Issue - items at meetings - Review of Secondary School Catchment Areas 2013

Report of the Interim Director of Children’s Services (copy attached)

            RESOLVED – That the Committee notes the summary details of the Review into the Secondary School Admissions process for Brighton & Hove and its particular  focus on the delineation of catchment areas;

(2) That the Committee agrees that no changes will be made to the existing Secodary Catchment areas for the academic year 2014/15;

(3) That the Committee agrees that the cross party working group will continue to meeton a termly basis to monitor the impact of national the and local changes related to Secondary Admissions. This will include the creation of new academies or free schools;

(4) That the Committee agrees that the cross party working group will reform its stakeholder group as and when needed to consider proposals for any change beyond 2014/15;

(5) That the Committee notes that the Admissions Team will review its annual publications in the light of concerns over the “equal preference” system an the continuing misundertstanding regarding parental “choice”.

51.1    The Committee considered a report of the Interim Director of Children’s Services in relation to the work of the cross party working group which had been set up in 2011 to look at the availability of school places. In June 2012 the remit of that group had been expanded to review the secondary schools admissions policy and relevant catchment areas.

51.2    The report detailed the results of this review and the Strategic Commissioner, Planning and Contracts confirmed that stated that no changes were recommended to the present catchment areas for the academic year 2014/2015.

51.3    Councillor Gilbey stated that as a member of the Cross Party Working Group she had been notified of dates of future meetings, these had been scheduled on a six weekly basis rather than termly, in her view this was preferable. The Strategic Commissioner, Planning and Contracts confirmed that it had been agreed that meetings would be held six weekly in future.

51.4    RESOLVED – That the Committee notes the summary details of the Review into the Secondary School Admissions process for Brighton & Hove and its particular  focus on the delineation of catchment areas;

(2) That the Committee agrees that no changes will be made to the existing Secondary Catchment areas for the academic year 2014/15;

(3) That the Committee agrees that the cross party working group will continue to meet on a six weekly basis to monitor the impact of national and local changes related to Secondary Admissions. This will include the creation of new academies or free schools;

(4) That the Committee agrees that the cross party working group will reform its stakeholder group as and when needed to consider proposals for any change beyond 2014/15;

(5) That the Committee notes that the Admissions Team will review its annual publications in the light of concerns over the “equal preference” system and the continuing mis undertstanding regarding parental “choice”.