Agenda item - School Admission Arrangements 2013/14

Report of the Strategic Director, People (copy attached)

51.1    The Cabinet Member, Children and Young People considered the re-circulated report of the Strategic Director, People relative to the proposed school admission arrangements for 2013/14. The Cabinet Member explained that the recommendations set out in the original report had been agreed by the meeting of Cabinet held on 15 March and were then forwarded to the meeting of Full Council held on 22 March 2012. At the meeting of Council held on 22 March agreement had been given to all of the recommendations with the exception of that relating to the consultation process in relation to the boundaries of the catchment areas for Varndean and Dorothy Stringer Schools. In consequence of the comments made by Councillors at that meeting of Council she had agreed to an urgent special Cabinet Member meeting being called in order to consider the points raised.

51.2    The Strategic Commissioner, Planning and Contracts, Learning and Partnership gave a presentation by reference to maps, setting out the existing and proposed catchment area boundaries. The area marked yellow indicated the area referred to in the petition submitted requesting that the Dorothy Stringer/Varndean catchment areas be changed to include the area east of Dyke Road for the 2013/14 intake rather than a decision on this matter being postponed until 2014/15 pending the outcome of a further consultation process. The Strategic Commissioner went on to explain that the secondary admissions process had begun in 2006. It had been designed to provide a local school or schools for all children within the city. The system was dependent on the catchment areas “catching” and had been designed for the numbers of children in each area at that time. Random allocation was used as the tie breaker for oversubscription to any school.

51.3    The present situation was that although the numbers in the catchment areas had begun to change even in the current year less than 60 children had been directed to schools not identified as one of their preferences. The prime role of the local authority was to provide sufficient places for children within the city. There were at present 2400 secondary places in Year 7, by 2014/15, 2417 places would be needed and it was anticipated that  this figure would increase year on year for the foreseeable future.

51.4    The proposal under discussion, to increase the Dorothy Stringer/Varndean catchment area for 2013/14 recognised that there had been a change in numbers in the catchment area requiring more places in the Blatchington Mill/Hove Park area. If the proposal was accepted it would balance the numbers in the Blatchington Mill/Hove Park and Dorothy Stringer/ Varndean catchment areas for the immediate future, but would not resolve the long term need for more places in the city as a whole. Whatever secondary catchment areas were determined, children at relevant primary schools would still be going to a wide range of different schools dependant on where they lived, as primary schools were not linked to secondary schools.

51.5    Councillor Mitchell stated that it was regrettable that there appeared to be division within the local neighbourhood on this issue and that the qualitative arguments on both sides had not emerged until now, and was of the view that a measured debate needed to take place in relation to the issues raised. Councillor Mitchell sought clarification regarding the manner in which the latest consultation process had taken place considering that it was regrettable that individual households had not been consulted i.e., via a leaflet drop. The Strategic Commissioner explained that although a door to door consultation had not taken place, the consultation process had been publicised by a number of means, several public meetings had also taken place.

51.6    Councillor A Norman was in agreement stating that it had become apparent during the 2006 consultation process that information provided via school, did not always reach home and that in consequence parents may not have been fully aware of the consultation process. She considered it unfortunate therefore that the consultation process had not been more exhaustive. The issues raised at Council which had given rise to that afternoon’s special meeting had been raised before and having been raised again and in the light of the supporting information given, she considered that that this issue should be re-visited. Whilst it was regrettable that there were differing views within the area she supported a re-drawing of the catchment boundary to encompass that shown on the illustrative plans presented at that afternoon’s meeting. Hove Park was an improving school, however, transport to the school from the area was inadequate and prevented pupils from the area from engaging fully in activities available at the school, this issue needed to be addressed irrespective of the decision reached.

51.7    Councillor Mitchell sought clarification of the potential impact of the changes, also the period for which they would remain in place and whether the provision of a Church of England Secondary school would impact on this. The -- explained that in the case of free/faith schools, the Local Authority had no control over the selection of pupils, they had their own admissions criteria and tended to draw pupils for a wider area than the immediate geographical locality. Admission arrangements, although reviewed annually were designed to have sufficient flexibility to absorb demographic changes over a five year period, the Local authority had to ensure that there were a sufficient number of school places available across the city overall. Councillor Mitchell was in agreement with Councillor Norman that irrespective of any decision reached in relation to the catchment area boundaries, issues raised concerning provision and running times of the school bus needed to be addressed.

51.8    Councillor Shanks stated that in her role as Cabinet Member having considered the submissions made and additional information placed before her that afternoon, that she was minded to refer the  matter back to the meeting of Council scheduled for 26 April with a recommendation that changes to the existing catchment area boundaries be made to include the area to the east of Dyke Road in the catchment area for Dorothy Stringer/Varndean for 2013/14; with any commensurate changes to the boundaries for Blatchington Mill/Hove Park. Councillor Shanks also sought confirmation whether of any further amendments that would be required and the Strategic Commissioner, confirmed that if the recommendation was agreed, retention of a sibling link for the resulting catchment area would need to be retained for a further five year period.

51.9    RESOLVED TO RECOMMEND TO THE COUNCIL – That approval be given to alter the boundary between the catchment areas for Dorothy Stringer/Varndean and Blatchington/Mill Hove Park for 2013/14 as indicated by the yellow area on the indicative plan; the Dorothy Stringer/Varndean catchment area to include the area to the east of Dyke Road. Commensurate with that the sibling link to be retained for a five year period to expire in 2018/19.