Agenda and minutes

Venue: Town Hall, Moorgate Street, Rotherham. S60 2TH

Contact: Debbie Pons, Governance Adviser 

Items
No. Item

11.

Appointment of Chair/Vice Chair for 2019/20 Academic Year

Minutes:

Agreed:- (1)  That Mrs. I. Hartley be appointed as Chair of the Rotherham Local Admissions Forum for the 2019/2020 Academic Year.

 

(Mrs. I. Hartley in the Chair)

 

(2)  That Mr. D. Shenton be appointed as Vice-Chair of the Rotherham Local Admissions Forum for the 2019/2020 Academic Year.

12.

Minutes of the Previous Meeting held on 27th June, 2019 pdf icon PDF 72 KB

Minutes:

Consideration was given to the minutes of the previous meeting held on 27th June, 2019.

 

Agreed:-  That the minutes of the previous meeting held on 27th June, 2019, be approved as a correct record.

13.

Matters Arising from Previous Minutes

Minutes:

There were no matters arising.

14.

Membership of the Local Admissions Forum pdf icon PDF 49 KB

Minutes:

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

 

Information regarding the current vacancies would be recirculated to schools and contact made with those listed on the membership who had not attended for three consecutive meetings.

 

Agreed:-  (1) That the information regarding membership be circulated.

 

(2)  That the membership of the Local Admissions Forum be updated accordingly.

15.

Terms of Reference pdf icon PDF 36 KB

Minutes:

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

 

The Terms of Reference would also be circulated for information as a reference guide for those that may be interested in joining the Forum.

 

Agreed:- That the document be received and accepted as the Local Admissions Forum’s Terms of Reference for the 2019/20 academic year.

16.

School Admissions Consultation for Entry in the 2021/2022 Academic Year pdf icon PDF 159 KB

Minutes:

Consideration was given to a report presented by the Principal Officer (Access to Education) concerning the admission arrangements (i.e. criteria and admission number) which would apply for school admission in the 2021/2022 academic year.

 

The timetable for the year was:-

 

Autumn Term 2019

Governing bodies consider the

arrangements which will apply

 

By 22rd November, 2019

All relevant details to be forwarded to the local authority

 

9th December 2019 – 24th January, 2020

Period of consultation via the Local Authority’s website

 

By mid-February

Local Authority and the Local Admission Forum consider any changes and forward any comments to appropriate Admission Authority(ies)

 

By 21st February, 2020

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 also details of each school and academy’s proposed admission number for 2021/2022 (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.

17.

Update on School Organisation, Admissions, Appeals and Primary & Secondary Fair Access Protocol

Minutes:

An update was provided by relevant officers of the Access to Education Team relating to school organisation, admissions, appeals and primary and secondary Fair Access Protocol.

 

In relation to school organisation:-

 

·                The steel structure for the first primary school at Waverley was in place. 

·                Expansion plans for Aston for 150 new places had commenced.

·                SEND Phase 1 for 125 additional places was on track.

·                SEND Phase 2 for a further 111 places had been approved by Cabinet.

·                From the 40 schools to be used as polling stations in the borough, 30 had applied to close.

 

In terms of admissions:-

 

·                The waiting list for entry into Reception/Foundation Stage 2 this September would remain until 31st December, 2019.

·                The closing dates for entry into Reception/Foundation Stage 2 and  Year 2/Year 3 Infant to Junior  was 15th January, 2020. The closing date for Year 7 for 2020/21 was 30th November, 2019.

·                The rolling programme of reminders to submit applications remained ongoing.

·                Applications for the new Waverley School for entry into Reception/Foundation Stage 2 for 2020/21 were being received. For all other year groups the applications could be submitted from 1 December, 2019.

 

In terms of Fair Access:-

 

·                The meetings of the South and Central Pupil Management Groups had met or were due to meet on the 6th and 12th November, 2019 respectively. 

·                The Wickersley Partnership meetings were ongoing.

·                Fair access cases to be considered by the strategic group would take place on 8th November and 5th December, 2019.

 

In terms of appeals:-

 

·                223 secondary and 140 primary appeals had been received so far for the 2019/20 academic year.

·                5 days were required for the large number of appeals for Year 7 entry into Wickersley and 4 for Wales.

 

Agreed:-  That the information be received and duly noted.

18.

Academies Update pdf icon PDF 145 KB

Minutes:

Further to Minute No. 4 of the last meeting held on 27th June, 2019, consideration was given to the updated list of Rotherham schools which had converted/about to convert to academies.

 

Discussion ensued with the following issues raised/clarified:-

 

·                Two further schools were due to academise this month, but Kiveton Park Meadows Junior School had since been delayed until January, 2020.

·                Of the 116 schools in the borough, 33 had not yet converted to an academy.

·                Of all the academies Thrybergh Foljambe Academy was the only primary through to secondary school.

·                Difficulties could arise when infant and junior schools, who were part of different academies, shared on site.

 

It was suggested that to address some of the queries being raised about land ownership, PFI leases etc. a presentation take place at the next meeting on academisation and the relevant officer be invited to attend.

 

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

 

(2)  That a presentation on academies be included on the agenda for the next meeting and Mr. R. Holsey be invited to attend.

19.

Term Dates consultation for 2021/22 pdf icon PDF 107 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Forum noted that the consultation for term dates for 2021/22 would commence in January, 2020 and details had been shared with neighbouring authorities.

 

An update following the consultation would be provided at the next meeting in February, 2020.

 

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

20.

Elective Home Education Update pdf icon PDF 59 KB

Minutes:

Consideration was given to the written update by Marie Boswell, School Advisor.

 

The Forum were also advised about the amalgamation of several teams into the newly formed Access to Education Team, which already included Elective Home Education and would now also include Exclusions.

 

Agreed:-  That the update be noted.

21.

Date of next meeting

Thursday, 6th February, 2020, commencing at 10.00 a.m.

Minutes:

Agreed:-  That a further meeting be held on Thursday, 6th February, 2020, commencing at 10.00 a.m.