AGENDA ITEM 5
BOROUGH OF POOLE
CABINET
3 APRIL 2007
PROPOSED ADMISSION ARRANGEMENTS FOR COMMUNITY AND VOLUNTARY CONTROLLED SCHOOLS 2008/9: REPORT OF THE PORTFOLIO HOLDER FOR CHILDREN’S SERVICES, EDUCATION AND YOUTH SERVICES
1.PURPOSE OF REPORT
1.1To seek Cabinet’s approval to the proposed scheme for co-ordinated admissions, school admission policies and published admission numbers for Community and Voluntary Controlled Schools for the Academic Year 2007/8.
2.DECISION REQUIRED
2.1To approve the proposed scheme for co-ordinated admissions, school admission policies and published admission numbers.
3.BACKGROUND
3.1The Children’s Services Overview Group, at its meeting on 27 March 2007, considered the Joint Report of the Heads of Pupil, Parent and Youth Services and the Acting Head of School Advice and Support Services on the results of the consultation on the proposed admission arrangements for Community and Voluntary Controlled Schools for 2008/9, previously circulated.
3.2Details of the new admissions arrangements for community and voluntary controlled schools for the academic year 2008/9 and the provision of a Choice Advice Service was included in the Report of the Head of School Advice and Support Services to the Children’s Services Overview Group on 18 January 2007 (Agenda Item 8).
3.3No comment or objection was received to the proposed co-ordinated admission schemes, school admission policies and published admission numbers for 2008/9 during the statutory consultation period.
3.4The Children’s Services Overview Group unanimously recommended the scheme to Cabinet for approval.
Councillor Tony Woodcock
Portfolio Holder for Children’s Services, Education and Youth Services
BOROUGH OF POOLE
CABINET – 3 APRIL 2007
PROPOSED ADMISSION ARRANGEMENTS FOR COMMUNITY AND VOLUNTARY CONTROLLED SCHOOLS for 2008/9: report of the heads of pupil, parent and youth services and school advice and support services
PART OF PUBLISHED FORWARD PLAN: YES
STATUS – SERVICE ISSUE
1.PURPOSE
1.1.To advise the Cabinet of the proposed schemes for co-ordinated admissions and the draft admission arrangements for Community and Voluntary Controlled schools for the academic year 2008/9. Detailed reports outlining the proposals were circulated to and discussed by the CSOG at its meeting on 9 January 2007 and are attached (Enclosures A – E).
- DECISION REQUIRED.
2.1The Cabinet is requested to approve the proposed schemes for co-ordinated admissions, school admission policies, and Published Admission Numbers.
3. CONSULTATION
3.1After the Children’s Services Overview Group approved the draft arrangements on 9 January 2007 a period of statutory consultation took place during January/February 2007. This involved the Headteachers and Governing Bodies of all Poole Community and Voluntary Controlled schools, all admission authorities within the Borough, the Roman Catholic and Anglican diocese, the Poole Admissions Forum together with both the Bournemouth and Dorset local authorities. An officer from Pupil, Parent and Youth Services also attended a meeting of Parents’ Voice to explain the various proposals.
3.2The draft arrangements have been drawn up in accordance with the new School Admissions Code of Practice which came into effect on 28 February 2007.
4.RESULTS OF THE CONSULTATION PROCESS.
4.1The Children’s Services Overview Group will, at its meeting on 27 March 2007, be informed that no objections were received to the proposed co-ordinated admissions schemes, school admission policiesand Published Admission Numbers for 2008/9 during the statutory consultation period. Any issues arising from consideration by the Overview Group will be reported to Cabinet on 3rd April 2007.
5.LEGAL IMPLICATIONS
5.1There are no legal implications in agreeing the proposals. The proposed admission arrangements, as submitted to the Children’s Services Overview Group comply with requirements of the School Admissions Code of Practice 2007.
