Archived decisions

Co-ordinated scheme for admissions

to secondary schools in September 2008

1 Principles and scope of the scheme

1.1 The scheme has been drawn up to fulfil the requirements set out in chapter 1 and Appendix 3 of the School Admissions Code (Department for Education and Skills 2007), in particular:

    To simplify the admission process for parents whilst reducing the likelihood of any child being left without a school place. Co-ordination establishes a mechanism that ensures that, as far as is practical, every child living in a local authority area who has applied in the normal admissions round receives one, and only one, offer of a school place on the same day. (1.16)

    The key statutory provisions relating to co-ordinated admission arrangements are:

    · formulating a co-ordinated scheme (1.16)

    · fair admission arrangements (1.64 -1.69)

    · a common application form (CAF) which allows parents to express at least 3 preferences and give reasons

    · an on-line application facility

    · how application forms are treated and the use of supplementary forms (1.71)

    · schools must consider and decide on applications for school places in accordance with their published arrangements (1.28)

    · every child living in a local authority area who has applied in the normal admissions round receives one, and only one, offer of a school place on the same day (1.16)

    · parents who are unsuccessful in all their preferences must be offered an alternative school place (Appendix 3)

    · offers of places to be sent on 1 March (or the next working day if 1st March is not a working day)

    · exchange of information with neighbouring LAs by dates specified in the scheme

    · rights of children from overseas (1.52)

    · boarding provision (1.74 - 1.79)

    · coordination to continue after 1 March. (1.31)

    In addition, the Code recommends that LAs establish a Choice Advice service to provide practical support to parents making an application in the primary to secondary transition. This service will be targeted at parents who are most likely to need extra help in navigating the admissions system.

1.2 The Hampshire scheme takes into account all relevant legislation including the School Standards and Framework Act 1998, the Education Act 2002, legislation on sex discrimination, race relations, disability (particularly the School Admissions Code), and relevant regulations, in particular the School Admissions (Co-ordination of Admission Arrangements) (England) Regulations 2007, a statutory duty under section 14(3A) of the Education Act 1996 ( as inserted by Section 2 of the Education and Inspections Act 2006) and the Education and Inspections Act 2006.

1.3 The scheme applies to all secondary schools in Hampshire, including foundation and voluntary aided schools.

1.4 The Hampshire scheme is an "equal preference" scheme. Admission authorities consider all applications against published admission criteria, but without any reference to parental ranking. If a child can be offered a place at more than one school the local authority then refers to the parent's original ranking, and offers a place at the highest ranked school.

1.5 The scheme sets out key actions and general principles rather than detail. Administrative procedures will be made available to schools as at present via the manual of guidance issued in the second half of the summer term each year by the county admissions team.

2 The co-ordinated scheme for secondary admissions - September 2008

2.1 Terminology

LA - local authority (for Hampshire residents this is the County Council)

Home LA - the LA area in which the child lives

Maintaining LA - the LA responsible for the preferred school(s)

    Admissions team - refers to the Hampshire county admissions team unless specifically stated otherwise

    CAF - the common application form issued by the home LA to be used by the residents of that LA when applying for a school place

    Equal preference policy - places are allocated on the basis of the published criteria, regardless of how parents have ranked their preferences, with the highest possible preference being awarded in all cases

    The Hampshire deadline - The date given by Hampshire by which the form must be submitted.

    Hampshire school - Those schools located in the administrative area of Hampshire County Council and maintained by Hampshire County Council.

    Hampshire parent - a parent living in the administrative area of Hampshire County Council (but whose child[ren] may not necessarily attend a Hampshire maintained school).

    Schools adjudicator - a statutory officer who is appointed by The Secretary of State but is independent of him. The Schools Adjudicator decides on objections to admission arrangements and variations of determined admission arrangements. The Schools Adjudicator comes under the supervision of The Council on Tribunals.

2.2 Information for parents

    The Code requires Local Authorities to publish clear, objective and fair admission arrangements (4.4). The Education (School Information) (England) Regulations 2002 (as amended) set out these requirements in detail in Schedules 2 and 3.

    The Code gives parents the right to object to the Schools Adjudicator (4.14) if they believe the arrangements do not comply with the law or the mandatory requirements of the Code.

