Agenda and minutes

Agreed: -  That Mrs. Irene Hartley be appointed to Chair of the Local Admissions Forum for this meeting. 

The minutes of the previous meeting held on 2^nd July, 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. 

The membership of the Local Admissions Forum as at July, 2015, was considered.  The members present wished to increase attendance and participation at the meetings. 

Consideration was given to increasing the attendance groups to include church schools and voluntary aided schools.  Membership currently came from six groups as set out in the membership document: - Community Schools, Voluntary Aided/controlled Schools, Academy, Church Dioceses, Parent and Community Representatives.   The quorum for the group was one third of members to be in attendance.

It was agreed that all Governing Bodies should be emailed to inform them of the meeting and invite their attendance as observers with a view to permanently increasing membership and representation on the Rotherham Local Admissions Forum. 

Agreed: -  (1)  That the current membership of the Rotherham Local Admissions Forum be noted. 

(2)  That efforts be made to increase membership and representation within the six categories by contacting Governing Bodies and stakeholder groups. 

·       Terms of Reference attached. 

Consideration was given to the Rotherham Local Admission Forum’s Terms of Reference. 

It was suggested that a future quorate meeting of the Rotherham Local Admissions Forum consider adding: -

1.     Non-attendance at three consecutive meetings would result in the removal of membership and re-election/appointment of that post.   

Agreed: - (1)  That the information shared be noted. 

(2)  That consideration be given at the next quorate meeting of the Rotherham Local Admissions Forum regarding the addition of the non-attendance clause. 

Dean Fenton, Service Lead for School Planning, Admissions and Appeals Service, referred to the report to Governing Bodies from the Autumn Term, 2015. 

This report outlined the consultation timetable relating to the 2017/2018 admission year.  Dean explained that the Rotherham Local Admissions Forum Spring term meeting needed to take place earlier in the term in order to meet the earlier consultation deadline set by the Department for Education.  The Rotherham Local Admissions Forum would meet in February rather than March. 

The document also covered: -

·       Arrangements for Community and Controlled Schools;

·       Voluntary Aided Schools/Academies and Trust Schools;

·       Co-ordinated Admission Arrangements;

·       Waiting Lists;

·       Local Authority ‘Admission to School’ booklets;

·       Consideration of the ‘relevant area’;

·       Consideration of an in-year admissions policy;

·       Admissions criteria for primary reception, year three and secondary year seven;

·       The proposed net capacity of Rotherham’s Schools, along with their admission numbers in 2016/2017 and 2017/2018. 

Agreed: -  That the information shared be noted. 

Dean Fenton provided an update on the expansion work that had taken place at Wickersley School and Sports College for the provision of seventeen additional classrooms.  He also described the Eastwood Village School’s progress and how there were currently around 70 children on roll there.  There was now surplus school place capacity within the central area of Rotherham.  Schools that had exceeded their admission number to accept pupils under the Fair Access Protocol had now reduced back to their original admissions number. 

The Rotherham Local Admissions Forum commended the positive outcome for the Eastwood area of Rotherham and felt that the regeneration and potential for raised attainment was something to be celebrated. 

Joanne outlined the closing dates for Secondary Year Seven and Primary Foundation and Year Three applications.  Applications made by the internet were increasing.  Reminders were issued where parents had not submitted by the deadline. 

One member of the Local Admissions Forum asked for an explanation of how the applications process worked for non-English speakers.  It was important to ensure that they also received fair and equitable treatment. 

Agreed: - That the information shared be noted. 

Dean Fenton provided an update on the Fair Access Protocol, which existed for when admissions applications had exhausted all of their statutory rights and the child remained without a school place.  Often these children were multiply vulnerable. 

The system had been designed in consultation with Headteachers and it had to be agreed by the majority of schools.  The Panel had been working for twelve-months and headteachers had requested the option to review how the process worked. 

If a child had been refused at appeal for a school, the Fair Access Protocol could not re-consider them for the School. 

Agreed: -  That the information shared be noted. 

·       Latest available position as at July, 2015, attached.

The current list of academy schools in Rotherham was noted. 

·       Three options being consulted upon attached. 

Dean Fenton described how the school term dates for the 2017/2018 year were undergoing regional consultation.  These related to maintained school term dates; academy schools were able to set their own term dates. There had been a request to consult on a number of different models, which were submitted for consideration. 

The Rotherham Local Admissions Forum confirmed their support for option one.  It was felt that term dates would better serve all stakeholders if they were set nationally. 

Agreed: -  (1)  That the information shared be noted.

(2)  That Option One be the Rotherham Local Admission Forum’s preferred option. 

·       18th February, 2016 (instead of 17^th March, 2016);

·       7^th July, 2016. 

To start at 10.00 am in the Rotherham Town Hall. 

Agreed: -  That the next meeting of the Rotherham Local Admissions Forum take place on Thursday 18^th February, 2016, to start at 10.00 am in the Rotherham Town Hall.