Agenda item

RESOLVED:

 

That Cabinet RECOMMENDS that County Council agree:

 

1.    That the catchment for Southfield Park Primary School is extended for 2024 admission to include the Parkview estate as a replacement for ‘nearest school’, as indicated in Enclosure 1 and Appendix 3 of Enclosure 1.

2.    That the tiebreaker within catchment for Southfield Park Primary School is changed to straight line distance from the school for 2024 admission, as indicated in Enclosure 1.

3.    That a catchment area is introduced for Stamford Green Primary School for 2024 admission to replace ‘nearest school’, as set out in Enclosure 1 and Appendix 4 of Enclosure 1.

4.    That the Published Admission Number (PAN) for Reception at Beauclerc Infant School is reduced from 40 to 30 for 2024 admission, as set out in Appendix 1 of Enclosure 1.

5.    That the Published Admission Number (PAN) for Reception at Farncombe Infant School is reduced from 50 to 30 for 2024 admission, as set out in Appendix 1 of Enclosure 1.

6.    That the change to the Published Admission Number (PAN) and admission criteria for Year 3 at St Ann’s Heath Junior School is not progressed, so that the admission arrangements for this school remain as determined for 2023, as set out in Enclosure 1 and Appendix 1 and 2 of Enclosure 1.

7.    That the Published Admission Numbers (PANs) for September 2024 for all other community and voluntary controlled schools (except Beauclerc and Farncombe infant schools which are covered by Recommendations 4 and 5) are determined as they are set out in Appendix 1 of Enclosure 1.

8.    That the aspects of Surrey’s admission arrangements for community and voluntary controlled schools for September 2024 for which no change has been consulted on, are agreed as set out in Enclosure 1 and its appendices.

9.    That Surrey’s Relevant Area is agreed as set out in Enclosure 4.

 

Reasons for Decisions:

 

Recommendation 1

·         The removal of ‘nearest school’ will bring the admission criteria into line with the remaining community and voluntary controlled schools

·         It will ensure that the admission arrangements for this school comply with the School Admissions Code

·         It will simplify the admission arrangements 

·         It will enable parents to better understand how their application will be considered

·         It will ensure the Parkview estate is still served by the school, which is the area that ‘nearest school’ was originally introduced to serve

·         There are no other changes to the catchment boundary

·         It is expected to have minimal impact on the intake to the school

·         Where children might be displaced, a place at an alternative local school will be available

·         The final distance criterion will still exist which will enable remaining applicants to be prioritised based on the distance they live from the school, ensuring children who live closer to the school are allocated ahead of children who live further away

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

 

Recommendation 2

·         Based on current application numbers and forecasts, all children living within catchment who want a place are expected to be offered and so this change should not alter the intake

·         It will reduce likelihood of error by removing a process that needs to be carried out manually 

·         It will reduce the resource and expertise needed to maintain the waiting list for this school

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

 

Recommendation 3

·         The removal of ‘nearest school’ will bring the admission criteria into line with the remaining community and voluntary controlled schools

·         It will ensure that the admission arrangements for this school comply with the School Admissions Code

·         It will simplify the admission arrangements 

·         It will enable parents to better understand how their application will be considered

·         It will ensure most children who would ordinarily be offered the school are not displaced in favour of children who have another school that is nearer, especially those living on the Noble Park and Wells estates

·         It is expected to have minimal impact on the intake to the school

·         Where children might be displaced, a place at an alternative local school will be available

·         The final distance criterion will still exist which will enable remaining applicants to be prioritised based on the distance they live from the school, ensuring children who live outside catchment but closer to the school are allocated ahead of children who live further away

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

 

Recommendation 4

·         It is supported by the Headteacher and Governing Body of the school, having been requested by them

·         It is supported by Surrey’s Education Place Planning team

·         There will still be sufficient places for local children if the PAN is decreased

·         It will help the school maintain financial viability as they will be able to operate with just one class

·         It will have no impact on children who are currently on roll at the school 

 

Recommendation 5

·         It is supported by the Headteacher and Governing Body of the school, having been requested by them

