Issue - meetings

BCP Council is legally required to determine its admissions arrangements for the school year 2023/24. Permission to publicly consult to change the arrangements was agreed by council members.

The change that required consultation was the reduction of the published admission number at Burton Primary School from 60 to 45 to enable the school to organise classes efficiently.

It is recommended that following the conclusion of the public consultation, the arrangements are determined by council members.

RESOLVED that: -

(a)          Cabinet considered any comments from Children’s Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee, concerning Schools Admissions Arrangements 2023/2024 for community and maintained schools; and

(b)          Cabinet support the determination of the arrangements as set out in Appendix 1 and 2 of the report.

Voting: Unanimous

Portfolio Holder: Council Priorities and Delivery

Reason

The Council is legally required to have admission arrangements for its community and voluntary controlled schools. The governing body of Burton Primary School has asked that its published admission number be reduced to enable the school to organise classes efficiently.

The Portfolio Holder for Council Priorities and Delivery presented a report, a copy of which had been circulated to each Member and a copy of which appears as Appendix 'F' to these Minutes in the Minute Book.

Cabinet was advised that BCP Council is legally required to determine its admissions arrangements for the school year 2023/24, and that permission to publicly consult to change the arrangements was agreed by council members.

In relation to this Cabinet was informed that the change that required consultation was the reduction of the published admission number at Burton Primary School from 60 to 45 to enable the school to organise classes efficiently, and that it is recommended that following the conclusion of the public consultation, the arrangements are determined by council members.

RESOLVED that: -

(a)          Cabinet considered any comments from Children’s Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee, concerning Schools Admissions Arrangements 2023/2024 for community and maintained schools; and

(b)          Cabinet support the determination of the arrangements as set out in Appendix 1 and 2 of the report.

Voting: Unanimous

Portfolio Holder: Council Priorities and Delivery

BCP Council is legally required to determine its admissions arrangements for the school year 2023/24. Permission to publicly consult to change the arrangements was agreed by council members.

The change that required consultation was the reduction of the published admission number at Burton Primary School from 60 to 45 to enable the school to organise classes efficiently.

The Head of Service – School Planning and Admissions presented a report, a copy of which had been circulated to each Member and a copy of which appears as Appendix 'D' to these Minutes in the Minute Book.

BCP Council was legally required to determine its admissions arrangements for the school year 2023/24. Permission to publicly consult to change the arrangements was agreed by council members.

The change that required consultation was the reduction of the published admission number at Burton Primary School from 60 to 45 to enable the school to organise classes efficiently.

It was recommended that following the conclusion of the public consultation, the arrangements were determined by council members.

The Committee discussed the report and comments were made, including:

• in response to a query about the how the proposed PAN of 45 would be managed, the Committee was advised that the school merged year groups in KS1 and then would move to smaller classes when moving up through the school
• in response to a query about how it was managed in practical terms, the Committee was advised that the classes had teachers and teaching assistants and that the Headteacher was satisfied with the current staffing levels
• The Committee discussed Academy Trusts increasing their PAN numbers as their own admission authority and the Committee was advised that BCP Officers had visited some schools who were proposing to increase PAN to advise of the negative impact to other local schools of doing so, however the decision was not within the Council’s remit.

The Chair summarised the discussions as follows:

• PAN of Burton and class sizes and how managed.
• Academy Trusts increasing their PAN and the impact it had on surrounding schools.

RESOLVED that Children’s Services Overview and Scrutiny committee recommend Cabinet support the determination of the arrangements as set out in Appendix 1 and 2 of the report.

Vote – For - Unanimous