EDUCATION PANEL
THURSDAY 16 MARCH 2006 AT 10.00 AM
CABINET
MONDAY 20 MARCH AT 2.00 P.M.
COUNTY COUNCIL
TUESDAY 28 MARCH AT 10.30 A.M. / Agenda item
Education Panel
3
Cabinet
2
County Council
7
CONSULTATION ON ADMISSION ARRANGEMENTS FOR 2007-2008
Report of the Director of Children, Schools and Families
Author: Sarah Vize, Senior Manager, Admissions and Transport 01992 555933
Executive Member: Robert Gordon
1. Purpose of the Report
To enable the Education Panel to make recommendations to Cabinet on:
(a) the statutory consultation proposals relating to community and voluntary-controlled schools
(b) responses received to the consultation proposals for
· community and voluntary-controlled schools
· the schemes of co-ordination for all schools in Hertfordshire and
· the Published Admission Numbers for Community and Voluntary Controlled schools .
(c) the options and recommendations proposed for determining the admissions arrangements for 2007, which are based upon the proposals consulted upon, subject to changes as a result of the evaluation of the consultation and other emerging issues
(d) the next steps relating to the Post Determination Action Plan relating to Rickmansworth School
(e) the next steps relating to the proposed admission arrangements of other admitting authorities within Hertfordshire
And in turn for Cabinet to make recommendations on admission arrangements for 2007/2008 to the County Council at its meeting on 28 March 2006.
2. Summary – Consultation Phase
2.1 The statutory consultation for school admissions for the school year 2007/2008 was carried out in January and February 2006. It covered five areas as follows:
· Middle, Junior, Primary, First, Infant and Nursery School Admission
· Secondary/Upper School Admission
· Proposed Published Admission Numbers (PAN)
· Admission to 6th Forms
· Co-ordinated schemes for Admission for Primary and Secondary Schools
The consultation document relating to the above is attached as Appendix 1.
2.2 The areas for change proposed in the consultation were as follows:
2.3 To amend the arrangements for admission to single sex schools, as follows:
(a) To introduce an element of random allocation to the admission rules relating to single sex schools. For children who live in the relevant single sex priority area, places would be allocated to each parish/unparished area or town in proportion to the applications made. In the event of there being more applications than places available to a particular parish/unparished area or town, places would be allocated on a random basis within each parish/unparished area or town. The proposed new Rule 6 reads:
“Children who live in the priority area. Places will be allocated to each parish/unparished area or town in proportion to the number of applications made. In the event of there being more applications than places available to a particular parish/unparished area or town, places will be allocated on a random basis for each parish, unparished area or town.”
Children would be allocated from outside the priority area on a random basis, as a revised Rule 7.
(b) To split the combined parish/unparished area and towns of Hitchin and Letchworth Garden City included in the existing single sex Priority Area for Hitchin Boys and Hitchin Girls, to offer the same division between these towns as that used for the co-educational priority areas.
2.4 To amend the arrangements for admission to co-educational secondary schools as follows:
(a) Moving Watford Rural parish from Priority Area 6 to Priority Area 11 Borehamwood, Bushey and Watford Rural.
(b) Withdrawing the parishes of Northwood (Hillingdon) and Pinner (Harrow) from Priority Area 6.
2.5 Attention was also drawn to the definition of "Shortest Designated Route". In the light of an outstanding Ombudsman case, and a related review which is underway on the definition of the shortest designated route, the inclusion of “a cycleway adopted by Hertfordshire County Council” is subject to further consideration.
2.6 Schedule of proposed Published Admission Numbers (PAN) for September 2007
The Published Admission Numbers (PANs) for individual schools have been developed having taken into account the Indicated Admission Numbers (IANs) as derived by the net capacity assessment conducted last year, the recently developed framework for assessing Published Admission Numbers and the forecast demand.
2.7 Sixth Form Arrangements
The updated arrangements for admission to 6th Form at Year 12. The proposed PANs, a summary of minimum entry requirements and the criteria upon which any tiebreak will be decided is set out in the Schedule.
