The Local Admissions Forum of Rotherham Council convened on Thursday, 13 June 2024, to discuss various matters related to school admissions, including the determination of admission arrangements, updates on secondary school allocations, and the Fair Access Protocol. Key decisions were made regarding the approval of admission arrangements for 2025-26 and the formal review of the Fair Access Protocol.

Admission Arrangements Determination and Consultation Regarding Relevant Area

Sarah Whitby, Head of Access to Education, presented a report detailing the annual requirement for Admission Authorities to determine their admission arrangements by 28 February. The proposed admission arrangements were consulted upon between 27 November 2023 and 14 January 2024, in line with the School Admissions Code. The consultation included a proposed reduction in the Published Admission Number at Sitwell Infant School from seventy-five to sixty due to a decline in the pupil population.

The Forum agreed to approve the admission arrangements for 2025-26 for community and voluntary controlled schools. It was also noted that the relevant area for consultation would remain the whole of Rotherham.

Update on Admissions and Secondary School Allocations for September 2024

Joanne Unwin, Admissions Manager, provided an update on the final checks and allocations ahead of National Offer Day on 1 March 2024. A large intake was expected, similar to the previous year. Sarah Whitby expressed gratitude to Joanne Unwin and her team for managing the high volume of applications despite long-term absences within the team.

School Admission Appeals Update - Statistics

The Forum reviewed the latest statistics on school admission appeals for the academic years 2022/23 and 2023/24. The high volume of appeals was unprecedented. Training for Panel Members and Clerks took place on 31 January 2024 at the Town Hall.

Update on School Organisation

Chris Stones, Principal Officer, reported that the Cabinet had approved the expansion of Waverley Junior Academy to add an additional 210 places from September 2025. Additionally, the site at Bassingthorpe Farm, Greasbrough had been adopted in the Core Strategy for over 2,000 houses, necessitating the construction of a new primary school.

Update of School Term Dates Consultation for 2025/26

The Forum discussed the consultation on the school calendar for the 2025/26 academic year, which took place in January 2024. The traditional calendar aligns with Doncaster and Sheffield, with hopes for eventual alignment with all South Yorkshire Authorities. Approval of the school calendar will occur at the next meeting of the Education Consultative Committee in February 2024.

Fair Access Protocol Consultation

The Forum considered the Fair Access Protocol, which requires regular review to ensure timely outcomes for vulnerable children out of school. The current two-step decision-making process was questioned, and proposals for a fairer, more transparent process were discussed. The Forum approved a formal review of the Fair Access Protocol, with the final revised protocol to be ratified at the next meeting on 13 June 2024.

Academy Conversions and Multi Academy Trust Updates

There were no further updates on Rotherham schools converting to academies as of October 2023. The Forum noted the retirement of Rob Holsey, who produced the conversion lists for schools.

For more detailed information, please refer to the Minutes 01022024 Local Admissions Forum and the Public reports pack Thursday 13-Jun-2024 10.00 Local Admissions Forum.