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 St.Mary’s High School , Lugwardine; and

the booklets be approved.