Agenda and minutes

The Forum considered a report of the Director of Schools and Children’s Development, which had been admitted late to the agenda on the grounds of urgency as the authority’s admissions arrangements needed to be determined by the statutory deadline of 15 April 2009.  The report had not been available at the time the main agenda had been printed, as the consultation had not yet come to an end.

The report detailed the results of the consultation on the Authority’s proposed schemes of coordination, the proposed admissions arrangements for 2010, and Harrow’s relevant area and the Fair Access Protocol.

The consultation documents had been circulated to Governors and Headteachers of all Harrow Schools, all other admission authorities in the relevant area, neighbouring Local Authorities and local Community Groups.  Schools had been provided with an A4 flyer and response pro-forma, and asked to use their normal channels of communication to consult with parents.  Notices and posters had been provided for nurseries, pre-school playgroups, libraries, community notice boards, medical centres, doctors’ surgeries and supermarkets to display in order to inform parents about the consultation.

One of the main focuses of the consultation had been the change from linked school to distance for the over-subscription criteria for community high schools.  Additionally for 2010 only, for families with children in both Year 6 (11+ transfer) and Year 7 (12+ transfer) transfer groups who had indicated that they wanted their children to attend the same school, the following rule would apply: where one child was offered a place, because they best meet the admission rules at a preferred school, the other child would be given the sibling priority for that school. 

It was noted that the highest response to the consultation had been received from parents through the schools. 77% of parents were in favour of the sibling link for 2010 only and 54% of parents were in favour of the change from linked schools to distance regarding the over?subscription criteria.  Some parents had felt that the change in criteria should be phased in, as introducing it straight away might unfairly affect some families with children already in schools.

Some parents had responded that a linked school system had benefits, such as providing continuity by allowing children to remain within the same peer groups.  A number of parents had also responded in favour of the distance criteria, as this would give an opportunity to many children to walk to school instead of being driven, thereby benefiting the environment.  Some parents believed that such a change might have an impact on house prices due to parents moving closer to their favoured schools.

There were no responses to the consultation from other admission authorities, neighbouring Local Authorities or community groups.

An officer reported that the new School Admissions Code of Practice had come into effect on 10 February 2009.  The Code gave a list of prohibited over-subscription criteria, which included giving priority to children according to their date of birth.  As a tie?breaker, in cases  ...  view the full minutes text for item

To note the attendance at this meeting of any duly appointed Reserve Members.

Reserve Members may attend meetings:-

(i)                 to take the place of an ordinary Member for whom they are a reserve;

(ii)               where the ordinary Member will be absent for the whole of the meeting; and

(iii)             the meeting notes at the start of the meeting at the item ‘Reserves’ that the Reserve Member is or will be attending as a reserve;

(iv)              if a Reserve Member whose intention to attend has been noted arrives after the commencement of the meeting, then that Reserve Member can only act as a Member from the start of the next item of business on the agenda after his/her arrival.

RESOLVED:  To note that there were no Alternate Members in attendance at this meeting.

To receive declarations of personal or prejudicial interests, arising from business to be transacted at this meeting, from:

(a)               all Members of the Committee, Sub Committee, Panel or Forum;

(b)               all other Members present in any part of the room or chamber.

RESOLVED:  To note that the following interests were declared:

That the minutes of the meeting held on 1 December 2008 be taken as read and signed as a correct record.

RESOLVED:  That the minutes of the meeting held on 1 December 2008 be taken as read and signed as a correct record.

To receive questions (if any) from local residents or organisations under the provisions of Advisory Panel and Consultative Forum Procedure Rule 16 (Part 4E of the Constitution).

RESOLVED:  To note that no public questions were put, or petitions or deputations received at this meeting under the provisions of Advisory Panel and Consultative Forum Procedure Rules 16, 14 and 15 (Part 4E of the Constitution) respectively.

Report of the Director of Schools and Children’s Development.

Further to Recommendation 1 above, it was

RESOLVED: That (1) the feedback from the consultation on admission arrangements for the 2010/11 academic year be noted;

(2)  that a working group of members of the Forum and select headteachers be set up to review the Nursery oversubscription criteria.

Report of the Director of Schools and Children’s Development.

The Forum considered a report of the Director of Schools and Children’s Development, which had been admitted late to the agenda on the grounds of urgency as the authority’s admissions arrangements needed to be agreed.  The report had not been available at the time the main agenda had been printed, as the consultation had not yet come to an end.

An officer introduced the report of the Director of Schools and Children’s Development, which detailed a change to the timetable for consultation.  All admission authorities were requested to complete their consultation by 1 March 2009.

Members of the Forum were requested to agree the arrangements they wished to make to consider the proposed admission arrangements for Voluntary Aided schools to ensure that they met the statutory requirements.

An officer informed the members that the Office of the Schools’ Adjudicator would be looking very carefully at Voluntary Aided school admission arrangements, in particular schools with complex points systems.  Presently, one Voluntary Aided school in Harrow used a complex point system when determining admissions.  As a result members of the Forum were requested to consider how best to monitor and deliver their opinions on the matter.

RESOLVED: That a Working Group be set up to review all Voluntary Aided school admission arrangements.