6.FINACIAL IMPLICATIONS
6.1There are no financial implications in agreeing the proposed school admission arrangements for 2008/9
7.POLICY FRAMEWORK IMPLICATIONS
7.1There are no policy framework implications in agreeing the proposed school admission arrangements for 2008/9
Vicky Wales
Head of Pupil, Parent and Youth Services
Di Mitchell
Acting Head of School Advice and Support Services
Background papers:
The School Standards and Framework Act 1998
The Education Act 2002
The Education & Inspections Act 2006
The School Admissions Code of Practice
The Education (Determination of Admission Arrangements) Regulations 1999
The Education (Determination of Admission Arrangements) (Amendments) (England) Regulations 2002
The Education (Co-ordination of Admission Arrangements (Primary Schools) (England) Regulations 2002
The Education (Co-ordination of Admission Arrangements (Secondary Schools) (England) Regulations 2002
The Education (Admission of Looked After Children) (England) Regulations 2005
Officer contacts:
Co-ordinated admissions schemes:
Beryl Stokes, Pupil, Parent and Youth Services, telephone 01202 261910, e-mail:
Admission policies:
Nick Maguire, Pupil, Parent and Youth Services, telephone 01202 261912 e-mail:
Published Admission Numbers
Nicola Keynes, School Advice and Support Services, Telephone 01202 633, e-mail:
26 March 2007
Enclosure A
THE BOROUGH OF POOLE
CO-ORDINATED ADMISSION ARRANGEMENTS
FOR ADMISSION TO RECEPTION YEAR AND TRANSFER TO MIDDLE SCHOOL SEPTEMBER 2008/9
- PROCESS FOR NORMAL ADMISSIONS ROUND TO FIRST AND COMBINED SCHOOLS (YEAR R)
1.1Poole Local Authority (LA) will prepare the Borough information booklet and an application form and make them available to all parents within the Authority via first, combined and primary schools. Additionally, on the Borough of Poole website there will be information on how to apply for a school place and an opportunity for parents to make an application on-line
1.2The parents of pupils who live in other LAs will need to contact Poole LA for the common application form if they wish to express a preference for a school in Poole. If parents apply for a Poole school on a form from a neighbouring LA, the form will be accepted and if necessary, parents will be contacted to ensure that all relevant information is included. The date of the application will be considered to be when the original form was received. If a parent sends the application form to a neighbouring authority (Bournemouth and Dorset) in error there is an agreement that the authority will record the date of receipt and send it direct to Poole LA.
1.3Parents will be asked to complete an application, which will ask them to nominate up to three schools in order of preference and give their reasons for applying if they wish to do so. This form must be returned to the School Admissions Team in Children & Young People’s Services with any supporting evidence by the published closing date of midday on Friday 11 January 2008.
1.4Parents must complete either an on-line application or the application form to be considered for a school place (in circumstances where parents complete the form for a neighbouring LA in error, this will be accepted, see 1.2 above). failure to complete an application may result in a parent not being offered a place for their child.
1.5Any application form received after the closing date will be considered as late. The co-ordinated scheme gives priority to all applicants who apply on time and late applications will only be considered once all the on time applications have been processed. The LA will process all late applications on a weekly basis until the beginning of the Autumn term.
1.6Parents expressing a preference for voluntary aided or voluntary controlled schools on denominational grounds must send the completed supporting evidence form, which will be available from these schools, with their application form to the School Admissions Team in Children & Young People’s Services by the published closing date. Parents completing an on-line application form must forward supporting evidence direct to the LA by the published closing date.
1.7The LA will send by courier copies of the supporting evidence forms to the VA schools on a weekly basis.
1.8The LA will exchange information with the other admission authorities within the Borough of Poole by transferring electronically a list of all applications for those schools by Friday 25 January 2008.
1.9The other admission authorities will exchange information by transferring electronically a list of the pupils in the order to be considered with details of the qualifying criteria for each individual applicant to the LA no later than Friday 8 February 2008.
