Purpose

In order to meet
statutory duties under the School Admissions Code 2021, the local
authority (LA) is required to formally determine school admissions
arrangements for community schools every year, even where there has
been no change to the arrangements. The LA is the admission
authority for these schools.
All local authorities are required by the School Admissions
(Co-ordination of Admissions Arrangements) (England) Regulations
2012 to have a scheme in place each year for coordinating admission
arrangements for all maintained schools and academies (except
special schools and nursery schools) within their area. The scheme
has to comply with the provisions of the School Admissions Code
2021.
Co-ordination schemes are intended to simplify the admissions
process whilst reducing the likelihood of any child being left
without a school place. Co-ordination establishes a mechanism that
ensures as far as is reasonably practicable, that every parent of a
child living in a local authority (LA) who has applied to a
state-funded school is sent a single offer of a school place by
their LA.
The deadline to agree the proposed admissions arrangements for the
academic year 2027/28 is 28 February 2026.

Content

Formally approve the
school admission policy for community primary schools for the
academic year 2027/28.
Formally approve the
co-ordinated admissions arrangements that will apply to all
Newcastle schools and academies for the process of allocating
reception and transfer school places in the academic year
2027/28.