Admissions Arrangements to Primary & Secondary
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Report to: Executive Member Children’s Services Date: 27th March 2007 Report of: Director of Children’s Services Report No: Contact Officer: Val Fogg Tele No: Ext 2092 Report Title: ADMISSIONS ARRANGEMENTS TO PRIMARY & SECONDARY SCHOOLS SEPTEMBER 2008 This report does not contain information which warrants its Non Confidential: consideration in the absence of the press or members of the public Purpose: To determine the oversubscription criteria for admission into primary and secondary schools in September 2008. To determine the co-ordinated admission arrangements for admission into primary and secondary schools in September 2008. Recommendations: To approve the oversubscription criteria for admission into primary and secondary schools in September 2008 as revised To approve the co-ordinated admission arrangements for primary and secondary school admissions in September 2008 Decision: Background Doc(s): School Admissions Code School Standards & Framework Act 1998 as Amended by section 40 of the Education and Inspections Act 2006 Arbitrators Report 1977 Primary & Secondary School Admission Booklets Responses to the Consultation (for use on Exec Rep) Signed: Leader / Executive Member Monitoring Officer Date: Page 1 of 30 Summary: To consider and determine the oversubscription criteria for admission into primary and secondary schools taking into account the School Admissions Code and responses to consultation. To consider and approve the co-ordinated admission arrangements for primary and secondary school admissions in September 2008 Page 2 of 30 Executive Members for Children’s Services and Schools 27th March 2007 ADMISSION ARRANGEMENTS TO PRIMARY & SECONDARY SCHOOLS SEPTEMBER 2008 1. Background Information 1.1 A new code of practice on admissions came into effect on 28th February this year, and applies to admissions at all local authority maintained schools and academies. Admission Authorities must ensure that their determined admission arrangements comply with the mandatory provisions of the Code. Admission authorities must not use practices or criteria which are prohibited by the Code. The object is to make admissions arrangements fairer, "a system where all parents feel they have the same opportunities to apply for the schools they want for their child". The new code gives guidance on what may and must not be used as selection criteria for oversubscription. It also gives guidance- some statutory- on what must be taken into account in setting criteria. The admission arrangements for admission in September 2008 must be determined by 15th April 2007. 1.2 All local authorities are required under the School Standards & Framework Act 1998 to consult on a scheme for each academic year for co-ordinating admission arrangements for all maintained schools within their area. The co-ordinated scheme is intended to simplify the admissions process for parents whilst reducing the likelihood of any child being left without a school place. It also ensures that as far as practical every child living in an area who has applied in the normal admission round receives a single offer of a school place. 2. Bolton Council’s co-ordinated admission arrangements 2.1 The proposed arrangements for co-ordinated admissions to primary and secondary schools set out in Appendix A. Each school year the Local Authority has a duty under the Schools Standards and Framework Act 1998 to formulate a scheme for co-ordinating admission arrangements for all maintained schools (except special schools and nursery schools) within their area. 2.2 The scheme must confirm the method by which the single offer will be determined in the event that offers could be made at two or more schools and how a place will be offered if none of the parent’s preferences can be met. It must also explain how late applications will be treated and the arrangements for applications received outside the normal admission round. The scheme must ensure as far as possible that every child living in the local authority area who has applied in the normal admission round receives a single offer of a school place on the same day. For secondary schools there is a national offer date of 1st March and for primary schools the date must be determined by the LA for their area. The determined scheme must be notified to the Secretary of State. 2.3 The proposed scheme is an updated version of that scheme currently in place. The national offer date however has been agreed as 3rd March 2008 as the 1st March falls on a Saturday. Page 3 of 30 3. Bolton Council’s current admissions policy 3.1 The current admission policy for the community high schools is set out fully in the Admissions booklets. The policy priority (in brief) as follows: i) children with a statement of educational needs that names the school; ii) children in public care; iii) children with older siblings at the school at the date of admission (excluding VI form); iv) allocation of places based on proximity. 3.2 The way in which proximity is currently measured is not the shortness of the journey to the preferred school but the length of the journey to the nearest alternative school determined by moving outwards from the preferred school in all directions as in a ripple effect. Those pupils with a shorter journey to an alternative school have a lower priority for the preferred school than those who have a longer journey to an alternative school. 3.3 In respect of the voluntary controlled Church of England schools an additional category is included after “sibling” for pupils where there is evidence of an affiliation with the relevant church. 3.4 With regard to Rivington & Blackrod High School (Voluntary Controlled CE), first preferences are considered above second preferences and so on. Priority is given after siblings to those children resident in the Blackrod or Horwich town council areas, followed by exceptional social or medical reasons, followed by up to 20% on the basis of commitment to the Christian faith. 3.5 In respect of Turton High School the policy booklet states: "It has always been recognised that Turton High School serves the Turton community, therefore after SEN, Public care and sibling link criteria have been applied then pupils living within the urban district of Turton will be considered for places in the school provided it is their first preference. It must be stressed that there is no guarantee that all pupils living within the urban district of Turton be allocated a place at Turton High School if demand exceeds the number of places available. Children who are resident in the parish of North Turton in the Blackburn with Darwen area have a guarantee of a place at Turton High School, provided it is their first preference. This follows an arbitrator's decision in 1977" 4. Setting Fair Oversubscription Criteria 4.1 The guidance on setting fair oversubscription criteria is clear, and once (after consultation) the Council has determined the criteria (by 15 April), Local Authorities, local schools, Admissions Forums and parents can object to the Schools Adjudicator if the admission arrangements contain practices or criteria that they feel do not comply with the law or the mandatory provisions of the Code. Local Authorities and schools can refer admission arrangements where they do not comply with the mandatory provisions of the code or where they do not follow its guidelines 4.2 The prohibitions on unfair criteria set out in Chapter 2 of the new Code include two aspects of the current policy-- namely giving a priority where it is a first choice (e.g. this applies to Rivington & Blackrod HS and Turton HS), and guaranteeing a place (as with Turton HS). Consequently the proposed policy was amended to reflect these changes to the Code. It also sought to introduce a Page 4 of 30 new definition for proximity which could apply equally to all the community and voluntary- controlled schools and would make the policy simpler and clearer for parents to understand when making their preferences for schools. 4.3 In putting forward distance criteria the Authority should take account of the time it will take to travel to school and the availability of public transport. The Authority should explain how distance will be measured, it must use a reliable system that parents can understand, it should ensure that families who are less able to afford property nearest the school are not excluded. It is identified as good practice to give priority to children who could reach one school (but not others) by public transport, or to children who have a disproportionately long journey to another school if denied admission to their nearest school. 5. Consultation for 2008/09 Admissions 5.1 The consultation documents for admissions in 2008, attached as Appendix B, were distributed to all the schools within Bolton Metropolitan Borough at the end of October 2006 and to all neighbouring local authorities in January 2007 and the Dioceses of Salford and Manchester. In addition the Head Teacher and Governing Body of Belmont CP and Turton and Edgworth VC Methodist schools were consulted on the proposals for secondary schools admission arrangements in February 2007. 5.2 In summary, the effect of the proposed changes would be to: a) withdraw preference ranking; b) withdraw the guarantee of a place for residents in north Turton; c) retain current criteria 1 (SEN), criteria 2 (Looked After Children), criteria 3 (sibling link); d) re-define criteria 4 (proximity) as follows: “ To rank all applications on the basis of distance from the preferred school measured by the shortest walking route between home and the school with those living nearest to the preferred school being given priority for a place”. 6. Response to the consultation 6.1 There has been one response from a school on determination of distance criteria, to support retention of shortest walking route as a measure for proximity.