·         It is supported by Surrey’s Education Place Planning team

·         There will still be sufficient places for local children if the PAN is decreased

·          It will help the school maintain financial viability as they will be able to operate with just one class

·          It will have no impact on children who are currently on roll at the school 

 

Recommendation 6

·         This change was subject to it being agreed for Meadowcroft Infant School to become an all through primary school by the end of December 2022. As this decision is not now expected to be made until February 2023, it is not yet possible to change the arrangements for St Ann’s Heath Junior School

·         If it is agreed to expand Meadowcroft Infant School into a primary school in February 2023, the local authority will consider submitting an in year variation to vary the admission arrangements for 2024 in line with the consultation

 

Recommendation 7

·         Most other PANs remain as they were determined for 2023 which enables parents to have some historical benchmark by which to make informed decisions about their school preferences for 2024 admission

·         The PAN for Ash Manor has been increased from 240 to 270 as part of a school expansion

·         The Education Place Planning team supports the PANs

 

Recommendation 8

·         The admission arrangements are working well

·         The arrangements enable the majority of pupils to attend a local school and in doing so reduce travel and support Surrey’s sustainability policies

·         The changes highlighted in bold in Section 12, Section 15 and Section 21 of Enclosure 1 have been made to add clarity to the arrangements and reflect existing practice

 

Recommendation 9

·         The local authority is required by law to define the Relevant Area for admissions

·         The Relevant Area must be consulted upon and agreed every two years even if no changes are proposed

·         Setting a Relevant Area ensures that any schools who might be affected by changes to the admission arrangements for other local schools will be made aware of those changes

·         No change has been made to Surrey’s Relevant Area since it was last determined in February 2021

 

(The decisions on this item can be called-in by the Children, Families, Lifelong Learning & Culture Select Committee)

 

 

The Cabinet Member for Education and Learning explained that Surrey County Council was responsible for setting the admission arrangements for 85 community and voluntary controlled schools for 2024. The admission arrangements for each school determine which children will receive priority for a place. The Cabinet Member explained that the recommendations in the report which included changes to admission arrangements in some schools would come into force from September 2024.

 

RESOLVED:

 

That Cabinet RECOMMENDS that County Council agree:

 

1.    That the catchment for Southfield Park Primary School is extended for 2024 admission to include the Parkview estate as a replacement for ‘nearest school’, as indicated in Enclosure 1 and Appendix 3 of Enclosure 1.

2.    That the tiebreaker within catchment for Southfield Park Primary School is changed to straight line distance from the school for 2024 admission, as indicated in Enclosure 1.

3.    That a catchment area is introduced for Stamford Green Primary School for 2024 admission to replace ‘nearest school’, as set out in Enclosure 1 and Appendix 4 of Enclosure 1.

4.    That the Published Admission Number (PAN) for Reception at Beauclerc Infant School is reduced from 40 to 30 for 2024 admission, as set out in Appendix 1 of Enclosure 1.

5.    That the Published Admission Number (PAN) for Reception at Farncombe Infant School is reduced from 50 to 30 for 2024 admission, as set out in Appendix 1 of Enclosure 1.

6.    That the change to the Published Admission Number (PAN) and admission criteria for Year 3 at St Ann’s Heath Junior School is not progressed, so that the admission arrangements for this school remain as determined for 2023, as set out in Enclosure 1 and Appendix 1 and 2 of Enclosure 1.

7.    That the Published Admission Numbers (PANs) for September 2024 for all other community and voluntary controlled schools (except Beauclerc and Farncombe infant schools which are covered by Recommendations 4 and 5) are determined as they are set out in Appendix 1 of Enclosure 1.

8.    That the aspects of Surrey’s admission arrangements for community and voluntary controlled schools for September 2024 for which no change has been consulted on, are agreed as set out in Enclosure 1 and its appendices.

