Agenda item

To determine the co-ordinated schemes for Primary & Secondary Admissions in Kent, the ‘In-Year’ Admission process for Primary & Secondary schools in Kent and the admission arrangements for the 2017/18 school year for Community and Voluntary Controlled Schools

Cabinet received a report on the outcome of the consultation on admissions arrangements and the proposed scheme of transfer to Primary and Secondary Schools in September 2017 including the proposed process for non-co-ordinated in year admissions. Cabinet was being asked to determine the co-ordinated schemes for Primary and Secondary Admissions in Kent, the ‘in-year’ admissions process for Primary and Secondary Schools in Kent and the admission arrangements for the 2017/18 school year for Community and Voluntary Controlled Schools.

Mr Roger Gough, Cabinet Member for Education and Health Reform introduced the report and stated that these proposed arrangements had been seen and approved by the Education and Young People’s Cabinet Committee. He added that the proposed arrangements firstly reflected the County Council’s role in ‘holding the ring’ across the system of school admission arrangements in general and, secondly, to set over-subscription criteria for those schools for whom KCC was still the admissions authority, which still amounted to the bulk of primary schools but only the seven secondary schools listed on page 294 of the report.

Mr Gough stated that there were no material changes to the co-ordinated schemes following the consultation process. However, in terms of the over-subscription criteria, two areas of change were highlighted: firstly, for the Dartford Bridge Community Primary School where the proposal was to create a priority zone around the school in response to ongoing housing development; and, secondly in relation to Tunbridge Wells Boys Grammar School where there was a proposal to give priority to Pupil Premium children within each of the school’s admissions criteria.

Mr Patrick Leeson, Corporate Director for Education, Learning and Skills stated that the Council was required to review its admission arrangements on an annual basis. He stated that overall, the co-ordinated admission arrangements worked very well in the face of a much more diverse system where more and more schools were now their own admissions authorities and that the admission arrangements to schools in Kent was fair, even if some parents did not believe that in their particular cases. He added that the percentage of offers of first or second preferences for primary and secondary schools in Kent remained in the mid 80s, which was good in relation to national averages, although it was becoming harder each year to achieve these high levels because of the sheer complexity of the admission arrangements. Mr Leeson spoke about the increasing number of complaints nationally about the fairness of admission arrangements for Academy Schools and this had been highlighted in the national schools’ adjudicator’s report as an increasing trend; however, in Kent, there did not appear to be a significant problem in that regard and if a complaint was made, KCC would take it up with the relevant academy or the schools adjudicator to resolve, if necessary.

Mr Gough spoke again to endorse the comments of Mr Leeson that the job of holding the ring becomes more complex each year and asked Cabinet colleagues to offer their thanks and appreciation to Scott Bagshaw, Head of Fair Access and his team for the work they do. The Leader endorsed these comments.

No other comments were made.

It was RESOLVED that: