Agenda and minutes

Mr R Raj – Muslim Community

Mrs S Loye – C of E Diocese

Ms F Woolaston – Community School

Mrs H Lewis – Jewish Aided School

Mr R Madeley – Controlled School

Ms A Moorehouse – Other Member

Mrs L Bryan – High School (Parent)

Mrs S Knights – Primary School (Parent)

In Attendance

Mrs V Buckland – Children’s Services

Ms J Andrew – Children’s Services

Mrs C Lockwood – Children’s Services

Mr A Rees – Children’s Services

Mr A Broughton – Chief Customer Services Officer

Mrs A Oldroyd – Legal Services

Mr J Grieve – Governance Services

To receive any opening comments from the Chair

The Chair welcomed everyone to the June meeting of the Leeds Admission Forum.

To receive apologies for absence (If any)

Apologies for absence were received from: Mrs S Norfolk, Mrs F Beevers,

Mr J Daulby, Mr M Woods, Ms A Williamson and Mr P Forbes

To receive an update of the membership of the Leeds Admission Forum: Appointments, Resignations and Outstanding Vacancies

(Secretary to the Forum to provide a verbal update)

The Secretary to the Forum reported that Mr Mike Woods who represented the Aided Schools category had recently resigned as a Member of the Forum. There were also outstanding vacancies for the Foundation School and the Local Community Category.

The Chair also pointed out that from 1^st July 2011 John Smeaton Community College would become an Academy with the effect that the Headteacher, 

Mr John Daulby would no longer be eligible to serve on the Forum as the Community Schools Representative.

(At this point Councillor Gruen declared a personal interest as a Governor of John Smeaton Community College)

In the discussion that followed Mrs Knights confirmed she was eligible to serve as the SEN Representative on the Local Community Category, having a child in school with Special Educational Needs.

RESOLVED –

(i)  That Mrs Knights be appointed as the SEN Representative in the Local Community Group category (Creating a vacancy in the Parent Primary School Group)

(ii)  That Officers be requested to pursue all outstanding vacancies:

Aided School Representative (One), Foundation School Representative (One), Community High School Representative (one) – (From 1^st July 2011) and Parent Primary School Representative) (One)

  (iii)  That a letter of appreciation be sent on behalf of the Forum to   Mike Woods (Aided School Representative)

To consider the minutes of the previous meeting held on 1^st March 2011

(Copy attached)

The minutes of the previous meeting held on 1^st March 2011 were submitted for comment and approval.

Mrs Lewis said although she sent her apologies they do not appear to have been recorded

RESOLVED – That with the inclusion of Mrs Lewis’s name in apologies for absence the Minutes of the meeting held on 1^st March 2011 be accepted as a true and correct record

To consider any matters arising from the minutes

(i)  Initial Preference Summary for September 2011 (Minute No. 48 refers)  - Mrs V Buckland, Head of Service, School Access Service provided an update on school preferences and the impact on demand for September 2011.

Mrs Buckland reported that the offer date for Reception allocations was 20^th  April 2011.  The final date given for coordinating information with other local authorities was 31^st March each year, so offer day for primary would remain in mid April.

This year there had been an increase in the number of Reception places available by 225 in line with the increased number of children being born.  When offers were made in March last year 8229 places were allocated, currently there are  8642 children actually in Reception classes. 

8756 Reception places have been allocated for September 2012.  There were 84.4% (87.8% last year) who were successful with their first preference, and 94.6% (96.9% last year) that were offered one of their three preferences.

  7392 children were given their 1^st preference

  701 children were given their 2^nd preference

  193 children were given their 3^rd preference

  470 children were not able to be offered any of their preferences and   were made an alternative offer.  For almost all of these parents they   did not follow the advice given to include their nearest school as one   of their preferences, had they done so, a place would have been   offered.

  66 schools still had one or more vacant places and there were 522   places still available in the system to take account of any late   applications that may come forward on offer day.

  To date (15^th June 2011) there were 50 schools with one or more   vacant places. 

  The Chair thanked Mrs Buckland for the update

RESOLVED – That the update on school preferences and the impact   on demand for September 2011 be noted.

(ii)  Migration of Children from Colton to Primary Schools within Garforth (Minute No.50 refers) – Mrs Bryan requested to know if there were any outstanding issues with children from the Colton area trying to obtain places in Garforth Primary Schools?

  In responding Mrs Buckland said there were no outstanding issues but the situation continued to be monitored

To consider the minutes of the Challenging and Vulnerable Children’s Sub Committee held on 24^th May 2011

(Copy attached)

The minutes of the Challenging and Vulnerable Children’s Sub Committee held on 24^th May 2011 were submitted for information and comment.