    Information about school admissions and school places, as well as the common application forms, will be sent to all Hampshire primary and junior schools so that they are available for Hampshire parents no later than six weeks before the date up to which parents may express a preference for a school in respect of the admission school year. Information will also be sent to all Hampshire secondary schools and neighbouring LAs. It is a statutory requirement that the LA publishes its composite prospectus and offers parents the opportunity to apply for their school place `on-line'.

    Information about Year 5 out-county pupils will be exchanged between LAs during the summer term preceding the application year.

    Hampshire parents with children attending schools in other LAs will be sent the County brochure and CAF direct by the Hampshire admissions team.

    Parents of children attending Hampshire schools but living in other LAs will receive information, including a CAF, direct from their home LA.

    Parents of Hampshire children attending independent schools may obtain CAFs and the brochure from the admissions team.

2.3 Common application form (CAF)

    All Hampshire parents will be required to complete a CAF, regardless of the status or LA of the schools for which they wish to apply. In addition to the CAF, the governors of some voluntary aided and foundation schools may require a supplementary form to be completed (to ensure they have sufficient criteria-related information to be able to allocate places correctly). This form is additional to, and does not replace, the CAF, which must be completed for every application. The Code (1.71 - 1.73) sets out clear guidance on what is and what is not acceptable information requested on a supplementary form.

2.4 Children with challenging behaviour

              The Code (3.10-3.13) states:

    Admission authorities must not refuse to admit children in the normal admission round on the basis of their behaviour elsewhere except in the case of pupils who have been permanently excluded twice in the preceding two years.

    Outside the normal year of entry, admission authorities may, in certain circumstances, refuse to admit a child with challenging behaviour even though there is a place available.

2.5 Applications by Hampshire residents for schools within Hampshire

    Applications must be made on the CAF and returned to the child's current Hampshire primary school by the deadline: midday on Friday 19 October 2007 (The Hampshire deadline).

    Hampshire parents whose child attends a maintained school in another LA or an independent school must send the CAF direct to the county admissions team, to arrive by the Hampshire deadline.

    Primary schools will send CAFs to the County admissions team as they receive them and by Friday 2 November 2007 at the latest.

2.6 Applications by Hampshire residents for schools outside Hampshire

    Applications must be made on the Hampshire CAF. Completed forms should be sent to the child's current Hampshire primary school by the Hampshire deadline who will send the forms to the admissions team as they receive them and at the latest by Friday 2 November 2007.

    Hampshire parents whose child currently attends a maintained school in another LA or an independent school will send the application form direct to the admissions team, to arrive by the Hampshire deadline.

    All applications for schools in neighbouring LAs will be recorded by the admissions team and then sent to the maintaining LA of the first preference school on Friday 16 November 2007.

2.7 Applications from non-Hampshire residents for Hampshire schools

    These will be submitted on the home LA's CAF. Use of the Hampshire CAF is not permitted. Parents will send their application form direct to their home LA who, in turn, will pass relevant information to the Hampshire admissions team on 9 November 2007.

2.8 All preferences will be considered simultaneously. Where more than one school is able to offer a place, the highest stated preference will be awarded. Where none of the preferred schools is able to offer a place, the LA will allocate a place in the nearest available school.

2.8 Single Notification Date

    On the first working day after 1 March 2008 the admissions team will send letters to all Hampshire parents informing them of the outcome of their applications. Under no circumstances may any governing body, headteacher or anyone else associated with a school or the County Council offer a place, or give any indication that a place might be available, before the official offer date. Neither should details of discussions about the number of applications or offers be included in those governing body minutes available to the public.

2.9 Allocation lists

    The Admissions team will publish to schools their individual allocation lists and will provide schools with the associated ATF files for importing to SIMS.

2.10 Late Applications

    All late applications to community and voluntary controlled schools received after the deadline (i.e. midday 19 October 2007 and 15 February 2008) will be referred to the admissions team and will normally be treated as late unless exceptional circumstances (usually only change of address), agreed by the admissions team, mean they can be treated as on-time. Admission authority schools will consult the admissions team before deciding whether to treat late applications as on-time.

    Any late application received after 15 February 2008 will not be considered until after the main admission round has been completed. They will then be accepted or refused according to whether places are available in the schools.

