Agenda and minutes

The Chair welcomed Councillor Watson to his first meeting of the Local Admissions Forum.

The minutes of the previous meeting held on 19^th March, 2015, were considered.

There were no matters arising from the previous minutes that were not covered by this meeting’s agenda.

Agreed:-  That the minutes of the previous meeting be agreed as a correct record.

Discussion ensued on the membership of the Local Admissions Forum.

There were a number of vacancies, as previously reported at the 19^th March meeting, for which efforts were still continuing to recruit to.

Councillor Watson reported that he would attempt to secure a further Elected Member representative.

Agreed: -  (1)  That work continue to fill the membership vacancies on Rotherham’s Local Admission Forum.

(2)  That a letter be sent to Mr. P. Robins conveying the Forum’s best wishes and hope to see him at a future meeting. 

There was nothing to raise under this item. 

·       Report attached. 

Consideration was given to Rotherham’s Local Authority Report to the Schools Adjudicator, 30^th June, 2015, which was presented by the Principal Officer, School Organisation.  Completion and return of the report annually was a statutory requirement on admissions authorities. 

Agreed: -  That the item be noted. 

·       Current list attached. 

The Principal Officer, School Organisation, presented the latest position regarding schools which either had or would shortly have converted to Academies.

It was noted that originally Sandhill Primary Academy was the lead sponsor for Swinton Brookfield but it was now going to be Wakefield City Academy as from September, 2015.

Agreed:-  That the report be noted.

It was noted that a full breakdown of the 2014/15 figures would be submitted to the next meeting.

A training day had been held for both new and existing Appeal Panel members on 27^th April.  The training had included logistics, process, legislative updates and issues surrounding education appeals and some case studies.  The feedback received had been very positive.

Grouped appeals had been held this year for Wath, Wickersley, St. Bernard’s and St. Pius X Schools.

Appeals were to take place up to the end of the Summer term for the Reception/FS2 applications and the large number of in-year transfers/late applications.

Agreed:-  That the update be noted.

Marina Jordan, Principal Officer, Appeals and Fair Access, reported that the Fair Access Panel met and used the Protocol which ensured that children were offered a school place quickly if they did not have one whilst also making sure that the statutory processes were followed first. 

Primary and secondary school panels were scheduled to meet every half term but were not always necessary if there were no children out of school meeting the Fair Access Protocol criteria.  Quite often a telephone call to schools asking if they were willing to admit a child under the Fair Access Protocol would result in an offer being made.

Representatives from the Pupil Referral Units were members of the Panel.  The Panel was also kept informed by colleagues regarding Managed Moves.

The new Eastwood Village School would help alleviate some of the pressures for primary school places.  The School would be taking children from Reception to the end of Y4, 30 children per year group in the first year.

Agreed:-  That the report be noted.

Chris Stones, Principal Officer, School Organisation, gave the following update:-

-          Eastwood Village Primary School – as reported previously the new School would open in September for Reception/FS2-Y4.  Approximately 47 places had been allocated across the year groups

-          Wickersley Comprehensive School – the new block of 17 classrooms was due for completion for September, 2015, which was mainly to accommodate Years 7 to 11 and the 6^th form students.  An increased admission number of 320 would be phased through the school on an annual basis

-          Rawmarsh – there was a high birth rate in the area for 2016/17.  It had been proposed to have 2 bulge classes at Thorogate and Sandhill Primary Schools with an increased admission number of 45.  However, Thorogate had declined and would remain at 30.  The children would be accommodated at Sandhill as a ‘one off’ bulge cohort

-          Kilnhurst Resource Centre – as from October would become part of Milton Special School

·       Thursday 5^th November, 2015;

·       Thursday 17^th March, 2016;

·       Thursday 7^th July, 2016.

All meetings are to start at 10.00 a.m. in the Rotherham Town Hall. 

Agreed:-  That meetings of the Local Admissions Forum be held in 2015/16 as follows:-

Thursday,      5^th November, 2105

                        17^th March, 2016 (to be rescheduled to February 2016)

                        7^th July

all to commence at 10.00 a.m. in the Rotherham Town Hall.