To prepare a response from the Herefordshire LAF to the School Admissions Consultation process.

A report was considered which requested the Forum to prepare a response in respect of the School Admissions Consultation process. The report referred to the Government’s announcement in the Children’s Plan of its commitment to improve the system by which parents apply for school places for their children and the way in which places are allocated.

Andrew Blackman, Admissions and Transport Manager, informed members that the report summarised the main elements of the Consultation document. He reminded the Forum that in the past the Department of Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) and the Schools Adjudicator had declined to comment on the issue where some schools in Herefordshire were not complying with School Published Admission Numbers (PAN) and that hopefully the proposed changes would improve that problem. He emphasised that the proposal to allow schools to take additional pupils above their PAN by a total of 27 without the requirement for statutory proposals could cause problems with children moving between schools in a falling Roll environment. 

Sharon Menghini stated that although schools would respond individually in so far as their PAN is concerned, the Forum needs to respond to the proposals as they would affect Herefordshire as a whole. Where schools compete for children, this is where the proposals can be problematical. She expressed concern that if all the Hereford City schools decided to increase their numbers on Roll in this way, then it would change the shape of the rural schools intake.

Carol Weston,Choice Advisor, suggested that transportation was an issue for families that were not mobile and that this would be highlighted where the choice of schools was reduced by this factor and thereby causing these families to be disadvantaged.

Councillor Toon was of the view that by agreeing to the additional entry intake up to 27 additional pupils, this would create a pyramid scenario where the resources of some schools are increased as a consequence with a larger number of schools resources being decreased. Also, that this would not help the falling Rolls problem at schools. She welcomed the changes proposed to the Schools Adjudicator’s role to enable them to ensure the compliance of schools and the statement in paragraph 4.5 of the document that it will not be permissible for schools to ask for voluntary contributions as part of the admission process.

Members welcomed the proportional representation aspect with regard to membership of Forums but took the view that although the establishment of Admission Forums would be voluntary under the proposals, that the Herefordshire Local Admission Forum should continue to be the Forum where admission arrangements are considered and whether the Schools Adjudicator should be involved.

In noting a view put forward that some schools had not considered the Consultation document, Sharon Menghini informed the Forum that she would write to all schools to remind them of the need to consider and reply to the document.

RESOLVED:   That the Department of Children Schools and Families be informed of the concerns of the Forum as set out in the preamble to this Minute in respect of particular issues contained in the Schools Admissions consultation document.