Agenda and minutes

Agreed:- That Mrs. I. Hartley be appointed as Chair of the Rotherham Local Admissions Forum for the 2018/2019 Academic Year.

(Mrs. I. Hartley in the Chair)

Agreed:- That Mr. D. Shenton be appointed as Vice-Chair of the Rotherham Local Admissions Forum for the 2018/2019 Academic Year.

Agreed:- That the minutes of the previous meeting of the Rotherham Local Admissions Forum, held on 28^th June, 2018, be approved as a correct record.

With regards to Minute No. 3 (Local Authority Report to School Adjudicator) arrangements would be made for a presentation on Elective Home Education of Children by Marie Boswell for the next meeting.

Details of the current membership of the Rotherham Local Admissions Forum were discussed.

The Forum duly noted the long standing absence for Mrs. P. Powell who had suffered from ill health who would be thanked for her services and removed from the membership.

In addition, the Chair, Mrs. Hartley, would move from the Community Schools category to the Community Representatives category.

Agreed:-  That the membership of the Local Admissions Forum be updated accordingly.

Consideration was given to the submitted document which set out the terms of reference for Rotherham Local Admissions Forum.

Agreed:- That the document be received and accepted as the Local Admissions Forum’s Terms of Reference for the 2018/19 academic year.

Consideration was given to a report presented by the Principal Officer (School Planning, Admissions and Appeals) concerning the admission arrangements (i.e. criteria and admission number) which would apply for school admission in the 2020/2021 academic year.

The timetable for the year was:-

Autumn Term 2018                           Governing bodies consider the arrangements which will apply.

By 23^rd November, 2018                   All relevant details to be forwarded to the LA.

10^th December – 25^th January, 2019  Period of consultation via the LA’s website.

By mid February                               LA and the Local Admission Forum consider any changes and forward any comments to appropriate Admission Authority (ies).

By 22^nd February, 2019                     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 in-year school admissions, with neighbouring local authorities, would continue.

Included within the report were details of each school and academy’s proposed admission number for 2020/2021 (Appendix two of the report submitted).

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

It was confirmed that the relevant area for admissions consultations remained unchanged as the whole of the Rotherham Borough area and included all primary schools situated within one mile of the Local Authority’s administrative area boundary and all secondary schools situated within three miles of the boundary.

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

An update was provided on the current progress of school expansions for Wath Comprehensive, Wales High and Wath C. of E. Primary School. 

St. Bernard’s Catholic High School was the next identified school for expansion with a completion date of September, 2019.  This would increase the current number of places by 75.

Anticipated expansions beyond 2019 into 2020 were Aston Academy and St. Pius X Catholic School.

As part of the £3 million proposals to increase Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) provision across the Borough there would be an increase in places at Abbey, Newman, Rowan and Cherry Tree House, with a further ten added places at The Willows and Wales High.  Future schools earmarked for increased provision would include Aspire and Milton and ten places at the new Waverley School.

This increased provision was all part of the school expansion plan which would seek to ensure and install confidence in the sufficiency of places moving forward.

Further information was also provided on the actions and plans in place to ensure as many applications for entry into reception and secondary school were completed on time. 

Reference was made to the in-year transfer processes, how these could also now be completed electronically up to a term in advance.

In terms of Fair Access the Forum were advised that of the 26 cases from 2017/18 presented to Panels all 26 had been resolved.

With regards to the number of appeals for 2017/18 393 appeals had been submitted for primary schools and 218 had been submitted for secondary schools.

The Forum particularly wished to place on record their thanks and appreciation to Richard Bellamy and wished him well in his retirement.

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

(2)  That a letter of thanks from the Local Admissions Forum be forwarded onto Richard Bellamy.

The current position as at September, 2018 as listed on the submitted report of Rotherham schools which had converted or were about to covert to Academies was noted.

This now meant that 80% of all Rotherham schools were subject to academy status.  Of the total number secondary schools only St. Pius X Catholic High had not converted.

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

The Forum noted that the consultation for term dates for 2020/21 would commence in January, 2019.

An update following the consultation would be provided at the next meeting in February, 2019.

Agreed:-  That the information be noted and the update be received in due course.

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

Thursday, 27th June, 2019, commencing at 10.00 a.m.

Agreed:-  That the next meeting of the Rotherham Local Admissions Forum take place on Thursday, 7^th February, 2019 at Rotherham Town Hall commencing at 10.00 a.m.