2.8 Co-ordinated Schemes of Admission for Primary and Secondary Schools 2007-2008
In order to comply with the requirements of National Co-ordination, there is a change at 9(a), this allows ranking information to be shared with a school if that school needs the information to apply its own admission arrangements.
2.9 Analysis of Feedback to consultation
Appendix 2 provides a summary of the responses received during the consultation to each key proposal. An interim report on feedback was provided to the Hertfordshire Admissions Forum on the 23 February 2006 and can be accessed via:-www.hertsdirect.org/yrccouncil/hcc/csf/structure/policiesplansreports/
A full set of the responses is available in the Members Room.
2.10 Other Admitting Authorities Arrangements
Post Determination Action Plan: Rickmansworth School
An update of the activities relating to the Post Determination Action Plan on Rickmansworth is provided as Appendix 3.
2.11 The next steps relating to the proposed admission arrangements of other admitting authorities within Hertfordshire
All admitting authorities are required to determine their arrangements by 15 April 2006. As determined arrangements are received, these will be evaluated. Where there are non compliant arrangements relating to the Regulation on Looked After Children or the admission of children with Statements of Special Educational Needs which names the school is not transparent within the determined arrangements, it is recommended that objections be made to the Office of the Schools Adjudicator. This is in accordance with the agreed plan of action identified last summer.
3. Conclusions
3.1 As a result of evaluation of the feedback received to the consultation, the Regulations on Looked After Children and the recent experiences of primary and secondary co-ordination for 2006 admissions, Members are asked to consider the following options with regard to single sex rules and recommendations relating to other proposed changes:
(a) Looked After Children: The Regulations on Looked After Children are now in place, requiring priority to be given to this group of children.
It is therefore recommended that top priority be given to Looked After Children, as part of criterion 1 for all admissions criteria for community and voluntary controlled schools. The Rules 1 and 2 would read:
Rule 1 Children in public care and children who have a Statement of Special Educational Needs which names the school.
Rule 2 Children for whom it can be demonstrated that they have a particular medical or social need to go to the school.
(b) Admission arrangements for Single Sex Community Secondary Schools: As a result of feedback received during the consultation, three alternative options are presented for consideration. These are summarised as follows:
Option 1: To proceed with the status quo, whereby the single sex admission rules 6 and 7 would remain unchanged and as determined for 2006-2007.
Option 2: To maintain the proposal consulted upon for 2007-2008, to replace the existing rules 6 and 7, with random allocation.
Option 3: To modify the proposal consulted upon, e.g. maintaining the existing 6i, "places allocated to those for whom it is their nearest Hertfordshire non-faith maintained school", with any remaining places available to a parish/unparished area or town, allocated on a random basis.
Members are asked to consider the options above, and make recommendations upon which the County Council can determine the admission arrangements for 2007-2008.
(c) To split the combined parish/unparished area and towns of Hitchin and Letchworth Garden City included in the existing single sex Priority Area for Hitchin Boys and Hitchin Girls,
It is recommended that this proposal should be adopted.
(d) Admission Rules for Middle, Junior, Primary, First, Infant and Nursery Schools
It is recommended that these proposals should be adopted, inclusive of the amendment to Criteria 1 and 2 outlined above.
(e) Admission Arrangements for Co-educational Secondary/Upper schools
It is recommended that these proposals should be adopted, inclusive of
a. the amendment to criteria 1 and 2 outlined above,
b. the repositioning of Watford Rural parish proceeds and is included in the co-educational Priority Area 11 Borehamwood, Bushey and Watford Rural.
(f) Admission Arrangements for Single Sex Community Secondary Schools
It is recommended that the amendment to Criteria 1 and 2 be adopted in accordance with the Looked After Children Regulations, and that members consider the options identified above and make a recommendation.
(g) Schedule of Published Admission Numbers (PAN)
Changes to PANs as a result of re-calculation of capacity, building adaptations, etc. for secondary, middle, junior, primary, first, infant and nursery school admission.
