Agenda item

Admission Arrangements for September 2015 for Surrey's Community and Voluntary Controlled Schools and Coordinated Schemes

Meeting of Cabinet, Tuesday, 25 February 2014 2.00 pm (Item 33/14)
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Decision:

RESOLVED TO RECOMMEND TO COUNTY COUNCIL:

Recommendation 1

That a feeder link is introduced for Auriol Junior School for children attending The Mead Infant School for September 2015, as follows:

a) Looked after and previously looked after children

b) Exceptional social/medical need

c) Children attending The Mead Infant School

d) Siblings not admitted under c) above

e) Any other children

Reasons for Recommendation

· It would provide continuity and a clearer transition for parents, children and schools and would reduce anxiety for parents

· It would be in line with the criteria that exist for most other schools which have a feeder link and reciprocal sibling links

· It would enable families to benefit from a sibling link for Reception even if they had a child who was due to leave the infant school before the younger child was admitted

· It would maximise the opportunity for families to keep children together or at schools within close proximity

· It is consistent with Surrey’s planning principles set out in the School Organisation Plan

· It is supported by the Headteacher and Governing Body of the school

· There was overall support for this proposal

· Eligibility to transport is not linked to the admission criteria of a school and as such attendance at The Mead Infant School would not confer an automatic right to transport to Auriol Junior School

Recommendation 2

That tiered sibling criteria are introduced for Reigate Priory for September 2015, as follows:

a) Looked after and previously looked after children

b) Exceptional social/medical need

c) Siblings for whom the school is the nearest to their home address

d) Non-siblings for whom the school is the nearest to their home address

e) Other siblings for whom the school is not the nearest to their home address

f) Any other children

Reasons for Recommendation

· It would help ensure that a school within a reasonable distance could be offered to all children within the area

· Whilst the nature of this proposal means that some families might not be able to get younger siblings in to the same school, this would only apply if it is not their nearest school

· The pressure on places means that on balance a greater disadvantage might be caused to local families than to future siblings if this proposal is not agreed

· There was overall support for this proposal

· It reduces the likelihood of local families having to travel to schools that are further away

Recommendation 3

That a feeder link is introduced for St Ann’s Heath Junior School for children attending Meadowcroft Infant School for September 2015, in addition to the existing feeder link with Trumps Green Infant School, as follows:

a) Looked after and previously looked after children

b) Exceptional social/medical need

c) Siblings

d) Children attending Trumps Green Infant School or Meadowcroft Infant School

e) Children for whom St Ann’s Heath Junior School is the nearest school with a Junior PAN

f) Any other children

Reasons for Recommendation

· It would provide continuity and a clearer transition for parents, children and schools and would reduce anxiety for parents

· It would enable families to benefit from a sibling link for Reception even if they had a child who was due to leave the infant school before the younger child was admitted

· It would maximise the opportunity for families to keep children together or at schools with agreed links

· It is consistent with Surrey’s planning principles set out in the School Organisation Plan

· It is supported by the Governing Bodies of both schools

· Eligibility to transport is not linked to the admission criteria of a school and as such attendance at Meadowcroft Infant School would not confer an automatic right to transport to St Ann’s Heath Junior School

Recommendation 4

That a reciprocal sibling link is introduced between Meadowcroft Infant School and St Ann’s Heath Junior School for September 2015 so that these schools would be described as being on a shared or adjoining site for applying sibling criteria.

Reasons for Recommendation

· It would support families with more than one child as families with a sibling at one school would benefit from sibling priority to the other school

· It would provide continuity for parents, children and schools and reduce anxiety for parents

· It would enable families to benefit from a sibling link for Reception even if they had a child who was due to leave the infant school before the younger child was admitted

· It would maximise the opportunity for families to keep children together or at schools with agreed links

· It is supported by the Governing Bodies of both schools

Recommendation 5

That a reciprocal sibling link is introduced between Thames Ditton Infant and Thames Ditton Junior schools for September 2015 so that the schools would be described as being on a shared or adjoining site for applying sibling criteria.

