Agenda and draft minutes

Details of the current membership of the Rotherham Local Admissions Forum were noted including the new prospective member as a result of the advertisement which had been sent to schools/governing bodies etc. during the Autumn, 2017.

The Forum welcomed two new members and it was agreed that these persons be appointed to the Forum in the categories shown:-

Community Representative : Mrs. Ann Gyte

Parent : Ms. Gail Clarke

The Chair welcomed Ms. Clarke and Mrs. Gyte to the Forum.

Agreed:- That the minutes of the previous meeting of the Rotherham Local Admissions Forum, held on 8th February, 2018, be approved as a correct record.

Consideration was given to Rotherham’s Local Authority Report to the Schools Adjudicator, 30^th June, 2018, which was presented by the Principal Officer, School Planning, Admissions and Appeals.  The completion and return of the report each year was a statutory requirement on admissions authorities. 

Discussion took place on various items within the report, including special educational needs, the fair access protocol and the elective home education of children.

Agreed:-  (1) That the contents of the Local Authority report be noted.

(2) That, at the next meeting of the Local Admissions Forum scheduled to take place on Thursday, 8th November, 2018, a report be submitted on the arrangements for the elective home education of children.

The current position, as at June, 2018 and listed on the submitted reports, of Rotherham schools which had converted, or were about to convert to Academies was noted.

The following details were reported about the school admissions process:-

-          With regard to the 2019/20 admissions round for secondary schools, letters were being sent to parents of current Year 5 pupils, advising them of the process for applying for Year 7 secondary school places (September 2019).

-          The online process of making application for school places was becoming increasingly popular with parents.

-          Discussion with regard to moving to a new Capita system – Citizen’s Portal – which allowed parents to have interaction with their application e.g. allowing amendments to be made.

-          On National Offer Day:-

Primary Schools – (on time applications) 93.6% were offered their first preference school;  98.1% were offered one of their three preferences.

Infant School (Year 2) to Junior School (Year 3) transfers – 100% were offered their first preference school.

Secondary Schools – (on time applications) 94.5% received their first preference school.  99% were offered one of their three preferences.

-          Consultation for entry into 2020/2021 Primary and Secondary education would commence in September, 2018.

Agreed:- That the information be noted.

The Local Admissions Forum discussed a number of issues which would often arise in several school admission appeal hearings. It was also noted that, in terms of admission appeals for places both at primary schools (new starters in Reception/Foundation Stage 2) and at secondary schools (new starters in Year 7), the number of individual appeals being processed was approximately the same in 2018 as in 2017.

Agreed:- That the information be noted.

Further to Minute No. 29 of the meeting of the Rotherham Local Admissions Forum held on 8th February, 2018, discussion took place on the progress of Rotherham’s Primary and Secondary School’s Fair Access Protocol.

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.

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

(1) School Expansion

There were planned school expansions increasing pupil capacity in respect of:-

Wath Comprehensive School (2018)

Wales High School (2018)

Wath Church of England Primary School (2018)

The above schemes were either in current construction or were due to commence imminently.

It was noted that additional classrooms were also being planned and constructed at the Aston Academy to meet basic need. This project was in the early stages of development and was also subject to Cabinet approval and to planning permission being granted.

(2) Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) Sufficiency and Increase in Educational Provision – Phase 1

Reference was made to the Council’s approval of the proposals to increase Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) capacity of provision across the Borough area by 138 places by 2021 (Minute No. 110 of the meeting of the Cabinet and Commissioners held on 19th February, 2018 refers). The Phase 1 projects were on schedule for completion by March, 2019.

Agreed:- That the information be noted.

It was noted that the Education Consultative Committee had endorsed that the School term dates for the 2019/20 academic year shall include the traditional (ecclesiastical) option of the placement of the Easter school holidays, in order that Rotherham’s agreed term dates shall accord with two of the neighbouring Local Authorities in South Yorkshire.

Thursday, 8th November, 2018 commencing at 10.00 a.m.

Thursday, 7th February, 2019, 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 November, 2018, commencing at 10.00 a.m.