CHILDREN, YOUNG PEOPLE AND EDUCATION CABINET BOARD 17 JANUARY 2006 DIRECTORATE OF EDUCATION, LEISURE & LIFELONG LEARNING REPORT OF THE HEAD OF EDUCATION DEVELOPMENT AND INCLUSION SERVICE – K BOYCE INDEX OF REPORT ITEMS PART 1 – Doc. Code: CYPEB-170106-REP-EL-KB SECTION A – MATTER FOR DECISION Report Item Page No Wards Affected Admissions Arrangements 2007-2008 2-9 All Wards SECTION B – MATTERS FOR INFORMATION Report Item Page No Wards Affected Basic Skills Agenda 10-14 All Wards Children And Young People’s News 15-26 All Wards SECTION C – MATTERS FOR MONITORING Report Item Page No Wards Affected Behaviour Support Plan 27-47 All Wards Service Delivery Equalities 48-61 All Wards Supplementary Education Strategic Plan 62-66 All Wards Early Years Development Plan 67-68 All Wards CYPEB-170106-REP-EL-KB 1 PART 1, SECTION A, ITEM 1 ADMISSION ARRANGEMENTS 2007/2008 Purpose of Report a) To approve for consultation school admission arrangements for 2007/2008. b) To reaffirm the Relevant Area for admissions for 2007/2008 and 2008/2009. Background a) Admission Arrangements: The Authority is responsible for determining the admission arrangements for community schools and has a duty to consult annually on those arrangements with governing bodies and other admission authorities in the relevant area. b) Relevant Area: The Education (Determination of Admission Arrangements) Regulations 1999 requires the Authority to determine the Relevant Area for school admissions. Every two years there is to be consultation with neighbouring admission authorities to approve the Relevant Areas. The Authority has previously determined the Relevant Area is to be the area within the Neath Port Talbot County Borough. No change in the area is proposed. CYPEB-170106-REP-EL-KB 2 Proposed Admission Arrangements for 2007/2008 Consultation is to take place on the basis of: the planned admission limits* for secondary schools being set at the assessed capacity; the planned admission limits* for primary schools being set at: 30 for single age classes; 26 for mixed age classes; and the following admission criteria and procedures. (i) Initial Placement, Parental Preference and Transfer Requests Children resident in Neath Port Talbot County Borough about to commence full time education, transfer between an infant and junior school, or transfer from primary to secondary education will be offered a place at a Neath Port Talbot School. Parents either can accept this initial offer or express a preference for a placement at an alternative school. Requests for admission will be granted unless to do so would: prejudice the provision of efficient education or the efficient use of resources. (ii) Admission Criteria – Community Schools All children living within a school's catchment area, as defined by the Authority, will be guaranteed a place at the catchment area school. Requests for admission, for children who live outside the catchment area, will be granted where there are places available. Head Teachers are delegated with the responsibility of admitting pupils up to the planned admission limit. CYPEB-170106-REP-EL-KB 3 If there are more admission requests than places available, the following priority will apply: (a) children living within the school's catchment area, as defined by the Authority; (b) children who have a brother or sister attending the school at the date of their admission; (c) children attending a designated partner school but who live outside the catchment area; (d) other children for whom a place has been requested. In any one of (b), (c) or (d) above, where requests for admission exceed the places available priority will be given on the basis of distance between home and school (measured by the shortest available safe route), children living closest having the highest priority. Requests for children to transfer between schools at periods other than the normal transfer age will be determined by applying the above arrangements. The Authority will not provide transport or make any contribution towards transportation costs for children who reside outside the school's catchment area. (iii) Admission Procedures - Community Schools Parents will be asked to accept, in writing, the initial offer of a place for their child or to state a preference for an alternative placement using the School Admission application form. If no written confirmation of the initial offer is received, it should not be assumed that the place offered has been accepted. Unfilled places must be allocated to children whose parents have applied for admission ahead of those who have not formally accepted the initial offer of a place. CYPEB-170106-REP-EL-KB 4 Parents who wish to express a preference for an alternative placement should apply to the Head Teacher of the preferred school using the School Admission application form. Requests for admission will be granted provided there are places available. Head Teachers are responsible for initially processing applications and, where there are places available will admit all requests for admission without delay. Requests for admission to the relevant age group** submitted on or before the administrative closing date will be processed collectively. In this respect, no advantage shall be gained from the early submission of an admission request. Requests submitted after the closing date will be processed upon receipt. Admissions will not be determined on the basis of selection criteria involving the sitting of tests, viewing of school reports, interviewing pupils, with or without parents for the purpose of assessing ability or aptitude. Where requests for admission exceed the number of places available, applications will be referred to the Governing Body of the school, who will allocate places by applying the Authority's admission criteria. Parents will be informed, in writing, as to whether their application has been successful. Where their application has been refused, parents have the right to appeal. If they exercise that right, the appeal must be forwarded to the Director of Education, Leisure and Lifelong Learning. An Appeal Panel will consider the appeal. Unless parents request otherwise, schools will keep a waiting list of unsuccessful applicants ranked in order of priority according to the Authority's admission criteria. As places become available, these will be offered on the basis of the ranked order of priority. CYPEB-170106-REP-EL-KB 5 Children attending the nursery class of a school who live outside the defined catchment area will not have an automatic right of admission to full time education at the same school. Parents will need to request a place and the arrangements for considering requests from children who live outside the catchment area will apply. Similarly, children transferring from an infant school to a junior school, or from primary to secondary, do not have an automatic right of admission to any school other than to the catchment area school. The Authority will be under no duty to comply with preferences expressed otherwise than in accordance with its arrangements. Separate admission and appeal arrangements apply to pupils for whom the Authority holds a statement of special educational need. Parents may express a preference in their choice of school. However, the Authority, in consultation with parents, pupils and schools, will determine the school at which education is to be provided. Where the Authority determines that mainstream placement is appropriate, places for pupils with statements will normally be allocated before non- statemented pupils are admitted. The Authority reserves the right to name a school other than the catchment area school. *The planned admission limit is the number of admissions that the Authority would not wish to exceed except where the needs of catchment area children make it necessary to do so. (Legislation requires the class size, for classes containing pupils the majority of whom will attain the age of 5, 6 and 7 during the course of the school year 2007/2008, not exceed 30 pupils save for 'excepted pupils' as specified by Regulation. Legislation prevents admissions to the relevant age group being limited to a number that is less than the standard number.) ** The relevant age group is the age group at which children are normally admitted [Reception for infant and primary schools, Y3 for junior schools and Y7 for secondary schools.] CYPEB-170106-REP-EL-KB 6 (iv) Schedule of Events 12th January, 2007 * Schools to offer placement and issue school prospectus Statutory requirement that parents of children entering secondary schools have a minimum of 6 weeks to apply to a school of their choice. 26th February, 2007 * Submission of admission requests Schools informed of allocation of places to pupils with statements of special education needs. 26 Feb - 09 March, 2007 - Schools process requests 12th March, 2007 * Schools notify successful and unsuccessful candidates. Minimum of 14 days for parents to lodge an appeal 30th March, 2007 * Appeals against refusal of admission CYPEB-170106-REP-EL-KB 7 Recommendations That Members approve for consultation the proposed 2007/2008 admission arrangements. That Members approve for consultation that the proposed Relevant Area is re-affirmed for school admissions for 2007/2008 and 2008/2009. Reason for Proposed Decisions To enable the Authority to meet its statutory duties. List of Background Papers National Assembly for Wales: Code of Practice on School Admission Arrangements (Wales). Wards Affected All Officer Contact R.V.Gordon, Manager, Pupil Parent Support