The Sub Committee Chair, Sue Knights gave a brief resume of the following topics discussed at the meeting.

• Update on Fair Access Protocols
• Admission of Looked after Children
• Children missing from Education

On the issue of “Looked After Children” Mrs Knights reported that Mr Nigel Richardson, Director of Children’s Services had been invited to the next meeting of the Leeds Admissions Forum with a view to explaining the challenges and achievements of Children’s Services in Leeds.

RESOLVED –

(i)  That the contents of the minutes be noted

(ii)  To note that Mr Nigel Richardson, Director of Children’s Services had been invited to the next meeting of the Leeds Admissions Forum scheduled for 15^th November 2011

To consider a report by the Director of Children’s Services which provides an update on the operation of the In Year Fair Access Panels and the admission of children during the academic year 2010/11

(Report attached)

Members considered a report by the Director of Children’s Services which provided an update on the operation of the In Year Fair Access Panels and the admission of children during the academic year 2010/11

Addressing the report Mrs Buckland reported that the Fair Access Panels (Secondary) continued to sit on a monthly basis to consider parental preferences. There had not been any directions to schools this academic year and all young people who had been discussed at Panel, who did not have a school place, had been offered one.

The Fair Access Panels for Primary schools continued to sit as and when required.

Schools were continuing to develop stronger relationships both within and outside of their own Wedges. This had enabled them to offer more ‘managed moves’ for young people, for a variety of reasons who may benefit from a ‘fresh start’ or because they believe that a change of school was the answer to an issue they are experiencing.

Mrs Buckland suggested that Panels continued to operate even though long term funding was uncertain.  The Area Inclusion Partnership’s (AIP) had been funded for a further 12 months which had allowed the Panels to find funds to support some of the placements made through Panel. However, there were concerns as to how they would operate effectively after this time and how a move to 3 areas would affect their ability to continue to be cohesive and inclusive.

The publication of the Schools Admissions Code was currently awaited which may have an impact on Fair Access and the way that Leeds implements this across the City. However, until the release of the New Code, Children Services would be unable to ascertain the impact on the Admission Team or any of the work they currently do.

It was reported that there was an issue around the capacity to operate the current scheme. The existing resources were stretched, as the number of In Year Applications increased the number of Admissions Team cases also increased. The resources required to service all 5 Fair Access Panels placed pressure on the team and significant  impact on the other statutory work of the service.

The number of officer hours involved in the current format of the Panels’ and in particular the Secondary Panels was, with the current number of staff and the increase in transfers and Fair Access cases, not viable in the medium to long term.

In conclusion Mrs Buckland said that consultation would be undertaken, by the Admissions  Team with the schools, through the Fair Access Panels, with a view to streamlining the administration and identifying the level of support provided by the Admissions Team in the administration of the Panels.

In passing comment the Chair asked if staff resources was an issue which required addressing.

Mrs Buckland, in responding said the issue of workloads and staff resources was constantly under review

RESOLVED -

(i)  That the contents of the report be noted

(ii)  That the issue of resources to deliver the current Fair Access  ...  view the full minutes text for item 61.

To consider a report by the Director of Children’s Services which provides a summary of the outcomes of looked after children and care leavers against educational performance indicators.

(Report attached)

Members considered a report by the Director of Children Services which provided a summary of the outcomes of looked after children and the care leavers against educational performance indicators.

Appendix No.1 of the report provided information on the trends in the admission of looked after children

Addressing the report, Mr Rees, the Head of the Virtual School for Looked After Children highlighted the following issues:

• Characteristics of the looked after children cohort
• Education outcomes for the 2008 – 2010 Academic year
• Focus for future development

The Chair, asked about attendance and achievement of gypsy, roma and traveller children, which arose from a recommendation of the Environment and Neighbourhoods Scrutiny Board following an inquiry into gypsy and traveller girls.

In responding Ms J Andrew, Head of Service, Attendance Strategy Team, Children Services and Mrs C Lockwood, Travellers Education Officer suggested that from the age of 11 it was a challenge to get children from travelling and gypsy roma families into school. Parents usually elected to have their children home schooled, many being reluctant to allow their children to attend due to cultural differences (the teaching of sex education and drugs issues)

Mrs Bryan suggested it was not just a case of education the pupils but making the parents more informed

Mrs Knights referred to the TV series “Bit Fat Gypsy Wedding” and asked if the programme had affected the lives of travelling and gypsy roma families?