Reasons for Recommendation

· It would support families with more than one child as families with a sibling at one school would benefit from sibling priority to the other school

· It would provide continuity for parents, children and schools and reduce anxiety for parents

· It would enable families to benefit from a sibling link for Reception even if they had a child who was due to leave the infant school before the younger child was admitted

· It would maximise the opportunity for families to keep children together or at schools within a close proximity

· It is supported by the Governing Bodies of both schools

Recommendation 6

That criteria for admission to nursery for two year olds who are eligible for the free extended provision are introduced for September 2015, as follows:

a) Looked after and previously looked after children

b) Exceptional social/medical need

c) Children who will have a sibling attending the nursery or the main school at the time of admission

d) Any other children

Reasons for Recommendation

· It provides for clear, fair and transparent criteria

· The criteria are consistent to those used for other years of entry

· They are lawful and comply with the School Admissions Code

· They will enable parents to understand how places will be allocated at nurseries which choose to admit children at two years old

· It supports the Government’s agenda of extending free nursery provision to families on low income

Recommendation 7

That, subject to Hinchley Wood School also agreeing changes to admission arrangements as they have proposed, the catchment area for Esher CofE High School is extended for September 2015 to include the whole of Claygate village.

Reasons for Recommendation

· It provides for families in Claygate to have a greater opportunity of being offered a local Surrey school

· It coincides with an increase in PAN at Esher High thereby minimising the impact on other families applying for Esher High

· There was overwhelming support for this proposal

· This proposal is linked to a separate proposal by Hinchley Wood School to extend its catchment area and to introduce feeder links which, if not introduced in line with this proposal, would lead to an untenable increase in applications for Esher High. This recommendation is therefore conditional on the changes at Hinchley Wood being agreed before this recommendation is ratified by Full Council

· If Esher High School becomes an Academy on 1 March 2014, before ratification of the recommendation by Full Council, the school’s Governing Body will need to ratify the recommendation of Cabinet in order to ensure the admission arrangements have been lawfully determined

Recommendation 8

That admission priority based on a catchment is introduced for St Andrew’s CofE (Controlled) Infant School for September 2015 so that, after siblings, children who live within the published catchment area for the school would receive priority for a place ahead of those who do not, as follows:

a) Looked after and previously looked after children

b) Exceptional social/medical need

c) Siblings

d) Children living within the catchment area of St Andrew’s CofE Infant School

e) Any other children

Reasons for Recommendation

· It helps to support the future viability of this school

· It provides for a joined up approach to admissions in the area of Farnham

· It helps to protect the existing feeder link from St Andrew’s to South Farnham School

· It is supported by the Governing Body of St Andrew’s CofE (Controlled) Infant School as it is recognised that this is a step towards formalising the links between these schools

Recommendation 9

That the Year 3 Published Admission Number for The Dawnay is decreased from 30 to 15 for September 2015.

Reasons for Recommendation

· It will provide for a better use of resources within the school

· It will reduce the impact of in year admissions on the school

· It will not lead to a pressure on school places because the number will better reflect numbers on roll

· School Commissioning and the school support this change

Recommendation 10

That the Reception Published Admission Number for North Downs Primary School is decreased from 64 to 60 for September 2015.

Reasons for Recommendation

· It will enable the school to meet its duty with regard to infant class size legislation

· It will enable the school to optimise the most efficient use of its sites

· It will reflect the number that the school is working to maintain after the initial offers are made

· School Commissioning and the school support this change

Recommendation 11

That Bishop Wand CofE School, Saint Ignatius Roman Catholic School and St Andrew’s Catholic School are added to the list of own admission authority schools which will be considered to admit local children when assessing nearest school for community and voluntary controlled schools in Surrey.

Reasons for Recommendation

· It ensures that there will be a consistent approach in selecting schools which will be taken in to account when assessing ‘nearest school’ when applying the admission arrangements of community and voluntary controlled schools

· It ensures that there is equity in the application of admission arrangements for community and voluntary controlled schools County wide

Recommendation 12

That Camelsdale Primary School in West Sussex is discounted for the purpose of applying the admission arrangements for community and voluntary controlled schools in Surrey.

