Agenda item

To approve the proposed coordinated admission schemes and admission arrangements for the school year commencing September 2010.

Consideration was given to a proposed coordinated admission scheme and to admission arrangements for the year commencing September 2010. 

Following the distribution of the Cabinet agenda the Admissions Forum had, at its meeting on 17 March 2009, considered the responses to the consultation and had recommended that the proposed arrangements for September 2010 admissions be approved, with minor changes set out below, and that all consultees be notified of the arrangements, as required by the appropriate Regulations.  The arrangements were, therefore, now referred to the Cabinet for approval in order to comply with the statutory requirement that the arrangements were determined prior to 15 April 2009.   The changes recommended were that

·        In relation to the proposed re-zoning of the Church Lawton catchment area to take effect in the event that a final decision is taken to close the school, a small amendment to the earlier proposal, with the area to the east of the catchment area using the Trent and Mersey Canal as the southern boundary, including Lawton Hall Farm, Lawton Manor, Lawton Hall Drive, The Gardens, The Stables being rezoned to Scholar Green Primary School and not Excalibur as originally proposed.

·        Additional text to be included in respect of waiting lists, which states: ‘Precedence over other children held on the waiting list for children who are the subject of a direction to admit; are part of a managed transfer from a closing school; or who are allocated in accordance with the Authority’s ‘in Year Fair Access (Hard To Place) Protocol.

The Forum also re-considered the admission arrangements proposed by Sandbach High School and Sixth form College and responses to the proposal by the Local Authority that the increase in the published admission number from 210 to 240 should not be supported.  In the light of this information, and the recalculation of the school’s net capacity, together with information on the current number on roll and the number of applications received for entry in September 2009 the Forum resolved to recommend to the Cabinet that authorisation be given to an objection by the Local Authority to the School Adjudicator in the event that policy determined by the Governing Body for September 2010 includes a published admission number of 240.

In respect of the increase in admission numbers at Sandbach High School and Sixth Form College Members expressed concern at the ongoing effect this would have on the capacity of the premises;  it was therefore agreed that the recommendations of the Admissions Forum should be supported. 

RESOLVED

For the reasons set out in the report and as now given: -

1. That from September 2010 approval be given to the proposed primary and secondary coordinated admission schemes for Cheshire East Council’s maintained schools, and to the proposed admission arrangements for its community and voluntary controlled schools, including the changes recommended by the Cheshire East Admissions Forum, and that notification of this determination be sent to all consultees.

2. That an objection be sent to the School Adjudicator on the arrangements proposed by Sandbach High School in the event that the Governing Body determine the proposed published admission number of 240 for September 2010.