Agenda and minutes

Agreed:- That the minutes of the previous meeting of the Rotherham Local Admissions Forum, held on 3rd November, 2016, be approved as a correct record.

Further to Minute No. 2 (Membership of the Local Admissions Forum) of the meeting held on 3rd November, 2016, members noted the expression of interest from Mr. S. Churm (a governor of a Primary Academy) in joining the Local Admissions Forum.  It was agreed that this person be invited to attend the Forum’s next meeting, with a view to him becoming a member of this Local Admissions Forum.

Consideration was given to a report presented by the Principal Officer (School Organisation, Admissions and Appeals) concerning the admission arrangements (ie: criteria and admission number) which would apply for school admission in the 2018/2019 academic year.

The timetable for the year is:-

Autumn Term, 2016                         governing bodies to consider the

                                                            arrangements which will apply

by 25^th November, 2016                  all relevant details to be forwarded to the

Borough Council

from 12^th December 2016               period of consultation via the Borough

until 27^th January, 2017                  Council’s Internet web site

by mid-February, 2017                    Borough Council and the Local Admissions Forum consider any changes and forward any comments to appropriate Admission Authority(ies)

by 24^th February, 2017                    all admission authorities to determine their arrangements and notify those consulted

The Local Admissions Forum noted that there were no proposed changes to the admission criteria for 2018/19, nor the ‘relevant area’ for the purposes of admissions consultation.

The report made reference to the admission criteria and admission numbers for both community and controlled schools and for voluntary aided schools, academies and trust schools. The Local Admissions Forum also noted that the current practice of co-ordinating in-year school admissions, with neighbouring local authorities, will continue even though there is no specific statutory requirement to do so. For 2018/19, there would be a few minor date changes to the co-ordinated schemes.

Included within the report were details of each school and academy’s proposed admission number for 2018/2019 (appendix two of the report submitted).

The ‘waiting lists’ which are kept for pupils’ first admission to Primary and to Secondary 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 the arrangements for admission to schools in the Rotherham Borough area, for the 2018/2019 academic year, as now submitted, be approved.

The Local Admissions Forum received an update about the school admissions and allocations process for new entrants to primary schools (Reception/Foundation Stage 2) and to secondary schools (Year 7) at the beginning of the 2017/2018 academic year beginning in September, 2017.

The National Offer Day for secondary schools was Wednesday 1 March 2017 and the National Offer day for primary schools was Tuesday 18 April 2017.

It was noted that many applications were now being submitted online, via the Local Authority’s Internet web site. The expected pattern of applications for places at the most popular schools was occurring as in previous years.

A brief explanation was also provided of the method of assessing parental preferences for school places.

Agreed:- That the information be noted.

Further to Minute No. 5 of the meeting of the Local Admissions Forum held on 3rd November, 2016, the Principal Officer (School Organisation, Admissions and Appeals) reported that a shortlist of five prospective sponsors had been selected for the new primary school within the Waverley settlement. It was noted that these Academy Trusts had been invited to participate in the next stage of the selection process.  The Department for Education continued to be kept informed of progress.

It was also noted that the Cabinet of the Council had considered proposals to expand the Wath Church of England Primary School and the Wales High School.  Whilst both projects have conditional approval, they are subject to the grant of the necessary planning permissions.

As part of the planned and continuing school expansion programme, a report is to be considered by the Cabinet on 13th March, 2017, recommending conditional approval for an expansion of the Wath Comprehensive School.

Agreed:- That the information about school organisation  be noted.

Further to Minute No. 8 of the meeting of the Rotherham Local Admissions Forum held on 3rd November, 2016 the Principal Officer (School Organisation, Admissions and Appeals) reported on the progress of the consultation about School Term dates for the 2018/19 academic year, with particular reference to the stated intentions of two neighbouring local authorities in respect of the placement of the two weeks’ Easter school holidays in the first two weeks of April during both the 2017/18 and the 2018/19 academic years. The consultation process was still in progress and included Councillors, school governing bodies, trades unions and other stakeholders.

Agreed:- That the progress of the consultation process about School Term dates be reported at the next meeting of the Local Admissions Forum.

Further to Minute No. 6 of the meeting of the Rotherham Local Admissions Forum held on 3rd November, 2016, discussion took place on the progress of Rotherham’s Primary and Secondary School’s Fair Access Protocol.  It was noted that the Fair Access Panel for Secondary Schools would meet on one occasion during each half-term.  The Fair Access Panel for Primary Schools had not been required to meet recently, with the very small number of cases being determined by direct discussion between certain schools.

The Local Admissions Forum heard that the School’s Fair Access Protocol was used to facilitate the individual assessment of pupils who did not have a school place and for whom the statutory processes (ie: parents’ applications and appeals) had previously been determined.  This Protocol was also used for pupils attending the Local Authority’s Pupil Referral Units and for whom a return to mainstream school was considered to be appropriate.

It was noted that details of the School’s Fair Access Protocol would be reported to the Office of the Schools Adjudicator during the Summer 2017 and the information would be included in a report to be submitted to the next meeting of the Local Admissions Forum.

Agreed:- That the information 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.

The following item is likely to be considered in the absence of the press and public as being exempt under the Paragraph 2 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 (information which is likely to reveal the identity of an individual)

Resolved:- That, under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 2 of Part I of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 (information which is likely to reveal the identity of an individual).

Consideration was given to a report containing statistics of the number of school admission appeals received and hearings taking place during the two school years 2015/2016 and 2016/2017.

The continuing increase in the number of appeals for primary school places was highlighted.

Agreed: That the report be received and its contents noted.

Thursday, 8th June, 2017 commencing at 10.00 a.m.

Thursday, 2nd November, 2017 commencing at 10.00 a.m.

Agreed:- That the next meeting of the Rotherham Local Admissions Forum be held at the Town Hall, Rotherham on Thursday, 8th June, 2017, commencing at 10.00 a.m.