To elect a Chairman for the ensuing year.

Councillor JW Hope was nominated and seconded for the Chairmanship.

RESOLVED:   That Councillor JW Hope be elected Chairman of the Local Admissions Forum for the ensuing year.

Councillor JW Hope in the Chair.

To appoint a Vice-Chairman for the ensuing year.

Mrs S Catlow-Hawkins was nominated and seconded for the Vice-Chairmanship for this meeting only.

RESOLVED:   That Mrs S Catlow-Hawkins be appointed Vice-Chairman of the Local Admissions Forum for this meeting only.

To receive apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were received from Mrs O Denson, Mr T Leech, Mr N Parker, Mrs A Robertson, Councillor AM Toon and Mrs C Weston.

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 19 March 2009.

RESOLVED:   That subject to the addition of Mrs S Catlow-Hawkins being added to those present at the meeting, the Minutes of the meeting held on the 19 June 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.

Councillor JW Hope declared a personal interest in the item relating to Almeley Primary school, Minute No. 13 refers.

To consider any issues that Forum Members may wish to raise

There were no late items or any other business.

To approve the separate booklets for the admission/transfer of pupils into (a) primary and (b) high schools.

The Admissions and Transport Manager presented a report which requested approval of separate draft booklets for the admission/transfer of pupils into primary and secondary schools. He made particular reference to the Number on Roll figure for Staunton-on-Wye on page 65 and that he would be investigating its accuracy.

A member referred to children who attend certain nursery schools in a secondary school catchment area and who did not meet the admission criteria to be taken into that secondary school. The member made reference to the Every Child Matters criteria and also to the fact that some nursery children would not follow their friends to the secondary school and that these points should be included in the criteria.

The Planning and Access Manager informed the Forum that one of the recommendations from the Department of Children Schools and Families is that there is a break between the end of nursery school and entrance to secondary school to enable local children to be admitted first to secondary schools.

The Admissions and Transport Manager advised that a number of nurseries were privately run in Herefordshire meaning that children were taken into nursery schools  from outside the catchment area of a secondary school. Also, not all families could afford some nursery school daily charges which would mean that if all nursery school children were admitted to the secondary school in its catchment area, this would result in children being in the catchment area and not attending the nursery school being disenfranchised from admittance to the secondary school is concerned. The Planning and Access Manager informed the Forum that the issue could be part of the consultation programme with schools in the autumn.

A member made reference to the transport issue referred to in paragraph 7.8 of the primary schools booklet and expressed concern that when a request is made for  transport routes to be assessed, there is no timescale given as to when the assessment would be completed. The Admissions and Transport Manager advised that in such instances, traffic flows were an issue when forming assessments of school routes which took time. He would however request the appropriate department to give timescales for completion when route assessments were requested.

A Member referred to page 120 and requested that the names of the high schools be properly named.

The Admissions and Transport Manager circulated a revised admissions policy for St.Mary’s High School, Lugwardine, page 180 refers (Appendix attached to the Minutes).

Regarding the third paragraph on page 122, members noted that one Academy only was referred to, the reason being that the Steiner Academywas a single point of entry at year ‘R’. The Admissions and Transport Manager stated that a note would be added after the paragraph to explain the point.

RESOLVED:   That subject to

(i)                 The accuracy of the ‘Number on Roll’ at the Staunton-on-Wye Primary school being investigated;

(ii)        The note being added regarding the Steiner Academy and the single point of entry in year ‘R’;

(iii)             The amended  admissions policy for  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.

To consider the layout of the ‘common application form’ to be used for the co-ordinated secondary transfer arrangement for September 2008 and the PA1 form for primary co-ordination to be introduced from the same time.

The Admissions and Transport Manager resented a report which requested approval of the layout and content of the “common application form” to be used for the co-ordinated secondary transfer arrangement for September 2010, SA1, and the PA1 form for primary co-ordination to be introduced from the same time.

