Agenda and minutes

Please note that this meeting may be filmed or recorded by the Council for live or subsequent broadcast via the Council’s internet site or by anyone attending the meeting using any communication method. Although we ask members of the public recording, filming or reporting on the meeting not to include the public seating areas, members of the public attending the meeting should be aware that we cannot guarantee that they will not be filmed or recorded by others attending the meeting. Members of the public participating in the meeting (e.g. making deputations, asking questions, making oral protests) should be aware that they are likely to be filmed, recorded or reported on. 

By entering the meeting room and using the public seating area, you are consenting to being filmed and to the possible use of those images and sound recordings.

The chair of the meeting has the discretion to terminate or suspend filming or recording, if in his or her opinion continuation of the filming, recording or reporting would disrupt or prejudice the proceedings, infringe the rights of any individual or may lead to the breach of a legal obligation by the Council.

The Cabinet Member referred those present to agenda Item 1 as shown on the agenda in respect of filming at this meeting and asked that those present reviewed and noted the information contained therein.

The Cabinet Member will advise of any items they have decided to take as urgent business.

None.

There were no Declarations of Interest.

The report will seek Cabinet Member approval for the Council’s school admission arrangements for the academic year 2018/19, including the in-year access protocol.

The Cabinet Member noted the report, which sought approval for the Council’s school admission arrangements for the academic year 2018/19.

The Chair was advised of a small amendment to the wording of the In Year Fair Access Protocol, which was included at Appendix 6 of the report.  The Chair agreed that  the fifth bullet point under Paragraph 22 of the In Year Fair Access Protocol would state that the  panel would take in to account “the age, ability, aptitude and needs (including special educational needs, if any) of the student, where this is known”.  The Chair was advised that this change was made to provide greater clarity for users of the protocol.

RESOLVED

1. To determine the Council’s admission arrangements for the academic year 2018/19 as set out in Appendices 1- 5 of the report;
2. To agree that the in-year fair access protocol (IYFAP) set out in Appendix 6 of the report comes into force from 1 March 2017;
3. To agree the determined admission arrangements for all maintained primary and secondary schools in the borough are published on the Council’s s website by no later than 15 March 2017 with an explanation of the right of any person or body, under the School Admissions (Admission Arrangements and Co-ordination of Admission Arrangements) Regulations 2012, to object to the Schools Adjudicator in specified circumstances^[1]. 

Reasons for decision

The School Admissions Code 2014 (“the Code”) requires all admission authorities to determine admission arrangements every year, even if they have not changed from previous years.  Regulation 17 of the School Admissions Regulations 2012 also requires admission authorities to determine admission arrangements by 28 February in the determination year.

In addition, the Regulations require the admission authority (in this case the local authority) to publish on its website by no later than 15 March in the determining year the determined arrangements of all maintained primary and secondary school and academies in the borough, advising the right to object to the Schools Adjudicator, where it is considered that the arrangements do not comply with the mandatory provisions of the Code.

The Code sets out that if no changes are made to admission arrangements, they must be consulted on at least once every 7 years. The Council consults on its admission arrangements annually irrespective of whether or not there is a proposed change to the arrangements. This is to ensure transparency and openness on the contents of the admission arrangements and to allow all stakeholders to make representations which can then be considered as part of the determination process. Representations may also result in consideration being given to proposed changes in the future to admission arrangements.

Alternative options considered

There is a statutory requirement on all admission authorities to determine their admission arrangements each year and as set out above for those arrangements to be consulted on if there is a proposed change or at least once every 7 years if there has been no change in that period.

We are not proposing any changes to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 60.