It is recommended that the proposed PANs are adopted with the following amendments:
School / PAN 2007Richard Hale / 161
The Knights Templar School / 210
Therfield First School / 11
Meryfield Primary / 30
(h) Admission Rules for 6th Forms
It is recommended that the proposed arrangements be adopted
(i) Co-ordinated Schemes of Admission for Primary and Secondary Schools
It is recommended that the Primary and Secondary co-ordinated schemes be adopted, subject to several changes as a result of feedback from consultation, and the experience of the 2006 co-ordination.
(j) Shortest Designated Route
A verbal update will be provided with regard to the definition of the “Shortest Designated Route”.
4. Background
4.1 The full set of proposals consulted upon relating to the admission arrangements for 2007-2008 are set out at Appendix 1.
4.2 A verbal update on comments made by the Education Panel will be made at the Cabinet meeting on 20 March.
4.3 The County Council as Local Authority (LA) is required to consult about its proposed admission arrangements by the end of February each year. These arrangements should be consistent with any co-ordinated scheme that will operate in the year in question.
5. Consultation
5.1 Following the decision of Cabinet on 12 December 2005 to consult on the proposed arrangements for community and VC schools, a press statement was released on 15 December 2005 to forty one media sources outlining the key areas upon which the LA was seeking feedback during the consultation.
5.2 The consultation commenced on 6 January 2006 and closed at 9.30 am on Monday 20 February 2006. All schools were notified of the consultation on 4 January 2006 via email, as is the traditional practice in Hertfordshire. Schools were asked to bring this to the attention of the Chair of Governors. In addition a hard copy bulletin was published to all schools directing them to the consultations online, and offering schools hard copy packs should they require these. Other statutory consultees, including neighbouring LAs, diocesan authorities and councils were informed. The Authority is required to have consulted by the end of February to determine its admission arrangements by 15 April 2006 and to notify its statutory consultees.
5.3 Two hundred and seven on time responses were received by the close of consultation. Feedback was also provided by the headteachers representing the single sex community schools. The proposals consulted upon were considered by the County Admissions Forum at its meeting on 23 February 2006. A full set of the responses received is available in the Members Library. An analysis of the responses received is attached as Appendix 2.
5.4 A group of parents have registered their intention to present a petition to the CSF Scrutiny Committee on 15 March 2006 with respect to the proposed changes to the admission rules for single sex secondary schools.
6. Appraisal and Recommendations
6.1 Introduction of Random Allocation
Thirty per cent of those who responded to the question were in favour of the introduction of random allocation because it would offer a fair and equal chance to all children living within a priority area to gain a place. This compares with the existing system where at the moment families seeking single sex places living further away or on the outer edges of priority areas are seen to be disadvantaged. This is because, although they live in a single sex priority area, they are not prioritised under Rule 6i, and any places remaining to be allocated under Rule 6ii prioritise those living closest to the school.
6.2 During the consultation period meetings took place with the headteachers of the single sex community schools and the following summarises the feedback from this group:
· the present operation of rule 6 is understood by parents and provides a degree of certainty to applicants based on historical information. Parents are able to estimate their chances of getting a place based on where they live. Heads were concerned that, with a change to allocation such estimating would not be possible and could put parents off from expressing a preference for a single-sex school
· that it is unfair to discriminate between single-sex schools and co-educational ones in this way i.e. there is no proposal to introduce any element of randomness into the rules for co-educational schools
· it was felt that this in turn would lead to anomalies in dealing with over-subscription in the same geographical area between single-sex and co-educational schools
· headteachers suggested that a better strategy would be to deal with those geographical areas where over-subscription is a problem rather than introducing this proposal.
6.3 From respondents disagreeing with the proposal, the main issues of concern relate to:
(a) the inability of parents/carers to assess their chances of securing a place at a single sex school under the proposed Rule 6, based on trend data from previous years allocations before expressing a preference,
(b) children for whom a single sex school is their nearest non-faith school (i.e. those who currently qualify for a place under Rule 6i). They would be at risk of not securing a place in favour of those who live further away within a parish,
(c) the potential impact on travel to school if children are displaced from securing a place at their nearest non-faith maintained school