School admissions arrangements for Shropshire schools 2017-18

Proposal

All documents supporting this consultation can be found at the bottom of this page.

In accordance with mandatory requirements, Shropshire Council, as the admission authority for all of its community and voluntary controlled schools, has a duty to consult on proposed changes to admission arrangements.

No significant changes are proposed to the arrangements for community and controlled schools in 2017/18.  However, an enhancement is proposed to the secondary school catchment area for Craven Arms residents.  This would result in the catchment area of Stokesay Primary School being shared with both Ludlow CE School and Church Stretton School at the secondary phase.  Further details are attached.

In addition to the above, consultation will run simultaneously on proposed changes to admission arrangements for own admission authority schools, such as academies and foundation schools.  Responses to these will be co-ordinated by Shropshire Council.

The academy trusts of Idsall, Lacon Childe, and Oldbury Wells schools have proposed changes to their oversubscription criteria.  So too have the co-operative trust of Market Drayton Infant School and the governing body of Condover CE Primary School.

The proposed admission arrangements are laid out in the attached documents.  Consultation must take place for a period of 6 weeks, and will last from 16 December 2015 until 29 January 2016.

The proposed changes are summarised as follows:  

• Shropshire Council's admission arrangements to remain mostly unchanged.  However, it is proposed that the catchment area of Stokesay Primary School, in Craven Arms, is designated jointly to Ludlow CE School and Church Stretton School at the secondary phase.
• The timetable for admissions in 2017/18 has been revised.
• Responsibility continues to be delegated to schools for mid-term (in-year) admissions and admission to school sixth forms.  Individual admission policies relating to these can be found on schools' own websites.
• The respective admission authorities propose to add staff criteria to the oversubscription criteria for Idsall, Oldbury Wells and Condover CE Primary schools.  Lacon Childe School have also proposed the addition of staff criteria and to give priority to children attending the trust primary schools over children attending other feeder-linked primary schools.    The co-operative trust of Market Drayton Infant School have proposed to include criteria for children whose siblings are on roll at the fellow trust school, Market Drayton Junior School, in their oversubscription criteria.  

All proposed changes to Published Admission Numbers (PANs) are listed below although it is only reductions which require consultation, increases do not:

Proposed reduction to published admission number

Increases to published admission numbers

(not part of consultation but provided for information)

Comments on any of the proposals should be sent in writing to arrive by 31 January 2016 to:

Admissions Team
Learning & Skills
Shropshire Council
Shirehall
Abbey Foregate
SHREWSBURY
SY2 6ND

Or by e-mail to: school-admissions@shropshire.gov.uk

Any comments received will be considered by the appropriate admissions authority.  Admission arrangements will then be considered for approval and determined before 29 February 2016.