Issue - meetings

To approve the publication of the Local Authority’s Admission Arrangements for 2023/24 academic year for places in all community and voluntary controlled schools.

         Approval was sought for the publication of the Local Authority’s Admission Arrangements for 2023/24 academic year for places in all community and voluntary controlled schools.

Approval was sought for the publication of the Council’s Admission Arrangements for 2023/24 academic year for places in all community and voluntary controlled schools.

Questions were asked by Chair of the Safer Neighbourhoods and Active Communities Scrutiny Board regarding the process and criteria of admissions of children to Sandwell schools.

In response, the Cabinet for Children and Education confirmed that whilst a school may indicate a place available at its school at a particular point in time, when a formal application to the Admissions Team was required, in accordance with the national School Admissions Code, the Authority must then consider all current applications received from parents/carers for that school.  Applications were then prioritised against the school’s published admission criteria. A child may not secure a place if there was an alternative child who met a higher admission criteria or lived closer to the school. 

Reasons for Decision

The Council must abide by the requirements of the School Admissions Code and associated regulations and determine admission arrangements for community and voluntary controlled schools each year. The proposed arrangements were in line with the requirements of the Admissions Code.

The Admissions Code also required the Council to consult governing bodies of community and voluntary controlled schools where it proposed either to increase or keep the same Published Admission Number (PAN).

Alternative Options

There was no alternative option open to the Council in relation to its responsibilities for agreeing and publishing oversubscription criteria for community and voluntary controlled schools.

Agreed that the Director of Children and Education, in accordance with the School Admissions Code 2021, be authorised to publish the Local Authority’s Admission Arrangements for 2023/24 academic year for places in all community and voluntary controlled schools as now submitted.