Reasons for Recommendation

· It ensures that families who live nearer to Camelsdale Primary School but who are unlikely to be offered a place there will not be disadvantaged in their applications for their nearest community Surrey school

· It is consistent with the approach taken with other out of County schools for which Surrey parents are generally unsuccessful based on catchment

Recommendation 13

That the Published Admission Numbers (PAN) for September 2015 for all other community and voluntary controlled schools are determined as they are set out in Annex 1 of Appendix 1, of the submitted report, which include the following changes:

i. Bell Farm Primary School – removal of Junior PAN

ii. Bishop David Brown – increase in PAN from 120 to 150

iii. Esher High School – increase in PAN from 210 to 240

iv. Holmesdale Community Infant - increase in Reception PAN from 90 to 120

v. The Hythe Community Primary – increase in Reception PAN from 30 to 60

vi. Manorcroft Primary - increase in Reception PAN from 58 to 60

vii. Meath Green Infant - increase in Reception PAN from 70 to 90

viii. Onslow Infant – increase in Reception PAN from 60 to 90

ix. St Ann’s Heath Junior - increase in Junior PAN from 64 to 90

x. St Mary’s C of E (VC) Infant – increase in Reception PAN from 25 to 30

xi. Stamford Green Primary – increase in Reception PAN from 60 to 90

Reasons for Recommendation

· Where a decrease in PAN is proposed the decrease has already been agreed through statutory proposals following expansion to a primary school

· Where increases in PAN are proposed the schools are increasing their intake to respond to the need to create more school places and will help meet parental preference

· The School Commissioning team and the schools support these changes

· All other PANs remain as determined for 2014 which enables parents to have some historical benchmark by which to make informed decisions about their school preferences

Recommendation 14

That the remaining aspects of Surrey’s admission arrangements for community and voluntary controlled schools for September 2015, for which no consultation was required, are agreed as set out in Appendix 1 and its Annexes, of the submitted report.

Reasons for Recommendation

· This will ensure stability and consistency for the majority of Surrey’s parents, pupils and schools

· The arrangements enable parents to have some historical benchmark by which to make informed decisions about their school preferences

· The existing arrangements are working reasonably well

· The arrangements enable the majority of pupils to attend their nearest schools and in doing so reduces travel and supports Surrey’s sustainability policies

Minutes:

Following the statutory consultation on proposed changes to Surrey’s admission arrangements for September 2015, Cabinet was asked to consider the responses and make recommendations to the County Council on admission arrangements for community and voluntary controlled schools and Surrey’s coordinated schemes for September 2015.

The report covered the following areas in relation to school admissions:

· Auriol Junior School (Stoneleigh, Ewell) - Recommendation 1

· Reigate Priory School (Reigate) – Recommendation 2

· St Ann’s Heath Junior School (Virginia Water) – Recommendation 3

· Meadowcroft Infant School (Chertsey) and St Ann’s Heath Junior School (Virginia Water) – Recommendation 4

· Thames Ditton Infant and Thames Ditton Junior schools (Thames Ditton) – Recommendation 5

· Admission criteria for two year olds applying for nursery - Recommendation 6

· Esher CofE High School (Esher) – Recommendation 7

· St Andrew’s CofE (Controlled) Infant School (Farnham) – Recommendation 8

· Published Admission Number for Year 3 at The Dawnay School (Great Bookham) – Recommendation 9

· Published Admission Number for Reception at North Downs Primary School (Brockham) – Recommendation 10

· Own admission authority schools to be used in the assessment of ‘nearest school’ – Recommendation 11

· Out of County schools not to be used in the assessment of ‘nearest school’ – Recommendation 12

· Published Admission Numbers for other community and voluntary controlled schools – Recommendation 13

· Admission arrangements for other community and voluntary controlled schools – Recommendation 14

· Coordinated Admissions Schemes – Recommendation 15

The Cabinet Member for Schools and Learning presented the report and said it was a complex and lengthy report. She highlighted the proposed arrangements for Reigate Priory School (recommendation 2) and the proposals for Esher High School, which would be subject to Hinchley Wood School also agreeing changes to their admission arrangements (recommendation 7).

Cabinet Members were given an opportunity to comment on the proposals.

The Leader of the Council asked the Cabinet Member for Schools and Learning, who confirmed that the Equalities Impact Assessment was comprehensive.

He also reminded Members that these recommendations would be considered by the County Council at its meeting on 18 March 2014.

Finally, he thanks the Principal Manager Admissions and Transport (Strategy) and her team for an excellent report.