In responding, Mrs Lockwood said that generally no, but there had been a number of bullying issues reported.

RESOLVED –

(i)  To approve the preparation of a report providing an analysis of admissions data for looked after children for the previous academic year. Report to be compiled each Autumn, allowing up to date information to be included in the annual report to Elected Members of the Corporate Care Group, recognising the information would not be available in May to the Vulnerable and Challenging Children’s Sub Committee, as was the current practice

(ii)  That the Virtual school in Leeds would continue to use the benchmark’s described in the submitted report for the foreseeable future in order that a continuous line of comparable data could be maintained

To consider a report by the Director of Children’s Services which sets out the results of the Annual Consultation Exercise for 2011

(Report attached)

Members considered a report by the Director of Children’s Services which set out the results of the Annual Consultation Exercise for 2011

In providing background information Mr Buckland said a consultation document was sent out on 1st December 2010 with a closing date of 4th February 2011 to all schools in Leeds, all neighbouring Local Authorities, the Church of England and Catholic Diocesan Boards, all Councillors and relevant trade unions.  The Leeds Admission Forum were advised of the content of the consultation at their meeting on 16th November 2010, consulted through the sub committee, and collectively consulted at their meeting on 1st March 2011.  All responses were summarized and presented to the Executive Board of Leeds City Council on 30th March 2011 who determined the final arrangements.

The consultation on the proposed admission arrangements included a proposal to hold waiting lists for a whole academic year, and asked for views on the sibling priority.  Additionally there were a small number of requests to changes to admission numbers.  Other than minor amendments to the timetable there were no other changes to the co-ordinated scheme. 

Mrs Buckland outlined the main issues which included the following:

• Coordinated Scheme – Primary Annual Cycle
• Coordinated Scheme – Secondary Annual Cycle
• In Year Waiting Lists
• Consultation on the Sibling Priority
• Aided and Foundation Schools and Academies

RESOLVED – To note that:

(i)  Waiting lists will, in future, be held for all year groups for the academic year, for all community schools. 

(ii)  The waiting lists will be closed at the end of the summer term each year and parents will have to reapply if they still wish to seek a transfer to another school. 

(iii)  For applications for Reception and year 7 the waiting lists will be held from the deadline for requests after the offer day, throughout the summer before they begin their new schools and then on until to the end of the summer term at the end of the academic year. 

To consider a report by the Director of Children’s Services which provides information on customer feedback performance indicators

(Report attached)

Members considered a report by the Director of Children’s Services which provided information on customer feedback indicators.

Addressing the report Mrs Buckland spoke on the following issues

Online applications

It was reported that this year 71.5% of parents applying for secondary places used the online service.  Although this fell a little short of the government target of 80%, the national average was 66% and the local Yorkshire and Humberside average was only 42.3%.  These figures show Leeds performed well both locally and nationally in the online service it offers to parents.

There were 69% of parents applying for primary places that chose to do so online.  Data was not collected nationally for primary applications so no comparisons were available with other local authorities.  During the application rounds for both primary and secondary school places, that equates to almost 11,000 parents applying online. 

Feedback from questionnaire

Each year a questionnaire is provided inviting feedback from parents on the quality of the information published and on the customer service they have received if they have had reason to contact the admissions team.  This year 503 chose to complete and return some, or all, of the questionnaire.  There were both a paper version and an online interactive version.  Although only 30% of parents applied using a paper preference form, 84% of those returning a questionnaire said that they had applied on a paper form.  The questionnaires were returned prior to the transfer of telephony to the contact centre and are reflective of communication directly with the Admissions Team.

Summary table of responses

Contact Centre transfer

In December 2010, as part of the Council’s customer first strategy the public telephony was transferred from the Admissions Team to the Contact Centre.

Mr Paul Broughton, Chief Customer Services Officer attended the meeting and spoke about the transfer of service.

Mr Broughton said that a significant amount of work went into the preparation for the transfer. Customer Service Officers who would be working at the Contact Centre were given the opportunity to spend time in the Admissions Team understanding the back office work, before the transfer  ...  view the full minutes text for item 64.

To consider and offer comment on the draft report by the Director of Children’s Services which will form the basis of a report to the Schools Adjudicator

(Report attached)

Members considered and offered comment on the draft report by the Director of Children’s Services which would provide the basis of a report to the school’s Adjudicator for 2011. 

Addressing the report Mrs Buckland said that the local Authority was required to provide a report to the Office of the Schools Adjudicator on an annual basis.

