Issue - meetings

To receive and consider a report in relation to the proposed school admission arrangements for 2019/20 in Wokingham Borough.

Piers Brunning, Strategy and Commissioning Places Specialist addressed the Forum and informed that the report related to the 2019/20 school admission arrangements.

Piers Brunning explained that the arrangements incorporated changes to the designated areas of two Earley primary schools that were part of the arrangements determined by the Executive in 2017 for the 2018/19 year that were removed following an adverse School Adjudicator decision in July 2017.  These changes were to ensure that Earley resident children were more likely to secure a local school place. 

Piers stated that the proposed changes were as follows:

The changes to designated areas proposed were:

·           That the designated area of Loddon Primary School be extended to include that of Aldryngton Primary School. The designated area of Aldryngton Primary School would remain unchanged from that established in the original 2017/18 and amended 2018/19 arrangements.

·           That the designated area of Whiteknights Primary School be extended to include that of Radstock Primary School. The designated area of Radstock Primary School would remain unchanged from that established in the original 2017/18 and amended 2018/19 arrangements.

Two further changes from the 2017/18 arrangements were:

·           a tightening of the definition of “residency” to minimise “gaming” of the admission system to secure places by short term moves from permanent homes and;

·           to make it clear that when a child (who has not yet reached the age of statutory education) starts a Reception class the parents can decide if that child should attend on a full or part time basis.

During the discussion of the arrangements the following comments were made:

·           In relation to the parents’ right to decide if a child who has not yet reached the age of statutory education should attend on a full or part time basis,   David Babb was of the opinion that some wording around agreeing on a sensible arrangement with the Headteacher should be included.  David was worried that parents could decide to send their children to school at a time that was convenient for them and not necessarily in the best interest of the child;

·           Patricia Cuss agreed that this issue created difficulties, especially because different schools had different approaches; 

·           Louisa Gurney believed that schools should offer full admission from the first day of school, however some schools had different arrangements;

·           David Babb stated that it was illegal for a school not offer full time education if that was the parents wish;

·           Louise Gurney stated that in her experience most parents that requested part time had been sensible and been able to come an agreement with the school;

·           David Babb stated that the Department for Education (DfE) was looking to make it more explicit to schools that it was illegal to have different year groups starting school one day after the others;

·           Louise Gurney stated that it was difficult for schools to monitor school attendance of children who were not yet at statutory school age;

·           Piers Brunning stated that the Schools Adjudicator had determined that the 20181/17 admissions arrangements were deficient due  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6