Issue - meetings

BCP Council is responsible for administering admission arrangements for its community and voluntary controlled schools. There is a legal requirement to determine the arrangements annually as described in the School Admissions Code 2021 and associated legislation.

The local authority must also formulate and publish a scheme to coordinate the admission arrangements for all publicly funded schools within their area for the 2027/28 academic year.

A public consultation on the proposed 2027/28 admission arrangements was held on from 10 November 2025 until 22 December 2026. The proposed change is a reduction to the Published Admission Number at Burton CE Primary School to reflect the broader trend of fewer families seeking school places in the area due to falling birth rates.

It is recommended that the arrangements are determined by council members.

RESOLVED that:-

(a)           Cabinet consider any comments from the consultation and from Children’s Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee concerning the Schools Admissions Arrangements 2027/2028 for community and maintained schools; and

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

Voting: Unanimous

Portfolio Holder: Children, Young People, Education and Skills

Reason

BCP Council is legally required to determine admission arrangements for the 2027/28 academic year for all maintained schools for which it is an admission authority and to agree coordinated admission arrangements for all admission authorities in the area. Arrangements must be determined by BCP Council by 28 February 2026.

The Portfolio Holder for Children, Young People, Education and Skills 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.

Cabinet was advised that BCP Council was responsible for administering admission arrangements for its community and voluntary controlled schools, and that there was a legal requirement to determine the arrangements annually as described in the School Admissions Code 2021 and associated legislation.

Further to this Cabinet was informed that the local authority must also formulate and publish a scheme to coordinate the admission arrangements for all publicly funded schools within their area for the 2027/28 academic year.

Cabinet was advised that in relation to this a public consultation on the proposed 2027/28 admission arrangements was held from 10 November 2025 until 22 December 2026, and that the proposed change was a reduction to the Published Admission Number at Burton CE Primary School to reflect the broader trend of fewer families seeking school places in the area due to falling birth rates.

The Chair of the Childrens Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee, Councillor Sharon Carr-Brown addressed the Cabinet advising that the Committee had received the report for information purposes, and that the committee had reviewed and supported the report.

RESOLVED that: -

(a)           Cabinet consider any comments from the consultation and from Children’s Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee concerning the Schools Admissions Arrangements 2027/2028 for community and maintained schools; and

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

Voting: Unanimous

Portfolio Holder: Children, Young People, Education and Skills

Reason

BCP Council is legally required to determine admission arrangements for the 2027/28 academic year for all maintained schools for which it is an admission authority and to agree coordinated admission arrangements for all admission authorities in the area. Arrangements must be determined by BCP Council by 28 February 2026.

BCP Council is responsible for administering admission arrangements for its community and voluntary controlled schools. There is a legal requirement to determine the arrangements annually as described in the School Admissions Code 2021 and associated legislation.

The local authority must also formulate and publish a scheme to coordinate the admission arrangements for all publicly funded schools within their area for the 2027/28 academic year.

A public consultation on the proposed 2027/28 admission arrangements was held on from 10 November 2025 until 22 December 2026. The proposed change is a reduction to the Published Admission Number at Burton CE Primary School to reflect the broader trend of fewer families seeking school places in the area due to falling birth rates.

It is recommended that the arrangements are determined by council members.

The report was circulated for information only with no discussion in Committee.