Agenda item

(To receive a report from Emily Nicholls, Commissioning Officer, which invites the Scrutiny Committee to consider the school admissions policies and co-ordinated schemes for 2021 intake,which is due to be considered by the Executive Councillor for Adult Care, Health and Children's Services between 10 February 2020 and 21 February 2020)

Consideration was given to a report by the School Admissions Manager, which set out the proposed school admission policies and co-ordinated schemes criteria for 2021 entry to school, to take effect from 1 September 2021 for in-year admissions.

The Committee was advised that the Council, under the School Admissions Code (2014), was required to formulate and publish a co-ordinated scheme in respect of admissions for all publicly funded schools within its area.  This details how applications would be processed to provide clarity for parents, schools and other admission authorities.

The Council, as the Admission Authority for all community and voluntary controlled primary schools within Lincolnshire, and for Spalding High School (including the separate sixth form), was also required to determine the admission policies for these schools (including the separate sixth form admission arrangements at Spalding High School).

During consideration of the report, the following points were noted:

·         The reduction in PAN from 50 to 40 for Gonerby Hill Foot School could be supported, as the majority of the housing expansion in Grantham was outside the Gonerby area and analysis had shown that there were sufficient school places across Grantham to cope with the additional housing. 

·         Contributions were requested as required from developers to expand schools for the additional demand from housing developments.  The impact on secondary schools could be modelled 7 – 10 years in advance based on primary school numbers which allowed the Local Authority to plan appropriately.  Assurances on developer contributions were a key issue in planning applications.

RESOLVED

(1)         That the Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee's support for the recommendations to the Executive Councillor for Adult Care, Health and Children's Services, as detailed in the report, be recorded.

(2)         That the comments of the Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee, as set out above, be submitted to the Executive Councillor for Adult Care, Health and Children's Services.