PRESENT: -
Elected Members: -
Councillors
Davison, Eckhardt, Sidell, Mrs Simpson, Wells, and Whiteley.
Community/Voluntary
Aided Schools Representatives: -
Mrs
M Travers, Mr D Denovan and Mr R Marshall.
Parent
Governor Representatives: -
Mrs
A Dunkerley, Mr P Bacon.
Schools
Representatives
Ms
M Lister (South Axholme Community School)
Mr
S Morris (Vale of Ancholme School)
Community
Representative
Mrs
S Choudry
Early
Years Representative
Mrs
S Collinson
J
Irving, M Windle and A Dawson also attended the meeting.
The
Forum met at Pittwood House, Scunthorpe.
112 APOLOGIES
FOR ABSENCE - Apologies
for absence were received from Mrs C Riches, Ms L Thorpe, Mr M Green, Mr P Sparham,
and Mrs S Bond.
113
DECLARATIONS
OF PERSONAL OR PERSONAL AND PREJUDICIAL INTERESTS - None.
114 MINUTES - Resolved - That the minutes of the proceedings
of the meeting held on 27 November 2007, having been printed and circulated
amongst the members, be taken as read and correctly recorded and be signed by
the chair.
115 MATTERS ARISING
Item 109 - Choice Adviser - The Senior Education
Officer (Schools) advised that the Department of Children, Schools and Families
(DCSF) had confirmed that funding for the Choice Adviser was to be extended,
although further details had not yet been received. It was considered wise that
an appointment be made, should the funding extension be lengthy enough.
Mrs
Collinson stated that it could be an opportunity to have linkage with the Childcare
Development Service, as there was a similar requirement there.
It
was agreed that
the issue be considered jointly once further information was received on funding.
Item 102 - Proposed Academy - High Ridge School
- The Senior Education Officer (Schools) updated the group on
the previously unresolved issues over admission arrangements for the proposed
academy.
The
admission arrangements had been received the previous week and included within
the arrangements was the published admission number of 132 for September 2008
(in accordance with the limit set by the school two years prior), an admission
limit of 120 was proposed for September 2009.
There
had been a discrepancy with the over-subscription criteria; this had now been
amended to match the local authority's criteria. Discussion took
place over the order with regard to catchment and siblings within the criteria,
the Senior Education Officer (Schools) would clarify the correct criteria and
report back for the next meeting.
Item 110 - Annual Report - The
Senior Education Officer (Schools) advised that the Annual Report would be sent
to the printers within the next two weeks.
116
SCHOOL'S
ADJUDICATOR ANNUAL REPORT 2006/2007 - The
Service Director Learning, Schools and Communities submitted a report updating
the forum on the most recent report of the Chief Schools' Adjudicator,
which referred to the year 1 September 2006 to 31 August 2007.
The
Adjudicator reported on the new duties placed on the adjudication team arising
from the Education and Inspections Act 2006. The report gave details of
these.
In
addition to the new duties, there were also four developments in respect to
admissions arising from the Act. In particular, adjudicators could now
question the extent to which admissions systems protected vulnerable children
and promoted community cohesion. It was recognised in the adjudicator's
report that these were difficult issues to address. The report stated
that admission forums and local authorities were charged with the test of finding
ways to deal with those situations. Strategies must be employed which
ultimately could be unpopular with groups of parents and highly contentious.
The
Senior Education Officer (Schools) felt that the developments offered the opportunity
to discuss these issues with colleagues in other authorities. After discussion
it was felt that the systems that the council currently had in place were fair
to parents, with first choices for schools being met on the whole.
The
forum raised concerns over the fact that the policies referred to were somewhat
London-centric.
It
was agreed (a)
that things remain as they were at the present time and, (b) that further
developments be monitored over the next six to nine months.
117 SCHOOL ADMISSION ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE ACADEMIC YEAR 2009/10 -
The Service Director Learning, Schools and Communities submitted a report detailing
the admissions policy and published admission numbers for the academic year
2009/10.
The
local authority was required to publish the admissions policy and published
admission numbers by 15 April 2008 for the academic year 2009/10. Consultations
with schools, the Diocese and other admission authorities had to be completed
by 1 March 2008. Following consultation the Schools Guide for 2009/10
would be prepared. The current Schools Guide was distributed to members
of the forum.
The
report gave details on admission arrangements, published admission numbers,
voluntary aided admission policies and co-ordinated admission arrangements.
No
changes to the arrangements for the admission of pupils to schools for 2009/10
were proposed during consultations last term. The arrangements currently
in place would remain the same for 2009/10.
Following
guidance in the Schools Admission Code, a change would have to be made to the
over subscription criteria to ensure that children with statements of special
educational needs that named the school as part of the statement were admitted
whether there were places or not, this would no longer be one of the council's
oversubscribed criteria.
Resolved
- That the information be noted.
118
ANY OTHER BUSINESS - The Senior Education Officer (Schools) informed
the forum that this would be his last meeting, as he was to retire from the
council in April 2008. The forum thanked Mr Irving for all his hard work
and support to the forum since it's inception in 2003.
119
DATE AND TIME
OF FUTURE MEETINGS - Resolved - That
the next meeting of the forum be held on Tuesday 30 September 2008 at 9.30 am
in Function Room 1, Pittwood House.