The Schools’ Adjudicator provided a template for the local Authority on which to report, covering the matters required annually and any specific queries they may have arisen. 

The commentary that accompanies the report confirms that all of the legal requirements around consultation and determination of policies had been met, that schools are complying with the Infant Class Size legislation, and how well the Fair Access Protocol was working.  It also provided comment on whether or not Appeals Panels were complying with the School Admissions Appeal Code.

In setting out the salient points Mrs Buckland reported that:

• All admission authorities in Leeds were working positively with the local Authority with respect to all aspects of the School Admissions Code

•  There was no intention to refer any objections to the Schools Adjudicator this year.

• All the required information would be submitted to the Schools Adjudicator

The Chair asked if the report should go to Executive Board?

In responding Mrs Buckland suggested that the views of the Executive Member for Children’s Services should be obtained in the first instance

RESOLVED –

(i)  That the Admission Forum note the positive way in which the local Authority, Diocese, Foundation, Academy and schools had worked together to ensure full compliance with the School Admissions Code.

(ii)  That any further comments be made known to the Clerk of the  Forum by 27^th June 2011.

(ii)  That the views of the Executive Member for Children’s Services  be sought as to whether the report should go to the Executive Board

To consider a report by the Director of Children’s Services informing Members of Proposed Changes to the Admissions Framework and seeking views on the draft School Admissions Code and Draft School Admissions Appeals Code, which are the centre of the proposed changes. The consultation period runs from 27^th May to 19^th August 2011.

(Report attached)

Members received a report by the Director of Children’s Services which set out the proposed changes to the Admissions Framework and sought the Members views on the draft School Admissions Code and the Draft School Admissions Appeal Code, which were at the centre of the proposed changes.

In providing background information Mrs Buckland reported that the current Schools Admissions Code had been in force since February 2009.  The draft School Admissions Code and draft School Admission Appeals Code were released for consultation on 27^th May 2011. It was reported that the  consultation period runs for 12 weeks, closing on 19th August 2011. The government’s stated intention was to simplify and slim down the Code and to reduce bureaucracy.

The Education Bill, subject to Royal assent, would enable the Schools Adjudicator to hear objections about all state-funded schools, including academies. It would also see the statutory requirement for an Admissions Forum removed. It was pointed out that there was no reference to Admissions Forums in the new Code.  Enactment of the Education Bill was currently expected to be in early 2012.

Mrs Buckland highlighted the following Key changes within the consultation documents:

• The removal of the requirement on local authorities to coordinate in year admissions.

• Changes to the Published Admission Number (PAN)

• Random Allocation

• Infant Class size exceptions

• Reduction in consultation requirements

• Giving priority to children attracting the Pupil Premium

• Children of school staff

Changes not highlighted in the consultation but worthy of note:

In streamlining the Code the obstacles to creating the sibling link between entry into infant school when the older child had already moved on to junior school had been removed.

The authority must provide full time and part time places for parents wishing to defer entry into primary school.

The prospectus would continue to need to be available online, but only in hard copy for those parents without access to the internet.  There is also no detail as to what must be contained, which would allow admission authorities to produce information for parents in a more flexible way.

There is no requirement for independent Choice Advice to be provided.  The local authority does retain a duty to provide information, advice and guidance for parents but it does not have to provide an independent service. 

Fair Access Protocol

This service remains but must be agreed with the majority of schools. It must include how the local authority will use alternative provision for those not considered ready for mainstream schools.  The Protocol would only be triggered where a parent cannot secure a place.  At present in Leeds the  Protocol is used very proactively, on application, to enable the admission authority to balance the needs of the child with a fair sharing arrangement for schools, that has in recent years ensured that every child in Leeds does receive the offer of an appropriate school place.  With the support and partnership of all of the schools and academies in Leeds, the Fair Access Protocol has been very successful.  To  ...  view the full minutes text for item 66.

To receive the Forum’s Work Programme for the period 2011/12 and consider if further adjustments are required to the programme

(Copy attached)

Members received and considered the Forum’s Work Programme for 2011/12.

RESOLVED –

(i)  To note the scheduled Work Programme for 2011/12

(ii)  To update the Work Programme to reflect the decisions made at   today’s meeting

To consider other business (if any)

There were no issues raised under any other business

To note that the next meeting of the Forum will take place on Tuesday 15^th November 2011 at 4.00pm in the Civic Hall, Leeds

RESOLVED – To note that the next meeting will take place on Tuesday 15^th November 2011 at 4.00pm in the Civic Hall, Leeds