Agenda and minutes

Consideration of this matter was deferred until the next meeting.

Agreed:- That the minutes of the previous meeting of the Local Admissions Forum, held on 3rd July, 2014, be approved as a correct record.

(i) Membership of the Local Admissions Forum (Minute No. 93) – it was confirmed that Mr. C. E. Kelsey is the Academy representative on the Local Admissions Forum with effect from 1st October, 2014;

Members were also informed of the resignation of Mr. B. N. Sampson (Community Representative) and it was agreed that Mr. Sampson be thanked for his contribution to the Rotherham Local Admissions Forum.

(ii) Academies Update (Minute No. 97) – it was clarified that some schools are entering partnerships with other school organisations situated outside their immediate learning community and that this matter is subject to the approval of the Secretary of State for Education (rather than the Schools Adjudicator).

Further to Minute No. 93 of the meeting of the Rotherham Local Admissions Forum held on 3rd July, 2014, details of the current membership of the Rotherham Local Admissions Forum were noted and it was agreed that every endeavour be made to fill the vacant places.

The annual review of the terms of reference, conditions and constitution of the Rotherham Local Admissions Forum will be undertaken at the next meeting.

Consideration was given to a report presented by the Principal Officer (School Admissions, Organisation and Special Educational Assessment) concerning the admission arrangements (ie: criteria and admission number) which would apply for school admission in the 2016/2017 academic year.

The timetable for the year is:-

Autumn Term, 2014                         governing bodies to consider the

                                                            arrangements which will apply

by 5^th December, 2014                    all relevant details to be forwarded to the

Borough Council

from 5^th January until                      period of consultation via the Borough

1^st March, 2015                                 Council’s Internet web site

by end of March, 2015                    Borough Council and the Local Admissions Forum consider any changes and forward any comments to appropriate Admission Authority(ies)

by 15^th April, 2015                            all admission authorities to determine their arrangements and notify those consulted

The report made reference to the admission criteria and numbers for both community and controlled schools and for voluntary aided schools, academies and trust schools. The Local Admissions Forum noted that the current practice of co-ordinating school admissions arrangements with neighbouring local authorities will continue.

Included within the report were details of each school and academy’s proposed admission number for 2016/2017 (appendix two of the report submitted). Any amendments and/or updates will be indicated in the final report to be submitted to the Local Admissions Forum for approval and presented to the Cabinet Member for Children and Education Services for final determination

The ‘waiting lists’ which are kept for pupils’ first admission to Secondary and Primary schools will continue to be maintained only until the end of the Autumn Term.

Agreed:- (1) That the report be received and its contents noted.

(2) That a further report be submitted to the next meeting of the Local Admissions Forum detailing the outcome of the consultation process about the school admission arrangements for the 2016/17 academic year.

Members of the Local Admissions Forum will be able to gain access to the details of admission to Rotherham’s primary and secondary schools 2015/2016, via the Borough Council Internet web site. A limited number of booklets are also available to parents upon request.

The Principal Officer (School Admissions, Organisation and Special Educational Assessment) provided information about the progress of the following issues relating to school organisation:-

: the new Eastwood Village primary school will be open with effect from the beginning of the 2015/2016 school year;

: Wickersley School and Sports College – the coalition Government has approved basic needs funding for the construction of additional classrooms;

: Rawmarsh Sandhill Primary School and Rawmarsh Thorogate Primary School – both schools will benefit from additional capacity in order to accommodate the increasing number of pupils as a result of current and expected future higher demand for places, especially from pupils living in the local area of these primary schools.

Agreed:- That the information be noted.

The Principal Officer (School Admissions, Organisation and Special Educational Assessment) provided information about the recent outcomes of meetings of the Authority’s Fair Access Panels. It was noted that these Panels are used to consider the admission of pupils to school after all other statutory processes have been exhausted. There are separate Panels for admissions to primary schools and for admissions to secondary schools and these two Panels each meet once per half term.  At the most recent meetings, school places had been offered in respect of all of the primary school cases.  School places had been offered in respect of all secondary school places, except one, which had been deferred pending receipt of confirmation of the pupil’s home address.

Agreed:- That the information provided about the Fair Access protocol be noted.

Consideration was given to a report, presented by the Senior Officer (School Organisation), providing an update of the Academies within the Rotherham Borough area including the dates on which specific schools would become Academies.

Agreed:- (1) That the report be received and its contents noted.

(2) That further update reports continue to be submitted to meetings of the Rotherham Local Admissions Forum.

Agreed:- That the next meeting of the Rotherham Local Admissions Forum be held at the Town Hall, Rotherham on Thursday, 19th March, 2015, commencing at 10.00 a.m.