Archived decisions

Hampshire County Council

Executive Member - Education Item 1

27 March 2003

Determination of school admission arrangements - 2004/05

Report of the County Education Officer

Contact: Alex Munro, Education Officer (Admissions & Special Projects)
01962 846462

1 Summary

Decision to be taken:

1.1 That the revised admissions policies for community and voluntary controlled schools set out in appendices 1 and 2 be adopted by the County Council.

1.2 That a separate published admission number for boarding pupils be published on behalf of The Kings' and The Westgate Schools for 2004 admissions.

1.3 That the County Education Officer, on behalf of the County Council, and having regard to any advice from the Admission Forum, be empowered:

· to approve published admission numbers (PANs) by 15 April where decisions remain outstanding after the Executive Member decision day (27 March)

· to lodge an objection to the Adjudicator to any PAN set by an admission authority school which is felt to be inappropriate,

taking into account factors at the school, the possible effect on admissions to other schools and the results of consultations.

1.4 That the County Education Officer, be empowered on behalf of the County Council, to authorise the publication of local notices, as required by legislation, in those instances where there is agreement with governors of community and voluntary controlled schools that a lower PAN should be published.

1.5 That the scheme for the coordination of admission to secondary schools in September 2004 be approved for further consultation with schools and neighbouring LEAs and that, after consultation with the Executive Member for Education, the County Education Officer be empowered to approve the scheme after final consideration by the Admission Forum on 18 June 2003.

2 Reason

2.1 The County Council is the admission authority for all community and voluntary controlled schools and must review its admission arrangements annually. Admission authorities are required to have determined their admission arrangements by 15 April. Revised arrangements have been considered by the Admission Forum and their recommendations have been taken into account in the proposals for 2004. The County Council must `have regard' to Admissions Forum advice when determining admission arrangements.

2.2 All admission authorities must also have regard to advice in the revised Code of Practice on admissions (DfES 2003) and linked legislation when setting oversubscription criteria; they must also agree an admission number for each school. The Secretary of State expects all LEAs to establish a co-ordinated scheme for secondary admissions from September 2004 although there is no legal obligation to do this.

3 Other options considered and rejected

3.1 The overall framework for admissions is set out in legislation and the Code of Practice. Within this, a number of possible options on points of detail were considered by the Admission Forum before final recommendations were made.

4 Conflicts of interest declared by the decision maker or a member or officer consulted

4.1 None

5 Dispensation granted by the Standards Committee

5.1 Not applicable

6 Reasons for the matter being dealt with if urgent

6.1 Determination required by 15 April 2003.

Section 100 D - Local Government Act 1972 - Background Documents

The following documents disclose facts or matters on which this report, or an important part of it, is based and has been relied upon to a material extent in the preparation of this report.

NB The list excludes:

1. Published works

2. Documents which disclose exempt or confidential information as defined in the Act.

TITLE FILE

Approved by Date of decision

Councillor D Allen