Issue - meetings

Report of the Head of Education and Learning (CS/19/5) seeking approval to the Admission & Education Transport Policies for 2019-20 and 2020-21, attached.

The policies are also attached, with changes annotated in red:

•           Proposed 2019-20 In Year Co-ordinated Admissions Scheme;

•           Proposed 2020-21 Normal Round Admissions Scheme;

•           Proposed 2020-21 Education Transport Policy; and

•           Proposed 2020-21 Post-16 Education Transport Policy.

All policies for consideration have been subject to an Equality Impact Needs Assessment, at www.devon.gov.uk/admissionarrangements

(Councillors Connett, Dewhirst, Hannaford and Hodgson attended in accordance with Standing Order 25(2) and spoke to this item).

The Cabinet considered the Report of the Head of Education and Learning (CS/19/5) on the approval to Admission & Education Transport Policies for 2019-20 and 2020-21, circulated prior to the meeting in accordance with regulation 7(4) of the Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meetings and Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2012.

The proposed policies, highlighted below, were attached to the agenda with changes annotated in red;

•           Proposed 2019-20 In Year Co-ordinated Admissions Scheme;

•           Proposed 2020-21 Normal Round Admissions Scheme;

•           Proposed 2020-21 Education Transport Policy; and

•           Proposed 2020-21 Post-16 Education Transport Policy.

Cabinet were also being asked to approve the published admission numbers for community and VC schools (appendix 1), catchment areas for community and VC schools for 2020/2021 (appendix 2) and the admissions cycle timetable drawn up for the following year’s admissions at appendix 3.

The Local Authority (Devon LA) had a statutory responsibility to propose, consult on and determine admission arrangements for community and voluntary controlled (VC) schools and co-ordinated admission schemes for the normal round of admissions to all state-funded schools. Consultation in Devon was held ahead of the statutory deadline for annual determination by Cabinet. Schools that were their own admissions authority were responsible for their own arrangements and determined by the schools themselves.

This Report highlighted the outcome of the consultation on primary and secondary school admission arrangements for 2020-21 and the co-ordination of primary and secondary school admissions and to seek approval to the schemes. Admission to special schools and fee-paying independent schools was not included.

All policies were published at http://devon.cc/lapolicies and the changes annotated within the Reports attached to the agenda.

The Cabinet noted that the proposed admission arrangements had been consulted upon by the Local Authority, for community and voluntary controlled schools for which it was the admissions authority and on the proposed co-ordinated admission schemes for primary and secondary schools.

The number of responses received was low although a number of responses were received with regard to specific, local admissions issues, detailed at www.devon.gov.uk/admissionarrangements. This was in common with neighbouring Local Authorities.

Part of the co-ordinated admission arrangements included the Fair Access Protocol which provided for vulnerable children who otherwise would be out of school. It was continually reviewed and whilst there were no amendments to the Protocol since last year, further work was planned which would focus on learners who were ready to be reintegrated from Alternative/Medical Provision.

The Report also outlined the procedures in relation to those schools in Devon responsible for their own admissions policy and decisions in response to admissions applications which included academy, free, studio, voluntary aided and foundation schools and university technical colleges (UTCs).  Devon met the requirement under the School Admissions Code to collate and publish the admission arrangements of all schools. Furthermore, Local Authorities should review the policies of all schools to ensure that they were legally compliant. Where any identified practices  ...  view the full minutes text for item 301