1.10The LA will apply the agreed equal preference scheme for all admission authorities and if a place can be offered at more than one school the parent will receive an offer of a place at their highest available preference.
1.11The LA will prepare offer and refusal letters on behalf of the other admission authorities and post to parents on Friday 14 March 2008. Parents will be informed in the offer letter that where a school is at or above the Published Admission Number (PAN) failure to accept the offer of a place by Friday 4 April 2008 will result in the LA withdrawing the place. The place will then be offered to the next applicant due to be offered the place according to the published policy and criteria.
1.12The admission authorities that operate a waiting list due to over subscription will invite the parents to have the child’s name added to the waiting list. This invitation will be included in the refusal letters. The waiting lists will be kept in line with the published admissions policy of each individual admission authority. When places become available, the place will be offered according to the published policy and criteria of the individual admission authority. For community schools only, parents will be asked annually if they wish their child’s name to remain on the waiting list for the next academic year.
1.13Where an applicant is not offered a place at their preferred school(s) the LA will advise parents in writing of their right of appeal. When parents request an appeal form, they will be asked to return the form to Legal and Democratic Services (community schools) or the Clerk to the Governing Body (voluntary aided schools) within 14 days.
1.14The LA and the other admission authorities will inform each other within 3 working days of the result of any appeal hearings, since these may have an impact upon another admission authority’s allocation.
- PROCESS FOR NORMAL ADMISSIONS ROUND TO MIDDLE SCHOOLS
2.1The LA will prepare the Borough’s information booklet and an application form. The applications form will be distributed to all parents of children who attend Borough first schools during the first week of the Autumn term. Additionally, on the Borough of Poole website there will information indicating how to apply for a school place and an opportunity to make an application on-line. Copies of the Parents’ booklet will be available for collection at all first and combined schools by those parents who wish to obtain a copy.
2.2The parents of pupils who live in other LAs will need to contact Poole LA for the information and the application form if they wish to express a preference for a school in Poole. If parents apply for a Poole school on a form from a neighbouring LA, the form will be accepted and if necessary, parents will be contacted to ensure that all relevant information is included. The date of the application will be considered to be when the original form was received. If a parent sends the application form to a school or neighbouring authority (Bournemouth and Dorset) in error there is an agreement that the school or authority will record the date of receipt and send it direct to Poole LA.
2.3Parents will be asked to complete an application, which will ask them to nominate up to three schools in order of preference and give their reasons for applying if they wish to do so. This form must be returned via the child’s first school to the School Admissions Team in Children & Young People’s Services with any supporting evidence by the published closing date of midday on Friday 11 January 2008. Parents who apply on-line must send any supporting evidence to the Admissions Team by the closing date.
2.4Parents must complete either an on-line application or the application to be considered for a school place (in circumstances where parents complete the form from a neighbouring LA in error, this will be accepted, see 2.2 above). Failure to complete an application will result in a parent being offered a school place at the school nearest to their home address that has places available after all the on time and late applications have been allocated.
2.5Parents expressing a preference for the voluntary controlled middle school on denominational grounds must send the completed supporting evidence form which will be available from either the school or the School Admissions Team in Children & Young People’s Services by the published closing date. Parents who apply on-line must send any supporting evidence to the Admissions Team by the closing date.
2.6Any application form received after the closing date will be considered as late. The co-ordinated scheme gives priority to all applicants who apply on time and late applications will only be considered once all the on time applications have been processed. The LA will process all late applications on a weekly basis until the beginning of the Autumn term.
2.7The LA will apply the agreed equal preference scheme for all admission authorities and if a place can be offered at more than one school the parent will receive an offer of a place at their highest available preference.
2.8The LA will prepare offer and refusal letters and post to parents on Friday 14 March 2008. Parents will be informed in the offer letters that where is a school is at or above the Published Admission Number (PAN) that failure to accept the offer of a place by Friday 4 April 2008 will result in the LA withdrawing the place, which will then be offered to the next applicant due to be offered the place according to the published policy and criteria.
