Issue - meetings

[Report of the Director of Children's Services. To be introduced by the Cabinet Member for Children and Families.]

This report seeks Cabinet approval to commence a six-week period of statutory consultation to determine the Council’s School Admission Arrangements for the academic year 2021/22.

The Cabinet Member for Children and Families introduced this report which sought Cabinet approval to commence a six-week period of statutory consultation. This report and the consultation that would flow from it, if the report’s recommendations were agreed, would ensure that the Council’s proposed admission arrangements for 2021/22 were consulted upon and the co-ordinated scheme was set in accordance with the mandatory provisions of the School Admissions Code 2014.

In response to questions from Councillor Emery, the following information was provided:

• Officers informed that admission arrangements fully complied with the Schools Admission Code 2014, which meant the Council prioritised looked after children, children with SEND, and children with siblings at the school. The fourth admission criteria was the distance from home to school which meant the Council prioritised families who lived closer to schools. This ensured the school was made up of children from families who lived locally. Where the Council suspected that families were renting closer to schools in order to gain an advantage over local residents, the Council had a policy to investigate such cases. However, if a family moved close by, bought/rented a home which was their single and only home, then they would be offered a school place in accordance with the fourth criteria based on home distance from the school.

• Officers confirmed that Council tenants living close to schools would not be disadvantaged by potentially wealthier families in the catchment area, insofar as they are able to meet the criteria as set out in the Schools Admission Code 2014.

• The Cabinet Member informed that all schools had a curriculum which included LGBT+ inclusive education.

RESOLVED

1. To agree to consult on the proposed admission arrangements, including the proposed in-year admissions scheme for the academic year 2021/22;

2. To agree to consult on the proposed IYFAP which, if agreed at Cabinet in February 2020, would be come into force from 1 March 2020;

3. To agree that the co-ordinated scheme for the admission of children to maintained primary and secondary schools as set out in Appendices 2 and 3 of this report can be published on the Haringey website on 1 January 2020;

4. To note that consultation on the proposed admission arrangements is scheduled to take place between 26 November 2019 and 7 January 2020;

5. To note that following the consultation, a report will be prepared summarising the representations received from the consultation and a decision on the final admission arrangements and the In-Year Fair Access Protocol will be taken by Cabinet in February 2020.

6. To note that at the November 2019 Cabinet meeting, the Council’s Cabinet is due to make a decision in a separate report on whether to agree to the recommendation to publish a statutory notice on the amalgamation of Stamford Hill Primary with Tiverton Primary School. If it were to go ahead, this will result in displaced pupils transferring to Tiverton Primary School.[item 77]

Reasons for decision

Why do we consult? - This report and the consultation that will flow from it if the report’s  ...  view the full minutes text for item 75