Consultation document

Southend-on-Sea Borough Council Consultation document

1. Admission to community schools in Southend for the 2022/23 school year
   
   By law each year we review the admission arrangements for the community schools in the borough. We are seeking your views on proposed admission arrangements. This is from 2 November to 11 December 2020. These arrangements set out how places are offered at our schools. When there are changes proposed to the admission arrangements, we must consult to ensure all views are heard. You can find details of the proposed arrangements for the schools below. Full details are on the school links. The proposals include plans to
   • reduce the admission limit for Chalkwell Hall Infant School
   • change the priority order for Heycroft Primary School
   • keep the current policies for Barons Court Primary School and Nursery, Chalkwell Hall Junior School, Earls Hall Primary School, Edwards Hall Primary School, Fairways Primary school, Leigh North Street and West Leigh Infant School
   
   Please fill in the online survey to comment. If you prefer to respond on a paper form, please let us know.
   After the consultation final arrangements will be presented to Council’s cabinet. By law we must have the final arrangements for all schools by 7th March 2021.
   
   
2. What is the role of the Council?
   
   The Council is the admission authority for the nine community schools within the Borough. The Council also must ensure the right amount of school places for the children in the area.
   
   
3. Which schools will be affected by the proposed changes?
   
   Chalkwell Hall Infant: to change the Admission Limit to 90 for Reception 2022 Heycroft Primary School: to change of criteria 4 and 5, so that out of catchment siblings have higher priority
   
   
4. Proposed change to Chalkwell Hall Infant School Admission Limit
   
   
   
   • What is the admission limit?
     The admission limit is the number of school places that the local authority must offer for each year group. By law we must consult where we are proposing to lower the admission limit.
     
     
   • Must schools have admission limits?
     Yes, it is a legal requirement.
     
     
   • How are school limits calculated?
     Admission limits are based on the space of the school. We also look at the need for places and balancing numbers across all schools in the area.
     
     
   • Why is the Council reviewing the admission limit to Chalkwell Hall Infant School?
     Due to the decline in births there is a need to reduce the admission limits. Lower birth figures mean more school places than we need. Left without action this would have a negative impact on some schools in the area.
     
     Where a school has too many vacancies it is in danger of closing. The council has a duty to ensue enough places within the town. This also includes that there are always places available to new residents arriving in the borough.
     
     The Council has considered school closures as one of the possible options. However, the planned housing plans for the area will mean numbers rising again very soon. Closing schools is not seen as the best way forward. Keeping our schools open provides stability for children and is also the best use of public money. Once the need returns, schools with capacity will be asked to increase their numbers.
     
     To date 5 academy and a voluntary aided school have already lowered their admission limits. This was due to too many primary places across the town.
     
     A few matters were considered. Chalkwell’s direct catchment area has seen a 22% drop in births. The school took more pupils when this was required. It is also situated on a very small site. In 2019, 20 out of catchment children were placed at the school in reception year. This rose to 30 out of catchment in September 2020. Due to declining births it is expected that this number will increase further if left unchanged. The governing body and the Head Teacher have confirmed they agree to lower the limit. There are currently no further proposed changes to numbers for the remaining community schools.
     
     
   • Will there be further reduction in admission limits for schools in the area?
     An academy school is also consulting to lower numbers in the west of the town. Talks continue with other schools in the town. Numbers are monitored on an annual basis.
     
     
   • What other schools have lowered their admission limits?
     2020:
     Greenways primary School: Lowered PAN from 150 to 120 reception
     Darlinghurst Academy: Lowered PAN from 120 to 90 for all year groups
     
     2021:
     Hamstel Infant School: lowered PAN from 150 to 120 reception
     St Mary’s, Prittlewell, CofE Primary School from 120 to 90 for years R-6 but year 3 is 120
     Darlinghurst Academy: Lowered PAN from 90 to 60 for reception
     
     2022:
     proposal for Chalkwell Hall Infant School to lower from 120 to 90
     proposal for Temple Sutton Primary School to lower PAN from 120 to 90
     
     
5. Proposed change for Heycroft Primary School
   Currently pupils of staff are given priority above pupils who live outside the catchment area with a sibling. The Council has agreed to update the order of the criteria. The criteria have been amended to reflect this proposal.
   
   The criteria of ‘pupils of staff’ was introduced for the 2019 round of admissions. In the years 2019 and 2020 two children of staff have been offered. Changing the order of the criteria has no impact on children with a sibling or in the catchment area. In the years 2019 and 2020 every child that applied for the school and did not gain a higher offer at another school, was offered a place at Heycroft.
   
   
6. Responses

How do I comment?

Complete a survey form or complete a paper response form.

What are the next stages after the discussions?

Responses to the consultation will be reported to Cabinet. The Council will then finalise the arrangements. Admission arrangements for all schools will be on Southend Borough Council’s website on 15 March 2021.

How do I raise an objection once the process is complete?

Any objections after the process is complete must be made to the Schools Adjudicator. Objections can be made from the 15 March to 15 May 2021. Further information regarding how to make an objection at that stage will be made available.

October 2020 Southend-on-Sea Borough Council, Access & Inclusion Team