2.9Where an applicant is not offered a place at their preferred school(s) the LA will advise parents in writing of their right of appeal. When parents request an appeal form, they will be asked to return the form to Legal and Democratic Services within 14 days.
2.10The Borough of Poole admission authority operates a waiting list due to over subscription; an invitation to have the child’s name added to the waiting list will be sent out with the refusal letter. Parents will be asked annually if they wish their child’s name to remain on the waiting list for the next academic year.
2.11The admission to year R and transfer to middle school timetable set out in Appendix A will apply to:
- The normal admission round
- Late applications received between the closing dates and the offer dates
- Late applications received between the offer dates and the start of term
- IN YEAR ADMISSIONS (OUTSIDE THE NORMAL ADMISSIONS CYCLE)
3.1Parents completing the in year application form must send any supporting evidence with the form to the School Admissions Team in Children & Young People’s Services. Parents completing an on-line form must forward any supporting evidence to the School Admissions Team.
APPENDIX A
PRIMARY SEPTEMBER 2008
TIMETABLE FOR CO-ORDINATED ARRANGEMENTS
September - October 2007
- Information Booklet (Parents’ Guide to Schools in Poole) to be made available for parents to collect from first, primary and combined schools.
- The common application form to be distributed to parents via first, combined and primary schools. On-line applications can be made.
October 2007 – January 2008
- First schools to log all transfer to middle school forms as they arrive and send them to Children & Young People’s Services in the courier on a weekly basis.
- Year R application forms should be sent direct to Children & Young People’s Services by parents/carers.
- LA to send supporting evidence forms to VA schools on a weekly basis.
January 2008
- Closing date for applications by midday Friday 11 January 2008.
- The School Admissions Team will collect all outstanding transfer to middle school application forms from schools after midday on Friday 11 January 2008.
- LA to send electronically to other admission authorities a list of applications by Friday 25 January 2008.
- LA to send final batch of supporting evidence forms to VA schools by Friday 25 January 2008.
February 2008
- Other admission authorities to inform Poole LA electronically with a list of applicants in the order to be considered with the relevant policy criteria. This information to be received by Friday 8 February 2008.
March - April 2008
- LA to prepare offer and refusal letters to be posted on notification date Friday 14 March 2008.
- Parents to accept offer of place by Friday 4 April 2008.
- Parents informed in the offer letter that failure to accept a place by Friday 4 April 2008 will result in the LA withdrawing the place where the school is full to PAN or oversubscribed.
- LA to liaise with VA schools to re-offer any available places in accordance with published policy and criteria.
- LA to re-offer any available places in accordance with the published policy and criteria (community schools).
April – September 2008
- Ongoing processing of late applications as they are received until the start of term in September.
- Appeals.
Enclosure B
THE BOROUGH OF POOLE
CO-ORDINATED ADMISSION ARRANGEMENTS
FOR SECONDARY TRANSFER SEPTEMBER 2008/9
1Transfer to Secondary School
1.1.Poole Local Authority (LA) will distribute a letter to all parents with children attending a Poole middle or combined school at the beginning of June 2007 informing them of the process for their child’s transfer to secondary school in September 2008. The letter will inform the parents of the changes to the process.
1.2.The LA will prepare the Borough information booklet and an application form. The application form will be distributed to all parents of children due to transfer to secondary school in 2008 who attend Borough middle and combined schools during the first week of the Autumn term. Additionally, on the Borough of Poole website there will be information indicating how to apply for a school place and an opportunity to make an application on-line. Copies of the Parents’ booklet will be available for collection at all first and combined schools by those parents who wish to obtain a copy.
1.3.Parents will be asked to complete an application, which will ask them to nominate up to three schools in order of preference and give their reasons for applying if they wish to do so. This form must be returned to the LA via the pupil’s current middle/combined school, with any additional supporting evidence, by the published closing date of midday on Friday 19 October 2007.