Updates Autumn 2015

OSA Report Too many admission authorities of schools that are their own admission authority do not comply fully with the Code in respect of consultation about, determination of, and publication of their admission arrangements. Paragraphs 1.42 to 1.49 of the Code set out very clearly what an admission authority must do for itself and also do to enable its local authority to meet the requirement set for it in respect of publication of admission arrangements.

OSA Report Admission arrangements for admission to the sixth form are frequently found to contravene the Code. They are, for example, difficult to find, lack an admission number, do not include oversubscription criteria and have application forms that request information prohibited by the Code.

OSA Report Schools that are their own admission authority often have arrangements that lack the required information and request prohibited information in their supplementary information forms. They do not meet their responsibility for having admission arrangements that comply fully with admissions law and the Code.

OSA Report Admission arrangements for too many schools that are their own admission authority are unnecessarily complex. The arrangements appear to be more likely to enable the school to choose which children to admit rather than simply having oversubscription criteria as required by paragraph 1.8 of the Code that are reasonable, clear, objective and procedurally fair.

OSA Report The practice of some primary schools of giving priority for admission to the reception year to children who have attended particular nursery provision has again been found to be unfair to other local children, constrain parents’ preferences for child care and pre-school provision and not comply with the general requirements of the Code.

Summer Born Children School admission authorities are required to provide for the admission of all children in the September following their fourth birthday, but flexibilities exist for children whose parents do not feel they are ready to begin school before they reach compulsory school age.

Summer Born Children Where a parent requests their child is admitted out of their normal age group, the school admission authority is responsible for making the decision on which year group a child should be admitted to. They are required to make a decision on the basis of the circumstances of the case and in the best interests of the child concerned There is no statutory barrier to children being admitted outside their normal age group, but parents do not have the right to insist that their child is admitted to a particular age group