Apologies were received from Pauline Cotton, Councillor Mrs Anita Lewis, Ian Robinson, Nick Sharpe and Ray Slade.

The Chairman welcomed the new Members and Officers to the meeting.

RESOLVED to approve the Minutes of the meeting of the Central Bedfordshire Admissions Forum held on 24 June 2009 as a correct record and to authorise the Chairman to sign them.

Minute No. L/04/08 - Members clarified that they would like to receive the January 2009 data held within the ACORN database rather than wait for the January 2010 data.

Minute No. L/04/09 – Members received an update on the vacancy for a School Transfer Adviser for Central Bedfordshire.  An appointment had been made but the successful candidate had withdrawn.  Officers would be meeting to discuss the way forward.

Minute No. L/04/10 – Members were advised that the implications arising from the report by Sir Alan Steer were being considered by Officers and Headteachers looking at locally based short stay provisions.  Once the implications had been considered all parties would be consulted.

Minute No. L/04/11 – Members were advised that Officers were still awaiting a response from the Schools Adjudicator on the admission arrangements for 2010 for John Donne Voluntary Aided School.

The Forum received a report advising Members that the arrangements for co-ordinating in-year admissions had been consulted upon as part of the co-ordinated arrangemetns for admissions in 2010-2011.

Members were reminded that local authorities were required to have in place a scheme each year for co-ordinating admission arrangements. From the 2010-2011 academic year, local authorities were required to formulate a scheme for applications for admissions to age groups other than the normal year of entry i.e. in-year applications. The scheme for in-year admissions had to be formulated by 1 January 2010. Members received copies of the sections relating to in-year admissions for upper schools, the academy and also those relating to primary schools.  The scheme for primary schools covered middle and lower schools.  Members asked that this be clearly stated.  It was noted that no changes were proposed for the 2010-2011 academic year. Members were informed that as the Local Authority had already consulted on the schemes, no further action was required, other than to notify the Department for Children, Schools and Families that schemes have been formulated, consulted upon and agreed.

NOTED the co-ordinated schemes for in-year admissions for 2010/2011 with the above amendment.

(i)                 Consultation

(ii)               Standard Admissions Policy

(iii)             Admission Numbers

(iv)              Co-ordinated Admissions Schemes

(v)                Open Evenings

(i)      Consultation

Members received a report concerning the arrangements for consulting on changes to admission arrangements and were reminded that the School Admissions Code required admission authorities to consult, every three years, on their proposed admission arrangements unless the admission arrangements were not the same as those determined following the last consultation.

Members were informed of the detailed consultation arrangements and noted that where an admission authority proposed an increase in their published admission number of 27 or more, the trade union representing staff at that school should be consulted.

The Forum noted that as all admission authorities had been required to consult on their arrangements for admissions in September 2010, consultation in respect of the admission arrangements for September 2011 would only be required if any changes were proposed.

NOTED the requirement on admission authorities to consult every three years, unless the admission arrangements were to be changed.

ii)      Standard Admissions Policy

Members were reminded that at the meeting in March 2009, the Forum agreed in principle to a proposed change to the standard admissions policy for admissions in 2011 to community and voluntary controlled schools, which would give catchment siblings a higher priority than other children living in the catchment area. This change was reflected in an amended policy presented to the Forum for approval. Members were advised that there was one amendment to the policy that had been attached to the agenda and that was to amend the wording in category 2 ‘pupils living in the catchment area with siblings attending the school’ by removing the word ‘attending’ so it would read ‘pupils living in the catchment area with siblings at the school’.

Members noted that as this would be a significant change to the policy, it would need to be consulted upon in accordance with the requirements of the School Admissions Code.

Members agreed to recommend to the governing bodies of foundation, trust and voluntary aided schools that serve a local catchment areas, that they consider making a similar change to their admissions policies for September 2011.  This recommendation would also be put forward to the Academy, but Officers were aware that any change for the Academy would need to be approved by the Secretary of State.  If the governing bodies agreed to this change to the policy and it was the only change, the local authority would be prepared to consult on their behalf.  If other changes were proposed then the governing body would have to undertake the necessary consultation.

RESOLVED

1)           that the proposed change to the admissions policy for community and voluntary controlled schools for September 2011 be agreed, subject to appropriate consultation

2)           that the governing bodies of foundation, trust and voluntary aided schools that serve a local catchment area and the Academy be asked to consider adopting a similar change to their policies.

(iii)    Admission Numbers

Members received a report proposing a change to the admission number for Roecroft Lower School and seeking agreement to the revised exceptions which may result  ...  view the full minutes text for item 19.

Members received an oral update on the position regarding membership of the Admissions Forum for the four year period from 1 January 2010.  There were 20 available positions on the Forum, but only 17 of these positions had been filled.  Members were advised that there were two vacancies for headteachers or governors of Voluntary Controlled Schools (VCS) and one vacancy for a headteacher of an upper school.  Officers had contacted headteachers and Chairs of Governors of the VCS and of the upper schools in June and September, but had not yet received any nominations.  Members suggested that the Chairs of the headteacher groups be contacted seeking nominations for these positions.

RESOLVED that Officers contact the Chairs of the headteacher groups to seek nominations for the two vacancies for headteachers or governors of VCS and the one vacancy for a headteacher of an upper school.

The next Admissions Forum is scheduled for 8.30 a.m. on 24 March 2010.

RESOLVED that the next meeting be held at 8.30 a.m. in Room 14, Priory House, Monks Walk, Chicksands on 24 March 2010.

Admissions information was tabled for the Transforming Teaching and Learning Board.  The Board were looking at the best way to configure schools in the future and were collecting certain pieces of information as follows:

• Standard Admission Number
• Pupil Numbers on roll
• Current Net Capacity
• First preference as % of admission figure

Members also suggested that it would be appropriate to also collect data on the number of children living in each of the schools catchment areas.  It was noted that in some cases the number of children per year group living in the catchment area could exceed the admission number, but that due to parental preference,the catchment school would not necessarily be oversubscribed.

Members were also advised that a situation had arisen whereby a child had been offered a place at a school when there were two other children ahead of them on the waiting list.  Officers indicated that headteachers should not offer places unless this had been cleared by the Admissions Team, as this could lead to the school exceeding its published admissions number.  Officers would remind headteachers, when writing to them next year, of this requirement.  A query was raised as to whether this applied to Foundation Schools and Officers advised that the local authority had the final decision over whether a school could admit above its published admission number.  For Academies the final decision rested with the Secretary of State.