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ITEM CH10 FULL TIME ADMISSION IN SCHOOLS PROPOSAL: PROVIDER AND STAKEHOLDER SURVEY EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Background Oxfordshire schools are funded to offer half-time places for children from the September after their fourth birthday until the term after their fifth birthday, when funding becomes full time. There is currently local flexibility with regard to admissions arrangements which means that different schools across the County may follow different admission arrangements. This has generated an increasing number of complaints from parents on the grounds of quality and equity. Oxfordshire Research Agency undertook a survey of parents views between March and April 2007 with 81% of parents of children aged 2-6 saying they would support a change of policy so that all children would be offered a full time place in the reception year. This research was extended as part of an on line survey to schools, settings and other stakeholders in April to early May, receipt of responses and analysis being undertaken by MRC Ltd. The methodology used and analysis of the responses to this on line survey is summarised below. Methodology The on line survey and supporting consultation documentation was ‘live’ from April 23rd to May 11th. All private, voluntary and independent settings and the Dioceses and MPs were notified in advance by letter, giving the website link and a contact number and address for paper copies. District and County Councillors and schools were notified by email. Where requested hard copy questionnaires were distributed. There were also a limited number of free form email and letter responses. All responses were sent directly to MRC Ltd. Summary of findings 371 responses were received, the majority of which were from Oxfordshire primary schools. There were a smaller number of responses (26) from voluntary sector pre-schools and private nurseries or day nurseries, however it is not clear whether this relatively low response rate is due to private, voluntary and independent (PVI) settings perceiving any changes to have only a limited affect on them. Though, as mentioned above, a parental survey had been undertaken in March/April and this phase of the consultation was not targeted at parents, 85 parents responded to this on line survey, the majority of them from one area of the County (West Oxfordshire). The level of support expressed for the proposal from this group was (as with the specific parent survey above) high at 71%. Overall, 75% of respondents either strongly support or tend to support the proposal, with 23% either strongly opposing or tending to oppose. When responses from individuals in Oxfordshire County Council and PVI sector settings are analysed in isolation, (therefore excluding parental responses, but with potentially more than one response from the same setting), of the 249 responses, overall 76% either strongly support or tend to support the proposal, with 22% either strongly opposing or tending to oppose. There is, however, a marked division with regard the PVI settings with (of 16 responses) 87% of respondents from voluntary sector or pre-school settings, and (of 10 responses) 100% of respondents from private nursery schools or day nurseries either strongly opposing or tending to oppose the proposal. With regard to the reasons for supporting the proposal, overall the main reasons stated by respondents are that it would lead to enhanced continuity/stability for the child, that all children will start at the same time, that it would be better for children’s educational achievement and that it would lead to equality of provision across the County. ‘Parent centred’ reasons such as convenient for parents and cost saving for parents were seen as of less a priority. In terms of the reasons for opposing the proposal the perception that the proposal, if adopted, would be worse for the child’s emotional development/that the child would not be ready is, by some margin, seen as most important, with child to staff ratio/class size and the impact on the voluntary and private sector also seen as important. A full copy of the report, including individual letter responses will be placed in the Members Resource Centre prior to the report to Cabinet on June 20th. Dave
Moore
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