RESOLVED:   That the application forms be approved.

To consider the format of the simple guidance notes in relation to admission of children into reception class at 4 years of age and the transfer of pupils into high school at age 11.

The Admissions and Transport Manager presented a report regarding the layout and content of the simple guidance notes in relation to admission of children into reception class at 4 years of age and the transfer of pupils into high school at age 11.

RESOLVED:   That the guidance notes be approved.

To agree the annual report as required by The School Admissions (Local Authority Reports and Admission Forums) (England) Regulations 2008.

The Admissions and Transport Manager presents a report which requested the Forum to the annual Schools Adjudicator report shown in appendix X as required by The School Admissions (Local Authority Reports and Admissions Forums ((England) Regulations 2008(the Regulations).

He informed members that the form which had been approved in the previous year had been updated. He further informed members that to enable the statistics regarding the number of children approaching admission to schools being as accurate as possible, the Primary Care Trust was approached to provide the names of children of the appropriate age. For members information, he would send an electronic copy of the report.

RESOLVED:   That subject to any further comments being received from members of the Forum on the content of the Annual Schools Adjudicator report, the report be approved.

To consider the statistics in relation to secondary school transfers.

The Admissions and Transport Manager presented a report giving statistics in relation to secondary school ‘in-year’ transfers. He informed the Forum that the report provided comparisons with the previous academic year. He drew members attention to the reduction in transfer requests which cited bullying at Aylestone high school which was good news.

A  Member asked if similar information was available regarding the number of pupils leaving Herefordshire. The Admissions and Transport Manager informed members that this information was currently unavailable which was unfortunate, although he could investigate whether such information could be provided via the schools management information systems.

RESOLVED:   That the report be noted but that the possiblity of using the schools management information systems to record the number of pupils leaving Herefordshire be investigated.

Mrs S Catlow-Hawkins, Vice-Chairman in the Chair, took the Chair for the issue regarding Almeley Primary school, Minute No. 13 refers.

To consider revising the Planned Admission Number’s for Leominster Infant School and Almeley Primary.

Councillor JW Hope (Chairman) left the meeting for the item relating to Almeley primary school.

The Clerk to meeting informed the members that as a consequence of the Chairman leaving the meeting for this issue, the meeting was inquorate. He suggested however that the views of members might be useful to officers.

The Admissions and Transport Manager presented a report regarding proposed changes to Planned Admission Numbers (PAN) at Almeley Primary School

The Planning and Access Manager advised that although no Forum decision could be made on the issue, it would be beneficial to obtain the views of members present. He advised that because of the additional pupils from Brilley primary school which had closed, Almeley Primary school currently had the physical capacity with temporary classroom to take additional pupils from Brilley. However, the intention had always been to remove the temporary classroom when the ‘bulge’ of Brilley pupils moves on to high school.  It was important to do some more work with the school, and other schools in the area, on likely future demand for places.  The Forum was of the view that this should be done in the light of the Schools Task Force recommendations and that the request should then be considered by the Forum in the autumn.

Mr C Barker stated that he would only give a view on the Almeley issue if the Forum  was quorate and a decision could be made. The other members agreed with the views of the Planning and Access Manager.

At this point, the Chairman, Councillor JW Hope, re-entered the meeting.

Councillor JW Hope, Chairman in the Chair.

The Admissions and Transport Manager presented a report regarding proposed changes to PAN at Leominster Infants School.

RESOLVED:   That the request for the change of PAN at Leominster Infants school be agreed.

Members of the Forum in attendance requested that their disappointment at the non attendance by members of the Forum at this and previous meetings of the Forum be conveyed to those members particularly in the light of the fact that the forum could not make a formal decision on the Almeley Primary school PAN issue.

RESOLVED:   That an appropriate communication be sent to those members not in attendance at today’s meeting expressing the disappointment of the Forum at their non attendance.

The meeting ended at 7.34pm

Chairman……………………………………………..

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