|
Report to: |
Lead Member for Education and Inclusion, Special Educational Needs and Disability |
|
Date of meeting:
|
7 October 2024 |
|
By: |
Director of Children’s Services
|
|
Title: |
Admission arrangements for East Sussex Schools 2026-27 (permission to consult)
|
|
Purpose: |
To seek Lead Member approval to consult on the proposed admission arrangements for Community and Voluntary Controlled schools for the 2026-27 academic year.
|
1) agree to consult on the proposed admission arrangements for Community and Voluntary Controlled (VC) schools for the 2026-27 academic year as set out in Appendix 1;
2) note that there are no proposed changes to the admission arrangements;
3) agree to consult on the proposed published admission numbers (PANs) for Community and VC schools for 2026-27, specifically the proposed PAN reductions at Motcombe and Pashley Down Infant schools, and possibly others; and
4) agree to consult on the proposed co-ordinated schemes of admissions as set out in Appendices 3-6.
1.1 The School Admissions Code 2021 states that admission authorities must determine (set) their admission arrangements annually. However, provided the relevant admission authority is not proposing any changes to their admission arrangements, there is no requirement to consult annually; where there is no change to arrangements consultation must take place every 7 years.
1.2 For the avoidance of doubt, East Sussex County Council (‘the Council’) consults annually, whether there is a change or not.
1.3 As part of the consultation process, and in accordance with current statutory requirements, the Council will consult parents and carers, schools, the relevant Dioceses and neighbouring local authorities. Details of the proposed arrangements will be posted on the Council’s website.
1.4 The relevant area for the purpose of consultation is the administrative County of East Sussex, and there are no proposals to change this for 2026-27.
2.1 The Council does not propose to make any changes to the admission priorities for 2026-27. The proposed priorities are set out in Appendix 1.
2.2 The proposed changes to the co-ordinated schemes are to the dates only, as set out in Appendices 3-6.
2.3 The consultation will include Priory School, Lewes, and Parkland Junior School, Eastbourne, whose trusts are responsible for admissions to the schools. This is because their respective trusts have requested that the Council consults on their behalf as they propose to use the Council’s admission arrangements. Should the admission authorities of any other schools request this before 31 October 2024 they will be added to the consultation.
2.4 The published admission numbers for Community and VC schools in East Sussex will be included in the consultation and are attached as Appendix 2.
2.5 Pashley Down and Motcombe Infant Schools in Eastbourne have requested that the Council consults on reducing the PANs at each school from 90 to 60 due to the number of vacant places in the schools. Pupil forecasts indicate that demand for places is unlikely to exceed this level in the short to medium term. However, accommodation would not be removed from the schools so, should demand for places increase in the future, it would be possible for the two schools to increase their PANs back to current levels to meet the demand.
2.6 There may be further requests for PAN reductions from school governing boards. If these are received prior to the consultation launch, and if the pupil forecasts indicate that the PAN reductions will not affect sufficiency of places, these requests will be added to the consultation.
3.1 The Council is required by law to consult on its admission arrangements every 7 years, or sooner if any changes to those arrangements are proposed for schools for which it is the admission authority. The Lead Member is recommended to agree to consult on the attached admission arrangements for 2026-27 (with the proposed changes set out in section 2 above).
3.2 The results of the consultation will be reported back to the Lead Member after the consultation period closes in January 2024 with recommendations for amendments as necessary resulting from comments received. Final admission arrangements must be determined by 28 February 2025 and published by 15 March 2025 in line with statutory deadlines.
CAROLYN FAIR
Director of Children’s Services
Contact Officer: Jo
Miles
Tel.
No. 01273 481911
Email: jo.miles@eastsussex.gov.uk
LOCAL MEMBERS
ALL
BACKGROUND DOCUMENTS
None