Agenda and minutes

a)  The minutes of the meeting held on 11 October 2013 were agreed as a true record.

  b) With reference to Minute 2/2013 (b), the Forum received an update from Sue Heawood on the objection upheld by the Schools Adjudicator in respect of the Blue Coat School’s policy.  It was noted that a new policy would be used for late applicants and for 2015.

Report from Sue Heawood

The Forum received details of the proposed primary co-ordinated admissions

scheme for 2015/16.  It was noted that there were limited changes with

references included for free schools and some dates were changed to ensure

that they fell on a weekday.  Members were advised that the oversubscription

criteria would be remaining the same so there was no requirement to go out to

consultation.

RESOLVED that the report be accepted.

Report from Sue Heawood

The Forum considered the secondary co-ordinated admissions scheme and it was noted that there were similar issues changes to the primary scheme regarding date changes and references to free schools.  The document also no longer contains references to community schools as all schools are now academies, voluntary aided or trust schools.

RESOLVED that the report be accepted

Report from Sue Heawood to follow.

Sue Heawood reported on the consultation in respect of school admissions arrangements for 2015 and the Forum was advised that only St Mary and St Benedict Catholic Primary School had gone out to consultation.

  A discussion ensued on increasing places as schools are not required to consult on increasing their admission numbers. Two secondary schools have indicated that they may be planning to increase their size but we will await confirmation.

The Forum learnt of a pilot scheme being proposed in Warwickshire, whereby Warwick Town’s primary schools would be combining catchment areas into a super priority area to assist siblings from within the wider priority area being offered places at their preferred school.  This scheme may be rolled out depending on its workability.

Sue Heawood was thanked for her report.

Presentation by Chris Firth – copy attached

Chris Firth gave a presentation on the statistics for non-returned secondary school applications for 2014. The maps illustrated the areas where forms had not been returned for admission to secondary schools in 2014 and highlighted the breakdown of such cases in a variety of ways.

Chris also provided data on in-year transfer requests between city schools. 

Chris Firth was thanked for his report.

Report from Sue Heawood to follow.

The Forum received an update report from Sue Heawood on the new schools due to open in September 2014.  The progress was as follows:

·  WMG Academy - this is a University Technology College (UTC) and will be opening for Year 10 students in September.  The building will be located next to Westwood Academy.  At present there are 61 applicants for the places. Offers of places would be made on 3 March but if not filled the Academy would be able to continue to take late applications.

·  Coventry Leadership Academy is a secondary Muslim faith school and a site has been located at Lockhurst Lane, which was within the Sidney Stringer Academy catchment area.  They currently have 71 applications for the 100 Year 7 places at the school.  It was noted that the school was taking applications for up to 50 Year 8 places.  The closing date for this process was 14 February 2014 and it was reported that they had 22 applications so far.

·  Seva School has planned to admit pupils into Reception, Year 1, Year 2 and Year 7.  They will not be participating in the co-ordinated admissions scheme but would be making offers of places direct to parents on 3 March. Concern was expressed in respect of pupils in Reception and Year 7 who are offered places by Seva School and also then having an offer from the local authority scheme. 

It was noted that there was no formal confirmation of the location arrangements for the school but work was underway with the trustees, the Education Funding Agency and the Local Authority to agree a site.

There was a question raised in respect of notification by the Local Authority of those that will be leaving their home schools to attend one of the above schools.  Sue Heawood confirmed this would be done as soon as the information was available.

The Forum was also advised that bids had been made for the Link extended learning centre to become a free school and for Sidney Stringer MAT to open a primary school. Finham Park School was also preparing a bid to open another secondary school on the west side of the City.

Sue Heawood was thanked for her report.

Presentation by Ashley Simpson – copy attached

A presentation was received from Ashley Simpson on increasing secondary school places.  The presentation followed on from the report Judith Applegarth presented at the last School Admissions Forum meeting in October 2013. It was reported that plans for an additional 20 forms of entry over the next 10 years were required.

The graphs showed the secondary school pupil growth analyses. 

The Forum noted that feasibility studies had been commissioned for all 19 current secondary schools to establish the potential for expansion on all existing sites.  A report will be presented to the Working Group at Easter 2014. 

Ashley Simpson was thanked for his presentation.

There was no other business.

The date of the next meeting to be confirmed for October 2014.