Agenda and minutes

Agreed:- That Councillor Hodgkiss be appointed Chairman of this Forum for the 2004/05 Municipal Year.

(Mr. B. N. Sampson took the Chair for this meeting)

Agreed:- That Mrs. I. Hartley be appointed Vice-Chairman of this forum for the 2004/05 Municipal Year.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Boyes, Austen and Hodgkiss, Mrs. P. Powell, Mrs. I. Hartley and Mr. M. Robertson.

The minutes of the meeting held on the 13th May, 2004 were accepted as a true record.

Marina Jordan informed the meeting that the booklet had been submitted to the Press Office for comments on the content.

Some amendments had been suggested which were incorporated prior to the booklet being distributed.

The minutes of the meeting of the above Committee were received and the content noted.

David Hill informed the meeting of the up to date situation regarding new build projects.

It was noted that Rotherham schools were still popular with parents that lived outside the Borough, the effect of this and the difficulties that can result for Rotherham schools when places were allowed for extra district pupils were outlined.

The meeting was informed of the situation for 2004 in respect of the number of appeals heard compared with previous years.

The number had been reduced, the main reduction being the number of appeals heard for Church Aided Schools.

Marina Jordan and Joanne Griffiths reported on the content of a report which, for admission numbers and admissions criteria, gave governors the opportunity to consider the admission arrangements which will apply for 2006/07.

The Local Admissions Forum has previously considered the requirements for consultation and has agreed that the LEA should facilitate this, as far as possible, by use of the Authority’s Internet site.

The timetable for consideration of the arrangements is :-

The report submitted set out the arrangements for Voluntary Aided Schools and for Community Controlled Schools.

Admission numbers, for all schools, for 2005/06 and proposed numbers for 2006/07 were submitted with the report along with advice on action to be taken in order to agree, or not, to the admission number indicated.

Reference was made to the co-ordinated admission arrangements from 2005/06, it being noted that it was intended to amend the scheme for secondary preferences for 2006/07.

This was only in respect of extending the existing arrangements in South Yorkshire to include Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire.

Discussion took place on the admission arrangements for pupils with special needs, whether statemented or not.

It was acknowledged that there would be more pupils with special needs in mainstream schools due to the inclusion policy. The effect of this on a school’s admission criteria was referred to, it being under (v) for community schools (specific medical reason), as was the reasonableness/practicality of a particular school for a child with special needs e.g. accessibility and curriculum requirements being available on ground floor accommodation.

The Booklet and Common Application Form included reference to the need for parents to inform the Authority/School Governing Body of a child’s medical needs. This would enable teaching staff to be made aware at an early stage of a child’s requirements both educationally and physically.

The possible effect on schools’ budgets was referred to should adaptations be required to cater for a child’s needs and the need for schools to have an access plan. Such issues were to be considered when designing future plans of school buildings.

It was accepted that schools which were suitably adapted could receive a disproportionate number of children with a disability, although the numbers involved were low.

Agreed- That the report be received.

Marina Jordon and Joanne Griffiths gave information in respect of :-

(a) the responses received from aided schools and other LEAs. The process appeared to be operating satisfactorily;

(b) the situation whereby parents were reminded to submit a preference for a school.;

(c) the relatively few queries received in respect of the new arrangements, the majority being from parents not living in the Rotherham LEA;

(d) the timetable for the co-ordinated arrangements;

(e) the questionnaire in the booklet (parental survey) and early responses indicating that the information set out was in a way which parents could understand.

Booklets were distributed to those present. It was explained that the information contained therein was available in different formats.

Agreed:- That the next meeting be arranged for Thursday 17th March, 2005 commencing at 9.30 a.m.