Decision details

To consider the report of the Head of Standards to determine the admission arrangements and Published Admission Numbers (PAN’s) for community and voluntary controlled schools for 2012-13.

On consideration of the report of the Cabinet Member for Children’s Services and Learning Cabinet approved the following:

(i)  the responses from the consultation with Southampton Admissions Forum, schools, other relevant admission authorities, and the Church of England and Roman Catholic dioceses be noted;

(ii)  the admissions policies and the published admission numbers (PANs) for community and voluntary controlled schools, including Bitterne Park selection by aptitude and 6^th form arrangements; the schemes for co-ordinating primary and secondary admissions for the academic year 2021-13; and the scheme for co-ordinating in year admissions from September 2011 as set out in Appendices 1- 7 be approved;

(iii)  the published admission numbers (PAN)s for the following seven schools, which the local authority is the admission authority, to Year R in September 2012 be increased:

Banister Infant School  from 45 to 60.

Fairisle Infant and Nursery School  from 90 to 120

Harefield Primary School  from 45 to 60

Tanners Brook Infant School  from 90 to 120

Valentine Infant School  from 90 to 120

Sholing Infant School  from 60 to 90

St Mark’s C of E VC Primary School  from 60 to 90

These increases in Year R, 180, admission numbers will provide for the extra places needed to accommodate the increase in the number of children in the city needed school places.

No changes to the PANs of other community and voluntary controlled schools are recommended at this point. 

(iv)  the published admission numbers (PAN)s for the following school – Mount Pleasant Junior School, which the local authority is the admission authority, to Year 3 in September 2012 be increased from 60 to 90.  This will enable the school to accommodate the increase in PAN numbers at Maytree Infant School approved two years ago; and 

(v)  the Executive Director for Children’s Services and Learning be authorised to take any action necessary to give effect to the above proposals.

The Local Authority has a statutory duty to determine the admission criteria on an annual basis and ensure all rising 5’s have an allocated education place.

The only alternative option considered was to not determine local admission arrangements.  This has been rejected on the basis that it would result in the imposition of admissions arrangements upon local schools by the Secretary of State for Education.