Issue - meetings

To receive and consider the School Admissions 2018 report.

The Forum considered the report which was set out in agenda pages 11-66.

Piers Brunning informed that the number of applications for primary school places had declined markedly (-3%) compared to 2017/18.  This reflected the reduction in the number of children born to Wokingham resident mothers in the year 2013/14 feeding into the 2018 Reception cohort compared to earlier years.  This was despite very high levels of house building in the borough bringing additional children in. 

Piers Brunning stated that due to this decline every school cluster had capacity, something that had not been seen for some years.  Overall 10% of Reception places were unfilled.  This had helped ensure that a high proportion of first preferences were achieved and fewer children required home to school transport.  This was positive for parents but challenging for the schools with lower numbers.

Piers Brunning explained that this decline in primary numbers was a national phenomenon and not exclusive to Wokingham.

Piers explained that the only area where surplus figures did not reach double figures was Woodley (9 surplus places).  Woodley was an area that had seen high levels of housebuilding in recent years and current roll projections indicated further work may be required in this area.

Piers informed that secondary numbers had risen significantly (3% or 49 offers), this led to a 7% surplus capacity overall.

Piers stated that while both north and south planning areas had surplus capacity, in the north this was only 1.5% of capacity.  However, there were significant levels of admissions of students from Reading from outside the cross-board designated areas, so this did not necessarily indicate that additional capacity was required in the near future.  The southern area had significantly more surplus levels.

Piers pointed out that it was likely that Wokingham Borough would have had insufficient places on offer day without Bohunt School.  The new school had brought in some students from outside the borough and Wokingham Borough resident students who would otherwise have attended out of borough schools, but it is unlikely the combined effect would have been 81 fewer applications (the deficit achieved by subtracting the number of allocations on offer day from the current total of Year 7 places, less Bohunt’s 240 places).

Piers Brunning informed that the most affected secondary schools with unfilled places were Forest and Emmbrook.

During discussion of the item the following comments were made:  

·           It was expected that demand for primary school places would increase, especially in view of the high number of new house builds;

·           Wokingham was a place that tended to attract young families.

RESOLVED That the report be noted.