Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Austen, Mrs. I. Hartley and Mrs. G. Atkin.

The minutes of the meeting held on the 1^st April, 2004 were accepted as a true record.

Consideration was given to the contents of a draft Booklet to parents on Rotherham’s admission arrangements for entry to Secondary Schools in 2005/2006.

The changes are intended to make school admissions fairer for all parents and to improve the admission processes that parents often find stressful, the aim of the Authority being to encourage greater co-ordination and co-operation between the Authority, the governing bodies of voluntary aided schools and neighbouring local education authorities.  It was hoped this would produce an admissions system which is streamlined and reduces the number of application forms parents have to complete where they apply for more than one school.

In the first year of introducing these changes in 2005/2006 the Authority shall be co-ordinating admission arrangements with all other local education authorities, but particularly those in South Yorkshire (Sheffield, Barnsley and Doncaster).

It will mean that every parent resident in Rotherham who has applied for a school place in any area of South Yorkshire will receive a single offer of a secondary school place on the same day from the authority.

The booklet outlined the following factors:- 

-           Five-step process of the new admission arrangements

-           Co-ordinated admission arrangements

-           Terminology

-           Frequently Asked Questions

-           Information on All Schools

-           Eligibility for a Place

-           Making an Application for a School Place

-           How will Your Application be Processed?

-           Transfers During the School Year

-           Appeals for Admission to School

-           Useful Contacts

-           Additional Information

-           Pupil and Student Transport Policy

A number of suggestions were made, discussed and noted for action.

Agreed:-  (1)  That the draft Booklet “Admission to Secondary School 2005/2006” be approved, subject to amendment, as discussed.

(2)  That Martin Harrop and Marina Jordan, Joanne Griffiths and all other members of staff within the Admissions Section of the Local Authority, be thanked for their work in the compilation of the Booklet.

Agreed:-  That the meeting arranged for Thursday, 8^th July, 2004 be cancelled and that the next meeting be arranged for October/early November 2004, details of which to be circulated at the appropriate time.