Agenda item

(CPP2; CPT9)

Purpose: To determine the West Berkshire Admission for Community and Voluntary Controlled Admission Arrangements.

Resolved that the West Berkshire Admission Community and Voluntary Controlled Admission Arrangements 2012-13 be approved.

This decision is eligible to be ‘called-in’.  However, if the decision has not been ‘called-in’ by 5.00pm on 25 February 2011, then it will be implemented.

The Executive considered a report (Agenda Item 12) concerning determination of the West Berkshire Admission Arrangements 2012-13 for Community and Voluntary Controlled Schools.

Councillor Barbara Alexander, in introducing the item, advised that the Local Authority, in its role as the admissions authority for Community and Voluntary Controlled Schools, needed to determine admission arrangements for those schools for the 2012-13 academic year.  The deadline for doing so was 15 April 2011. 

It was important that the arrangements did not conflict with the West Berkshire Co-ordinated Admissions Scheme for all maintained schools in their relevant area as agreed by the West Berkshire Admissions Forum.

The consultation period, which encompassed Ward Members, closed on 7 January 2011 and as a result it was proposed that the arrangements would be largely similar to the previous year.  Some minor amendments were proposed to the catchment areas of five Community primary schools and one Community secondary school which would harmonise with changed catchment areas for two Voluntary Aided primary schools and one Foundation secondary school.  It was also proposed that the oversubscription criteria within the arrangements would remain unaltered other than:

·                    an amendment to the definition of a catchment area to take account of a transition period due to the changes described in catchment areas.  This was specifically in response to consultation comments received, the majority of which concern the likelihood of places being available for siblings resident within the changed areas, and

·                    an amendment to define the period in which to confirm congregation attendance to meet denominational criteria following comments from the Oxford Diocese.

Following consultation responses a number of amendments to the admissions policy for nursery schools and nursery classes were proposed.  These related to application and allocation dates and the availability of places in the future for funded two year olds from vulnerable families.

Councillor Alan Macro was pleased to hear that comments had been taken on board from members of the public and schools.  He suggested that it would be beneficial for a flow diagram to be produced to help clarify the procedures involved with determining admission arrangements.  Councillor Alexander agreed to investigate this.

Councillor Macro then questioned the absence of any mention of school academies, while accepting that the position was unclear.  Councillor Alexander advised that this view had been taken based on the uncertain future situation with regard to academies.  A limited number of schools were expected to pursue academy status at this time and discussions would need to be held with them to ascertain the way forward when appropriate.

An academy would act as its own admissions authority.  This was already the case with Voluntary Aided and Foundation schools so there was experience of such an arrangement.  The Admissions Forum were consulted on these arrangements. 

RESOLVED that the West Berkshire Admission Arrangements 2012-13 for Community and Voluntary Controlled Schools be approved.

Reason for the decision: Statutory requirement.

Other options considered: None.

This decision is eligible to be ‘called-in’.  However, if the decision has not been ‘called-in’ by 5.00pm on 25 February 2011, then it will be implemented.