2.11 Parents who want to change their minds after the deadline

      The new Code advises: "Once parents have made their preferences, local authorities must not allow them to be changed without a genuine reason for doing so, for example, if the family has recently moved address. Local authorities must make this clear in the information they provide for parents." Only changes to preferences arising from genuine reasons will be allowed and they may be considered alongside on-time applications, where appropriate.

2.12 Waiting Lists

    Waiting lists are established 14 days after the single notification date.

    All community and voluntary controlled schools in Hampshire will maintain up to date waiting lists. Admission authority schools are expected to do likewise. Any parent who wishes their child to be included on the waiting list must inform the school in writing. Any places that become available will be allocated according to the criteria of the admission policy with no account being taken of the length of time on the waiting list or of any priority order expressed during the main admissions round. In-year fair access and school closure arrangements will take priority over the waiting list.

2.13 Appeals

    Parents may appeal for any school where their application has been unsuccessful. The County Council arranges independent appeals in relation to community and voluntary controlled schools; individual governing bodies are responsible for appeal arrangements in foundation and voluntary aided schools. Voluntary aided schools receive advice from their respective dioceses, which will often make the appeal arrangements on schools' behalf.

    Parents should be aware that the appeal process is entirely separate from the management of the waiting lists. The fact that parents may wish to appeal will have no effect on their child's position on the waiting list.

2 General information affecting all admissions

    (This section contains specific information and advice to be followed by all schools in the interests of fairness and transparency.)

3.1 Timescales for offers

    During the main admissions round, timescales are clearly set out and places are offered well before the place will be taken up.

    In all other cases, places can be offered up to four weeks in advance (six weeks at the end of the summer term). Parents should be told that, if the pupil has not taken up the place within this timescale, it may be withdrawn and offered to the next pupil on the waiting list.

3.2 Families living some distance from the school

    If a place is available, this must be offered to the child at the top of the waiting list in accordance with the published criteria, even if this child lives some distance from the school. It cannot be a condition of offering a place that a family move into the catchment area or nearer the school, provided they can assure the school that the child will arrive on time and attend regularly. Each case must be treated on its merits. If schools are doubtful whether parents will be able to ensure a child's punctuality and regular attendance, this must be discussed directly with them.

3.3 Pupils with special educational needs but without statements

    Children with special educational needs but without statements must be treated as fairly as other applicants. Admission authorities may not refuse to admit a pupil because they consider themselves unable to cater for his or her special educational needs.

3.4 Pupils with statements of special educational needs

    The Code states (1.50) "section 324 of the Education Act 1996 requires the governing bodies of all maintained schools to admit a child with a statement of special educational needs that names their school".

3.5 Pupils with disabilities

    The new Code states that admission authorities must not "discriminate against or disadvantage children with .......... disabilities". In addition, the Disability Discrimination Act requires schools to have regard to the need to promote equality of opportunity and to publish a disability equality scheme showing how they are meeting theses duties.

3.6 Home-school agreements

    Admission may not be conditional upon parents signing a home-school agreement. (1.49)

3.7 Fraud in applications

    Admission authorities reserve the right to withdraw a place where it was obtained fraudulently. (1.43 - 1.44)

4 In Year Admissions

4.1 Parents may apply for a school place at any time. Outside the main admission round, applications for a Hampshire secondary school must be made on the out-of-round application form obtainable from the LA or individual Hampshire schools. Application should be made direct to the preferred school(s) and a written response will be sent within five school days.

4.2 Applications by Hampshire parents for places in other LAs will be made direct to those LAs and dealt with in accordance with their policy on out of round admissions.

4.3 If a place is available, the pupil will be admitted to the school as quickly as possible.

    If the application is rejected, the letter from the school must explain clearly why the place is not available and include details of the appeal procedure.

4.4 The Code requires that all admission authorities and Admission Forums must have Fair Access Protocols (formerly referred to as `hard to place pupil protocols'). In-Year Fair Access Protocols exist to ensure that access to education is secured quickly for children who have no school place, and to ensure that all schools in an area admit their fair share of children with challenging behaviour. In addition, all schools and academies must participate in their local authority's protocol in order to ensure that unplaced children, especially the most vulnerable, are offered a place at a suitable school as quickly as possible. This includes admitting children above the published admission number to schools that are already full.