Agenda item

(Report by Mr R Gough, Cabinet Member for Education and Health Reform and Mr P Leeson, Corporate Director for Education, Learning and Skills)

(Mr S Bagshaw, Head of Fair Access was present for this item)

1.        Mr Bagshaw introduced the report and highlighted key points that included the following:

·     13,000, 84%, of children received their first preference of school for entry in September 2014 and 9.3%, of children received their second preference of school, with an additional 700 children in the cohort these statistics were considered a success which was credited to the work carried out by the schools and a result of having the right number of school places.

·      400 children were allocated a school that they had not named and the admission appeals could be made now.

2.        Mr Bagshaw and Mr Leeson responded to comments and questions which included the following:

a)    There was a wide choice of schools in Kent which made it difficult to compare Kent with neighbouring authorities.

b)    Parents had the right to indicate any school, including London schools, as a preference on their application form.  The Kent Admissions Team would contact the local authority of that school regarding the request for a place in their authority.  A local authority can only allocate school places where there are places available within their authority eg KCC cannot allocated places in Medway, London etc. Mr Leeson advised that there were concerns regarding the 400 children that were not allocated one of their four preferences.

c)    There were four schools within the Dover and Folkestone areas that were setting their own test separate to the Kent test.  The schools’ tests were aimed at giving those schools flexibility to offer places.

d)    A request was made for flexibility for Service children.  Mr Bagshaw advised that there was provision within the legislation for Service children who were admitted outside the normal admissions round and due to the nature of the Service there had been difficulty in gaining certainty from the Ministry of Defence on when Service personnel were moving into and out of an area.

e)    Mr Leeson agreed to provide a list of amendments to the documents in future.

3.        RESOLVED that:-

a)        the outcome of the consultation on the proposed scheme for transfer to Primary and Secondary schools in September 2015 including the proposed process for non co-ordinated In-Year Admissions be noted; and

b)        the Education Cabinet Committee recommended the following to the Cabinet Member for Education and Health Reform on the Cabinet decision to determine:

                          i.    the Co-ordinated Primary Admissions Scheme 2015/16 incorporating the In Year admissions process as detailed in Appendix A of the report;

                         ii.    the Co-ordinated Secondary Admissions Scheme 2015/16 incorporating the In Year admissions process as detailed in Appendix B of the report;

                       iii.    the oversubscribed criteria relating to Community and Voluntary Controlled Infant, Junior and Primary schools in Kent 2015/16 as detailed in Appendix C (1);

                       iv.    the Published Admissions Number for Community and Voluntary Controlled Infant, Junior and Primary Schools 2015/16 as set out in Appendix C (2);

                         v.    the Published Admissions Number for Community and Voluntary Controlled Secondary Schools 2015/16 as set out in Appendix D (2); and

                       vi.    the relevant statutory consultation areas for Kent Primary Schools 2015/16 as detailed in Appendix C (3) and the relevant statutory consultation areas for Kent Secondary Schools 2015/16 as set out in Appendix D (3).