Secondary School Admissions Meeting 21 November 2014

Programme

• Welcome & Introductions 13:00pm

• Context 13:10pm• In-Year Admissions 13:30pm • Office of Children’s Commissioner Report 14:15pm

- an investigation into the schools admissions process

• Social Mobility & Child Poverty Commission 14:30pm- cracking the code: how schools can improve social mobility

• Open Session / Questions 14:45pm

• Close 15:00pm

Offers Staffordshire England

1st preference 94.8% 85.2%

1 of 3 preferences 98.9% 95.5%

Online Apps 89% 84.7%

Secondary Preference Statistics Year 7 Entry – 2014

Middle School entry at Year 5 was 100% - no appeals were heard for this point of entry

Type of Middle / Secondary Admitting Authorities

Type of School

Who is the admitting authority?

Who deals with complaints about arrangements?

Who is responsible for arranging appeal?

Number Operating Within Staffs as at 1/10/14

Academies Academy Trust

Schools Adjudicator

Academy Trust

27

Community / Voluntary Controlled

Local Authority

Schools Adjudicator

Local Authority

34

Foundation / Voluntary Aided

Governing Body

Schools Adjudicator

Governing Body

10

Legislative Background

•School Standards and Framework Act 1998

•School Admissions Code 2012 (due to be updated Dec 14)

•School Admission Appeals Code

• School Admissions (Admission Arrangements and Coordination of Admission Arrangements)(England) Regulations 2012

• The School Admissions (Infant Class Sizes)(England) Regulations 2012

• The School Admissions (Appeals)(England) Regulations 2012; and

• The School Information (England) Regulations 2008

Individual Admission Authorities - responsibilities

Individual admission authorities must ensure that own admissions arrangements comply with Code, this involves

•ensuring that criteria and practices are fair, clear and objective and that parents can look at arrangements and understand easily how places at that school are allocated;

•determining admission arrangements on an annual basis;

•Where no change consult at least every 7 years on proposed admission arrangements;

•Considering in-year applications for school places and where refuse, provide reasons and right of appeal;

Local Authority - responsibilities

•coordinate admission arrangements for its children i.e. enable parents to apply for school places and make final offer of school place on nationally determined date;

•publish composite prospectus;

•draw up and operate a Fair Access Protocol, including issuing directions where necessary;

•report annually to the Office of Schools Adjudicator (OSA) on relevant school admissions matters;

•refer cases of non-compliance to OSA.

School Issues with In Year Admissions

In-Year Admissions

• Pressure on available primary places in certain areas of County

• Increased number of “own admitting authorities” – nearly 52% secondary/middle schools

• Examples of maladministration

• Use of Fair Access Protocol

Examples of Maladministration

•Not allowing parents to make a formal application for school place i.e. verbally advising that no places and recommending placement elsewhere

•Not advising parents of their right of appeal or of how to exercise this right

•Failing to advise LA of refusal / offer of school place

I refer to your recent application for a place for Bobby Brown in Year 10. On behalf of the Admissions Authority I regret to inform you that it is not able to offer a place as you do not reside in our catchment area. In addition, we are unable to match the options subjects studied at Bobby’s present school. I should advise you that you do have the right to appeal against this decision to an Independent Appeals Panel.

http://education.staffordshire.gov.uk/Pupil-Support/School-Admissions/Admissions.aspx

Implementation of Fair Access Protocol

•Fair Access Protocol stipulates that all schools should take fair share of pupils (both with challenging behaviour and otherwise) – whether full or not, whether appeals previously heard / waiting lists operate

•Protocol used very few and far between in Staffordshire due to the partnership that exists and excellent work within schools to accommodate children complying with parental preference wherever possible

•Secondary colleagues operate District Inclusion Partnerships very effectively

Office of Children’s Commissioner Report – an investigation into the schools admissions process - April 2014

• Identified 3 areas within the admissions system where there is potential for schools to act contrary to their statutory obligations:

• Potential adoption of unlawful oversubscription criteria which may have the effect of manipulating the intake

- schools considering altering admission arrangements are encouraged to check out any potential conflicts with the School Admissions Team before launching formal consultation

• Lawful admissions criteria incorrectly applied- we’d recommend that schools changing status make use of the County Council’s School Admission & Appeals Service wherever possible

Office of Children’s Commissioner Report – an investigation into the schools admissions process - April 2014 continued

•Schools acting with the intention (or where their action has the unintended effect) of dissuading some parents or carers from applying for a place

Reported examples of -schools making parents of certain children feel unwelcome-schools making parents feel their application for a place was misguided or not in the best interests of the child -schools intimating at the pre-application stage, often informally, that any application for a place would be turned down*Particularly for parents of children with special educational needs / vulnerable children-high uniform costs

Cracking the Code – Report by Social Mobility & Child Poverty Commission

Key findings related to School Admissions Practice

•Walking the walk on school admissions!

•ensuring that admissions procedures do not consciously or unconsciously prevent children from less advantaged backgrounds from entering or applying for school

•LAs to collect and publish socio-economic data on who applies and who is admitted

•Putting disadvantage at the centre of admissions

•suggests that schools give priority to children who receive Pupil Premium in oversubscription criteria

Open Session / Questions?