Agenda item - Secondary School Admission Arrangements 2018/19

Report of the Executive Director for Children’s Services (copy attached).

RESOLVED:

(1)  That the committee notes the progress made by the Cross Party School Organisation Working Group (CPSOWG) and its commissioned task and finish group looking at secondary school catchment areas.

(2)  That the committee note the proposals being put forward to a public engagement exercise.

(3)That the committee agree to the engagement exercise starting in March 2016 and running for 6 weeks ending on 22 April 2016.

  (4) That the committee agrees that following this public engagement exercise the CPSOWG should develop a final proposal which will be brought back to CYP&S committee with a recommendation that it should go out to formal consultation in the autumn 2016. The results of this formal consultation will be brought back to this committee for consideration before being referred to Full Council for final decision in January 2017.

71.1    The Committee considered the report of the Executive Director Children’s Services, Secondary School Admission Arrangements 2018/19. The report outlined the intention to undertake an engagement exercise with interested parties to elicit views on some of the proposals for change. The report was introduced by the Head of School Organisation.

71.2    Councillor Chapman, who chaired the Cross Party School Organisation Working Group (CPSOWG), thanked everyone involved and said that the CPSOWG had looked at a number of different options. The matter was now at the engagement stage and over the next 6 weeks there would be the opportunity to have a full discussion with everyone on the proposals.

71.3    Councillor Brown, who was a member of the CPSOWG, said that changes had to be made and accepted that any adjustments would generate strong feelings and opinions, and said that it was important that all interested parties engage in the consultation process.

71.4    Councillor Phillips, who was a member of the CPSOWG, thanked officers for the report, but wanted it noted that she had not been able to attend the final meeting of the Working Group and was disappointed with the three options suggested, and said that she would only have agreed to one of the options put forward.

71.5    Councillor Marsh said that she supported the recommendation for public engagement and formal consultation.

71.6    Councillor Taylor said that he had received many enquiries from parents asking about the engagement process and asked for assurance that any public meetings held would be widely advertised. The Head of School Organisation said that it was important the Working Group receive responses from all interested parties, and would speak to residents and ensure that public meetings were advertised.

71.7    Councillor Daniel said that her constituents welcomed the two stage process. With regard to the options, she said she would support a change to the admission criteria to prioritise those entitled to Free School Meals, but had concerns over Option 3 as she felt that it could increase travel time for some pupils.

71.8    Ms Mortensen said that she would also support the proposal to prioritise those entitled to Free School Meals and that those with Special Educational Needs (SEN), but without an EHCP, should also be given priority.

71.9    Mr Jones suggested that children who were carers should also be given priority.

71.10  The Executive Director Children’s Services thanked all those on the CPSOWG for their work, and also thanked Mr Michael Nix, who had recently left the Council, for his work on this matter. The Director added that the three options being taken forward for the engagement stage were only proposals, and the option which would go to formal consultation may differ from those being considered in the engagement stage.

71.11  RESOLVED:

(1)  That the committee noted the progress made by the Cross Party School Organisation Working Group (CPSOWG) and its commissioned task and finish group looking at secondary school catchment areas.

(2)  That the committee noted the proposals being put forward to a public engagement exercise.

(3)That the committee agreed to the engagement exercise starting in March 2016 and running for 6 weeks ending on 22 April 2016.

  (4) That the committee agreed that following this public engagement exercise the CPSOWG should develop a final proposal which will be brought back to CYP&S committee with a recommendation that it should go out to formal consultation in the autumn 2016. The results of this formal consultation will be brought back to this committee for consideration before being referred to Full Council for final decision in January 2017.