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ITEM EX6

EXECUTIVE – 7 APRIL 2004

CO-ORDINATED ADMISSIONS ARRANGEMENTS

Report by the Director for Learning & Culture

Introduction

  1. A revised School Admissions Code of Practice and associated Regulations came into force in January 2003. Key new features are that LEAs have to set up co-ordinated admissions arrangements:

    • for secondary transfer for entry in September 2005; and

    • for entry to primary schools (F1) for September 2006.

  1. In addition although LEAs can delay the introduction of a primary scheme until September 2006 the Secretary of State would strongly prefer to see these schemes implemented in September 2005 rather than 2006.

  2. The scheme of co-ordination for secondary admissions has to be agreed by 15 April 2004. If any authority has not agreed a scheme by this date the Secretary of State has the right to impose his own scheme on that authority.

  3. The Code also requires admission rules for schools to be determined by 15 April 2004. Individual admitting authorities are responsible for consulting upon and determining admission policies for their schools. The County Council is the admission authority for community and voluntary controlled schools.

  4. The Code envisages all admitting authorities in the area of a LEA being included in the relevant co-ordinated admission scheme. This means all admission authorities in Oxfordshire will be included.

  5. The proposed schemes of co-ordination and the admission rules for community and voluntary controlled schools are shown at Annexes 1 to 5.

    (Annex 1 (download as .rtf file),
    Annex 1 - Annex A (download as .doc file)
    Annex 1- Annex B (download as .doc file)

    Annex 2 (download as .rtf file)
    Annex 2 - Annex A (download as .rtf file)
    Annex 2 - Annex B (download as .doc file)

    Annex 3 (download as .rtf file)

    Annex 4 (download as .rtf file)

    Annex 5 (download as .rtf file))

    6. The Co-ordinated Admission Schemes for Primary and Secondary Schools

  6. The proposed schemes of co-ordination for admission to primary, junior, infant and secondary schools will apply to all maintained schools in Oxfordshire for entry in the academic year 2005/06.The introduction of these schemes will ensure that unsuccessful applicants for voluntary aided schools can be offered an alternative school. In addition, the two schemes will ensure that:

    • no child of primary school age is offered more than one Oxfordshire school;

    • no child living in Oxfordshire, of secondary transfer age, will receive an offer of more than one school place, inside or outside Oxfordshire.

  1. Sufficient information will be collected from schools early in the admissions process to ensure that schools and the LEA do not need to exchange a succession of e-mails or faxes.

  2. In order to meet the requirements of the Code of Practice, satisfy the DfES, and help ensure the cooperation of all admission authorities in Oxfordshire, and neighbouring LEAs, the following steps were taken:

    • two co-ordinated admission schemes were formulated in December 2003;

    • the schemes were referred for comment to the Admissions Forum on 8 December and were amended in light of the Forum’s comments;

    • the schemes were then referred to the DfES in January 2004, at its request, and were amended in light of comments made;

    • the proposals were presented to members’ briefing on 23 January 2004 before formally consulting with all statutory consultees;

    • the formal consultation document was sent to statutory consultees (including neighbouring LEAs) on 3 February 2004;

    • the Admissions Forum again looked at the schemes on 11 February;

    • at a special meeting of the Admissions Forum held on 3 March a decision was taken to recommend the adoption of the proposed coordinated admission schemes to the Executive.

  1. The main concerns expressed by voluntary aided schools, the Archdiocese of Birmingham, and the Diocese of Oxford were:

    • that the schemes proposed co-ordination of in-year admissions by the County Council

    • that it was not clear from schemes that the offer of places at voluntary aided schools should only be made by the County Council on behalf of the relevant admissions authority

  1. In addition some voluntary aided primary schools expressed concern over the early timetable.

  2. The two schemes have been amended in the light of comments received from statutory consultees, including the representatives of the Catholic Archdiocese of Birmingham and the Church of England Diocese of Oxford.

  3. Representatives of the Archdiocese of Birmingham and the Diocese of Oxford have stated that they are in agreement with the proposed schemes of coordination attached as Annex 1 and Annex 2.

    4. Proposed Admission Rules for Primary, Infant, Junior, and Secondary Schools

  4. The proposed admission rules for primary, infant, junior, and secondary schools include the following amendments to the current admission rules and processes for 2005-2006:

    • If there are more applications than places available at a community or voluntary controlled school all applications will be considered against the published admission rules, irrespective of the preference expressed. If a child meets the admission rules for more than one of the preferred schools a place will be made available at the highest ranked of the schools that could be offered. This avoids the possibility of multiple offers to some children while others receive no offer of a place.

    • The phrase " walking route" has been replaced with "nearest designated public route". The current phrase does not accurately describe actual practice and if applied to the letter would not be practical as a "tiebreak" in all scenarios. There will be no change to the type of route that will actually be used, i.e. roads, streets and footpaths over which there is a public right of way.

    • The third highest priority for admission will now be disabled children who do not have Statements of Special Educational Needs and who need to be admitted to an accessible school. The definition of disability used will be that of the Disability Discrimination Act, as amended. It is not expected that this rule change will affect many children.

    • The fourth highest priority for admission will now be children living in the school’s catchment area. Under 4a, first priority within this group will go to children who have a sibling at the school. The proposed "tie-break", if there are more siblings than places, is "children who live closest to the school using the nearest designated public route".

    • The fifth highest priority for admission will now be children living outside the school’s catchment who have a sibling at the school. The proposed "tie-break", if there are more siblings than places, is "children who live closest to the school using the nearest designated public route". This is only expected to have a small impact on who will be admitted to an individual school.

    • In the case of primary schools the sixth highest priority will now be children who attend a Foundation Stage Unit attached to the school or a Partner Foundation Stage Unit, with a proposed "tie-break" of "children who live closest to the school using the nearest designated public route". For secondary schools a virtually identical rule is proposed which refers to partner primary schools.

    • It is proposed that the final priority for all community and voluntary controlled schools will be "children who live closest to the school using the nearest designated public route".

  1. The admission rules for Cherwell and Peers Schools have been amended to reflect the proposed changes to the admission rules for all other community secondary schools. However, in the case of Cherwell School those children living in the designated catchment area of Wolvercote Primary School will continue to have a higher priority for admission than those living in the rest of the Cherwell catchment area (Rule 4a). Similarly, in the case of Peers School those children living in the designated catchment area of Windale Primary School and Pegasus Primary School will continue to have a higher priority for admission than those living in the rest of the designated catchment area (Rule 4a).

  2. The rules are applied only when a school is oversubscribed, to determine which pupils should be given priority for places. When there are sufficient places, all those who apply will be offered a place.

  3. One county councillor has expressed concern that the proposed rules will not change the current position of families in Barton and Wood Farm seeking places at Cheney School. However, no other concerns have been raised.

    4. Financial and Staffing Implications

  4. These proposals can be implemented within existing financial resources and staffing levels.

    5. Conclusions

  5. The proposed coordinated admission arrangements and admission rules meet the requirements of the School Admission Code of Practice. They represent a significant improvement in the service that can be offered to parents and children in Oxfordshire.

  6. The Admissions Forum supports the proposals.

    7. RECOMMENDATION

  7. The Executive is RECOMMENDED to agree and adopt the coordinated admission arrangements and admission policies described in the report for the purpose of admissions for 2005/06.

 

KEITH BARTLEY
Director for Learning & Culture

Background papers: Nil

Contact officer: Neil Darlington, Tel: 01865 815844

March 2004

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