Archived decisions
Ref: KCL/POS
10th January 2007
Councillor C Leversha
Room 120, Elizabeth II Court
The Castle
Winchester
SO23 8UG
Dear Cllr Leversha,
Children & Young People's Policy Review Committee: Admissions Policy Workshop
Thank you for your letter of 5th December 2006 concerning your recent workshop. I was delighted to be able to support the group by attending and giving a view from my position as Chair of the Admissions Forum. I not only found Martin Goff's exposition of some of the issues that we are currently facing, clear, concise and interesting but I also gained a great deal from my brief involvement with one of the working groups.
Martin and I gave a brief feedback concerning the workshop to the Admissions Forum. Unfortunately, the agenda for our meeting on the 6th December was already extremely long, having a number of very difficult issues to address, including a long debate concerning First or Equal Preference for parents. Therefore, we have as yet been unable to discuss the particular points made in great detail. I would like to give the Forum time to look at your paper and discuss it more fully with them. Therefore, with your permission, I would like to seek support from Martin and the Admissions Team in presenting your views to the Forum so that we can give you the most useful response possible.
Clearly, the issues involved in and around the admissions process can often be complex, are sometimes confusing, and, in a few extreme cases, prove to be very stressful to those involved. The Forum is tasked with addressing these issues and ensuring that the process in Hampshire conforms with the statutory requirements of us, for the benefit of parents and their children. Some of the points made in the paper reflect directly on the work of the Admissions Team rather than the Forum, such as comments on the quality of the annual prospectus. Others reflect on the new Code which is a statutory document, beyond our brief.
The Admissions Forum next meets on Tuesday 6th March 2007. At that meeting, the consultation on Hampshire's admission arrangements will conclude. The Forum will consider your feedback in full and respond following that meeting.
Yours sincerely,
Keith Clark
Chair
Hampshire Admissions Forum