Issue - meetings

RESOLVED TO RECOMMEND TO COUNCIL:

Recommendation 1

That admission criteria are introduced for Year 3 entry to Beacon Hill Primary School for September 2017 as follows:

a.    Looked after and previously looked after children

b.    Exceptional social/medical need

c.    Siblings

d.    Children for whom the school is the nearest to their home address

e.    Any other children

Reasons for Recommendation

·         As it is proposed to introduce a Published Admission Number for Year 3, the local authority has a duty to determine criteria which confirm how children would be admitted

·         The criteria are in line with those that exist for admission to Reception and this would ensure there is consistency in the way children are admitted to each intake

·         They are also consistent with the admission arrangements that exist for the majority of Surrey’s other community and voluntary controlled schools

·         It is supported by the school which has asked for a Year 3 intake to ensure vacancies can be filled when children drop out to the independent sector at the end of Year 2

Recommendation 2

That a new criterion for Chennestone Primary School is introduced for Year 3 in September 2017, to provide priority for children attending Beauclerc Infant School as follows:

a.    Looked after and previously looked after children

b.    Exceptional social/medical need

c.    Siblings

d.    Children attending Beauclerc Infant School

e.    Children for whom the school is the nearest to their home address

f.     Any other children

Reasons for Recommendation

·         It would introduce a feeder link for Beauclerc Infant School where currently none exists

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

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

·         The schools are federated and share the same headteacher and this criterion would support their joint working

·         It is supported by the Headteacher and Governing Body of the federated Governing Body of Beauclerc Infant and Chennestone Primary schools

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

·         Eligibility to transport is not linked to the admission criteria of a school and as such attendance at Beauclerc Infant School would not confer an automatic right to transport to Chennestone Primary School

Recommendation 3

That admission criteria are introduced for Year 3 entry to Cranleigh CofE Primary School for September 2017 as follows:

a.    Looked after and previously looked after children

b.    Exceptional social/medical need

c.    Siblings

d.    Children for whom the school is the nearest to their home address

e.    Any other children

Reasons for Recommendation

·         As it is proposed to re-introduce a Published Admission Number for Year 3, the local authority has a duty to determine criteria which confirm how children would be admitted

·         The criteria are in line with those that exist for admission to Reception and this would ensure there is consistency in the way children are admitted to each intake

·         They are also consistent with the admission  ...  view the full decision text for item 12

The Cabinet Member for Schools, Skills and Educational Achievement began by explaining the importance of the report that covered the admission arrangements Surrey’s community and voluntary controller schools and the co-ordinated admission schemes that would apply to all of Surrey’s state maintained schools for September 2017.

She informed Members that last September 25,000 parents had applied for school places for their children and that around 95% who had applied for primary school places and 96% who had applied for secondary school places were allocated one of their preferred schools.

She explained that this was a statutory report that had to be considered every year before the admissions arrangements were published in September for the following year, September 2017. She highlighted the 8 proposed changes within the recommendations which included:

·        Beacon Hill Primary School (Hindhead) – Recommendation 1

·        Chennestone Primary School (Sunbury-on-Thames) - Recommendation 2

·        Cranleigh CofE Primary School (Cranleigh) – Recommendation 3

·        West Ewell Infant School (Ewell) – Recommendation 4

·        Start date to primary admissions round – Recommendation 5

·        Published Admission Numbers for other community and voluntary controlled schools – Recommendation 6

·        Admission arrangements for which no change is proposed – Recommendation 7

·        Primary and secondary coordinated admission schemes that will apply to all schools for 2017 – Recommendation 8

She referred to the enclosures and appendices along with the equalities impact assessment which showed no negative impacts from the introduction of any of the new arrangements that were proposed.

She summarised by thanking the Education Service, in particular the Head of Schools Commissioning and Admissions and their team for all their efforts along with the Head of School Admissions and Transport.

Members agreed that it was a very well put together report and highlighted that it impacted on 80% of children in Surrey. They stated that they were very impressed with the way the service was being run and that changing the start date for applications was a sensible idea that would help parents in the long term.

RESOLVED TO RECOMMEND TO COUNCIL:

Recommendation 1

That admission criteria are introduced for Year 3 entry to Beacon Hill Primary School for September 2017 as follows:

a.     Looked after and previously looked after children

b.     Exceptional social/medical need

c.      Siblings

d.     Children for whom the school is the nearest to their home address

e.     Any other children

Reasons for Recommendation

·        As it is proposed to introduce a Published Admission Number for Year 3, the local authority has a duty to determine criteria which confirm how children would be admitted

·        The criteria are in line with those that exist for admission to Reception and this would ensure there is consistency in the way children are admitted to each intake

·        They are also consistent with the admission arrangements that exist for the majority of Surrey’s other community and voluntary controlled schools

·        It is supported by the school which has asked for a Year 3 intake to ensure vacancies can be filled when children drop out to the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 12