9.    That Surrey’s Relevant Area is agreed as set out in Enclosure 4.

 

Reasons for Decisions:

 

Recommendation 1

·         The removal of ‘nearest school’ will bring the admission criteria into line with the remaining community and voluntary controlled schools

·         It will ensure that the admission arrangements for this school comply with the School Admissions Code

·         It will simplify the admission arrangements 

·         It will enable parents to better understand how their application will be considered

·         It will ensure the Parkview estate is still served by the school, which is the area that ‘nearest school’ was originally introduced to serve

·         There are no other changes to the catchment boundary

·         It is expected to have minimal impact on the intake to the school

·         Where children might be displaced, a place at an alternative local school will be available

·         The final distance criterion will still exist which will enable remaining applicants to be prioritised based on the distance they live from the school, ensuring children who live closer to the school are allocated ahead of children who live further away

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

 

Recommendation 2

·         Based on current application numbers and forecasts, all children living within catchment who want a place are expected to be offered and so this change should not alter the intake

·         It will reduce likelihood of error by removing a process that needs to be carried out manually 

·         It will reduce the resource and expertise needed to maintain the waiting list for this school

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

 

Recommendation 3

·         The removal of ‘nearest school’ will bring the admission criteria into line with the remaining community and voluntary controlled schools

·         It will ensure that the admission arrangements for this school comply with the School Admissions Code

·         It will simplify the admission arrangements 

·         It will enable parents to better understand how their application will be considered

·         It will ensure most children who would ordinarily be offered the school are not displaced in favour of children who have another school that is nearer, especially those living on the Noble Park and Wells estates

·         It is expected to have minimal impact on the intake to the school

·         Where children might be displaced, a place at an alternative local school will be available

·         The final distance criterion will still exist which will enable remaining applicants to be prioritised based on the distance they live from the school, ensuring children who live outside catchment but closer to the school are allocated ahead of children who live further away

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

 

Recommendation 4

·         It is supported by the Headteacher and Governing Body of the school, having been requested by them

·         It is supported by Surrey’s Education Place Planning team

·         There will still be sufficient places for local children if the PAN is decreased

·         It will help the school maintain financial viability as they will be able to operate with just one class

·         It will have no impact on children who are currently on roll at the school 

 

Recommendation 5

·         It is supported by the Headteacher and Governing Body of the school, having been requested by them

·         It is supported by Surrey’s Education Place Planning team

·         There will still be sufficient places for local children if the PAN is decreased

·          It will help the school maintain financial viability as they will be able to operate with just one class

·          It will have no impact on children who are currently on roll at the school 

 

Recommendation 6

·         This change was subject to it being agreed for Meadowcroft Infant School to become an all through primary school by the end of December 2022. As this decision is not now expected to be made until February 2023, it is not yet possible to change the arrangements for St Ann’s Heath Junior School

·         If it is agreed to expand Meadowcroft Infant School into a primary school in February 2023, the local authority will consider submitting an in year variation to vary the admission arrangements for 2024 in line with the consultation

 

Recommendation 7

·         Most other PANs remain as they were determined for 2023 which enables parents to have some historical benchmark by which to make informed decisions about their school preferences for 2024 admission

·         The PAN for Ash Manor has been increased from 240 to 270 as part of a school expansion

·         The Education Place Planning team supports the PANs

 

Recommendation 8

·         The admission arrangements are working well

·         The arrangements enable the majority of pupils to attend a local school and in doing so reduce travel and support Surrey’s sustainability policies

·         The changes highlighted in bold in Section 12, Section 15 and Section 21 of Enclosure 1 have been made to add clarity to the arrangements and reflect existing practice

 

Recommendation 9

·         The local authority is required by law to define the Relevant Area for admissions

·         The Relevant Area must be consulted upon and agreed every two years even if no changes are proposed

·         Setting a Relevant Area ensures that any schools who might be affected by changes to the admission arrangements for other local schools will be made aware of those changes

·         No change has been made to Surrey’s Relevant Area since it was last determined in February 2021

 

(The decisions on this item can be called-in by the Children, Families, Lifelong Learning & Culture Select Committee)

 

The meeting adjourned at 15:58 and reconvened at 16:07.