National Offer Day 1 March)
Pupil Admission Arrangements for Primary and Secondary Schools – September 2020
Friday 13 March 2020: Initial date for offers to be accepted by parents.
Friday 13 March 2020: Last date for parents to request to place their child’s name on waiting list.
Thursday 19 March 2020: Any places that have become available are allocated to parents in priority order in accordance with paragraph 22 of Schedule 1.
Thursday 19 March 2020: Appeals forms to be sent out to parents where requested.
Tuesday 31 March 2020: Where parents have not returned their acceptance slip for oversubscribed Community Schools the LA may withdraw the offer of the school place and places will be re- allocated in accordance with paragraph 24 of Schedule 1.
Friday 1 May 2020: Deadline for the return of appeal forms.
Pupil Admission Arrangements for Primary and Secondary Schools – September 2020
Appendix 1
CO-ORIDNATED ADMISSIONS SCHEME – SECONDARY SCHOOLS
Admission Authorities in the Area of South Tyneside to which the scheme applies
The Scheme applies to the Academy Trust as the Admissions Authority for the following Academy:
Whitburn Church of England Academy Whitburn Sunderland SR6 7EF
St Joseph’s Catholic Academy Mill Lane Hebburn NE31 2ET
St Wilfrid’s Roman Catholic Temple Park Road South Shields College NE34 0PH
Harton Academy Lisle Road South Shields NE34 6DL
The Scheme applies to the Governing Board as the Admissions Authority for the following Trust School:
Jarrow School Field Terrace Jarrow NE32 5PR
Community Schools where the LA is the Admission Authority
Boldon School New Road Boldon Colliery NE35 9DZ
Pupil Admission Arrangements for Primary and Secondary Schools – September 2020
Hebburn Comprehensive School Campbell Park Road Hebburn NE31 2QU
Mortimer Community College Reading Road South Shields NE34 4UG
South Shields School Nevinson Avenue South Shields NE34 8BT