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City of York Council |
Committee Minutes |
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Meeting |
Decision Session - Executive Member for Children, Young People and Education |
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Date |
11 January 2022 |
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Present |
Councillor Cuthbertson |
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9. Declarations of Interest
The Executive Member was asked to declare any personal interests not included on the Register of Interests, any prejudicial interests or any disclosable pecuniary interests that he may have in respect of business on the agenda. He confirmed he had none.
10. Minutes
Resolved: That the minutes of the Decision Sessions held on 12 October 2021 and 14 December 2021 be approved and signed by the Executive Member as a correct record.
11. Public Participation
It was reported that there had been no registrations to speak at the meeting under the Council’s Public Participation Scheme.
12. Admissions Arrangements For The 2023/24 School Year
The Executive Member opened the item by explaining the reason for the meeting being online, with recommendations put forward for the Chief Operating Officer (COO) to approve. He advised that the COO had confirmed that he was aware of the decisions being taken at the meeting and of consultation that had taken place.
The Executive Member considered a report that sought approval of the admissions policies and published admission numbers (PAN) for community and voluntary controlled schools – schools for whom the City of York Council is the admission authority – for the school year beginning in September 2023. The report also sought approval of the coordinated admissions schemes for the City of York area – for which the City of York Council is the coordinating Local Authority – for applications to start the school year beginning in September 2023. It also sought approval of the proposed published admission number for two maintained schools – Carr Infant School and Westfield Primary School.
The School Admissions Manager outlined the report. She detailed the proposals for the reduction in the PANs for Carr Infant School and Westfield Primary School, and support for the reduction of the PAN Robert Wilkinson in line with their pupil forecasts. She explained that there had been no changes to CYC admissions policies. Referring to MAT schools, she reported that Heworth CE Primary School and St Lawrence’s CE Primary School sought amendments to their admissions policies in line with their CoE Diocese. The change related to the removal of the criteria for other world faiths as this would be encompassed in other parts of their policy. She reported that the admissions consultation responses were limited and it was felt that this was because there had been little change in the admissions policies.
In response to questions from the Executive Member, the Schools Admissions Manager clarified that:
· The council could put forward support or no support for the proposals put forward by the Academy Trusts and they determined their own admissions arrangements.
· Regarding the proposed reduction in the PAN for Carr Infants, she had looked at the PAN reduction requests in line with forecasts for other schools.
· With regard to Westfield and Carr Infant schools it had been agreed that their PANs could increase if required.
· The development on the former British Sugar site was being monitored closely. It had been delayed and there had been discussions with the Carr Infants and its Governing Body regarding their PANs. The reduction in the PAN from 90 to 75 was affected by the development and once the development was underway, officers would look at future pupil numbers.
· Regarding Robert Wilkinson Primary School, there was some uncertainty regarding the use of the barracks. The school was a unique school as it was a village school with no other schools in the area and the school could accept accepted pupils. The council would work closely with the school when the plans for the barracks had been finalised.
· The changes in the admissions policies for Heworth CE Primary School and St Lawrence’s CE Primary School.
· The SCAP would be included in the glossary for the report when it was next produced.
The Executive Member then;
Resolved:
i. That the proposed published admission numbers (PANs) for all City of York Council schools for the school year beginning in September 2023 (including reductions in the PANs for Carr Infant School, Westfield Primary School and support for the reduced PAN for Robert Wilkinson Primary School) as set out in Annex A of the published report be noted, and that the Chief Operating Officer (COO) be recommended to approve the published admission numbers for all City of York Council schools for the school year beginning in September 2023.
Reason: To meet the statutory requirements of the School Admissions Code of Practice.
ii. That the coordinated schemes and admissions policies for all City of York Council schools for the 2023-2024 school year, as set out in Annexes B – AD of the published report (including proposed changes to Heworth CE Primary School and St Lawrence’s CE Primary School Admissions Policies) be noted, and that the Chief Operating Officer (COO) be recommended to approve the coordinated schemes and admissions policies for all City of York Council schools for the 2023-2024 school year.
Reason: To meet the statutory requirements of the School Admissions Code of Practice.
Cllr Cuthbertson, Executive Member
[The meeting started at 10.00 am and finished at 10.24 am].