To receive apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were received from Mr A leach, Mrs E Kearns and Mr N Parker.

To receive any details of Members nominated to attend the meeting in place of a Member of the Forum.

There were no named substitutes.

To approve and sign the Minutes of the Meeting held on 25 September 2008.

RESOLVED:   that the Minutes of the meeting held on 25 September 2008 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

To receive any declarations of interest by Members in respect of items on the Agenda.

There were no declarations of interest.

To consider any issues that Forum Members may wish to raise

There were no late items/any other business.

To approve the updating the Local Admissions Forum Constitution in accordance with the revised School Admissions Code which came into effect on 10 February 2009.

The Admissions and Transport Manager presented the report which requested approval to update the Local Admissions forum constitution in accordance with the revised School Admissions Code which came into effect on 10 February 2009. He drew members’ attention to the revisions to the constitution as set out in the report and, in particular, to the core membership which must not exceed 20 core members.

A member requested that the word ’School’ be deleted from the ‘Church of England School’ Representative.

A member suggested that there should be two Community School Representatives, one Primary school representative and one Secondary School representative, and one Academy representative.

Members also noted the suggestion that the sentence set out under ‘Calendar of Meetings’ on page 13 of the report should be deleted and replaced with the sentence ‘The Forum will meet at least twice a year’.

RESOLVED:   that subject to the following amendments, the revised Local Admissions Forum constitution as set out in Appendix 1 to the report be approved:

(i)                 two Community School Representatives, one Primary school representative and one Secondary School representative, and one Academy representative;

(ii)               the word ’School’ be deleted from the ‘Church of England School Representative’; and

(iii)       that the sentence set out under ‘Calendar of Meetings’ on page 13 of the report should be deleted and replaced with the sentence ‘ The Forum will meet at least twice a year.

To consider the results of the consultation of the proposed Herefordshire Admission Arrangements for 2010/2011 as required by The School Admissions Code pursuant to section 85(3) of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998.

The Admissions and Transport Manager presented a report which detailed  the results of the consultation of the proposed Herefordshire Admission Arrangements for 2010/2011 as required by The School Admissions Code pursuant to section 85(3) of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998. He referred to the consultation process and emphasized the need to advertise and consult interested parties, all Herefordshire schools including Academies, Foundation Schools and Voluntary Aided schools. Two responses had been received following the consultation and these were set out in paragraphs 6 and 7 of the report.

A member questioned the definition of the nearest measurable walking route between the home of the child and the school as an objective way of allocating remaining places. The member took the view that a public footpath route should be a route which could be measured. The Admissions and Transport Manager informed the Forum that the measurable route was a route which took a route over tarmaced footpaths and that this measurable route was taken from national guidance. The information in the report was consistent with information previously published on this matter. He stated that he would make further enquiries to firm up on the measurable route.

RESOLVED:   That

(i)                             the Forum agrees that the proposed arrangements, shown in appendix 2, be determined for the 2010/2011 academic year; and

(ii)                           the Admissions and Transport Manager confirm that the measurable walking route between the home of the child and the school for school allocation purposes, should be via a tarmaced footpath and not a public footpath route, and clarify the technology that will be used to measure such distances.

To consider changes to the Planned Admission Numbers (PAN) at Queen Elizabeth Humanities College, Bodenham St Michael’s Primary, Burley Gate Primary, Llangrove Primary, Madley Primary and Kingsland Primary Schools.

The Admissions and Transport Manager presented a report proposing changes to the Planned Admission Numbers (PAN) at Queen Elizabeth Humanities College, Bodenham St Michael’s Primary, Burley Gate Primary, Llangrove Primary, Madley Primary and Kingsland Primary Schools.

The Forum discussed criteria for the possibility of allowing any application for the increase in PAN. It was noted that for any school to achieve an increase in PAN, the school would need show a physical capability in the school buildings structure to enable such an increase. The Forum was informed that Madley Primary school and Kingsland CE Primary school were aware that the Admissions and Transport Manager was in dispute with both schools with regard to the schools physical capability.

The Head of Performance, Planning and Development referred to a recent meeting with headteachers, Cabinet members and officers. He made particular reference to a request that had been made at that meeting for a briefing note to be circulated on the content of the new School Admissions Code in respect of admissions in excess of a school’s PAN. The Code came into effect from February 2009. The local authority’s interpretation of applying the new Admissions Code to admissions above PAN was also set out in the briefing note. A copy of the briefing note that was circulated to headteachers was tabled at the meeting and is attached to the agenda papers.

The Admissions and Transport Manager emphasised that as part of the new admissions code, from September 2010 the local authority would be responsible for in year transfers at maintained schools, voluntary aided schools, Foundation schools and academies and ensuring fair access protocols.

With regard to a member’s question, the Head of Performance, Planning and Development acknowledged that the relaxation in the code for admitting pupils up to a total of 27 over PAN in a three year period was unclear as to whether upheld education appeals should be included.

A Member referred to the new oversubscription criteria and asked why John Kyrle High school had been allowed to extend its PAN to include a further year group and another school building. The Head of Performance, Planning and Development circulated an additional briefing note which detailed the reasons for the decision to temporarily admit an additional form of entry to year 7 in September 2009 at John Kyrle High School. He informed the Forum that there was no trend to suggest that there was a requirement to change the PAN for the high schooland that this had been made clear in discussions with the high school. The Member was concerned that the agreement to the oversubscription would create a precedent.

RESOLVED: That

(i)                 the requests for PAN reductions at Queen  Elizabeth Humanities College, Bromyard, St Michael’s CE Primary School, Burley Gate CE School and Llangrove CE School as set out in the report be approved;

(ii)               the increase in PAN at Madley Primary school be refused;

(iii)             the physical capability for capacity to increase the PAN at Kingsland CE  ...  view the full minutes text for item 32.