HGS Admission Policy

[Moving on]

Has anyone seen the new policy updated in April 2012? I just happened to see it on their website.

It states that the 4th order of priority to allocating places will be to the children of permanent members of staff of the school continiously employed for 2 years. It then states that the 5th order of priority will be proximity to school.

It is not fair or right that staff should have priority. This means that their children who probably live further away get given a place over a child that lives round the corner. Their previous policy was 70 places to children in rank order then 50 places for proximity.

This confirms my fear that schools that have become academies can and will change their admission policy at the drop of hat! HGS only became an academy in February!

[Moving on]

I have just checked the website for SGS, LGS and St Bernards. They all mention about children of their staff - SGS has it as 3rd priority above 100 rank pupils and proximity to school, LGS has it as 3rd priority with 2nd and 4th priority is for children with permanent address and proximity to school. St Bernards has staff as 4th priority.

These schools have more or less just become academies, SGS in 2010, LSG year after. How can schools just change their admission policy so soon and just like that!

[Looking for help]

I think all of these schools will be full before they get to the category regarding children of staff, so it's probably not worth worrying too much about.
I'm not sure about the others, but St Bernard's is not an academy, just a voluntary aided school - I think they can change their admission's policy in whatever way they choose.

Lets not forget they changed the exam not that long ago to exclude maths !

[Etienne]

Were the changes properly consulted on?

15(b) Admission authorities must set (‘determine’) admission arrangements annually. Where changes are proposed to admission arrangements, the admission authority must first publicly consult on those arrangements. If no changes are made to admission arrangements, they must be consulted on at least every 7 years. Consultation must be for a minimum of 8 weeks and must take place between 1 November and 1 March of the year before those arrangements are to apply. For example: for arrangements which are to apply to applications in 2012 (entry in September 2013), consultation must be completed by 1 March 2012. This consultation period allows parents, other schools, religious authorities and the local community to raise any concerns about proposed admission arrangements.

15(c) Once all arrangements have been determined, arrangements can be objected to and referred to the Schools Adjudicator by 30 June. Any decision of the Adjudicator must be acted on by the admission authority and admission arrangements amended accordingly.

I don't think it has anything to do with academy status. It's the new Admissions Code that allows children of staff to be prioritised in certain circumstances.

This Code comes into force on 1 February 2012 and, unless otherwise stated, applies with immediate effect. It will apply to admission arrangements determined in 2012 for admission in school year 2013/14. The Code applies to admissions to all maintained schools in England. It should be read alongside the School Admission Appeals Code and other guidance and law that affect admissions and admission appeals in England.

Academies are required by their funding agreements to comply with the Code and the law relating to admissions, though the Secretary of State has the power to vary this requirement where there is demonstrable need.

Children of staff at the school
1.39 Admission authorities may give priority in their oversubscription criteria to children of staff in either or both of the following circumstances:
a) where the member of staff has been employed at the school for two or more years at the time at which the application for admission to the school is made, and/or
b) the member of staff is recruited to fill a vacant post for which there is a demonstrable skill shortage.

[Moving on]

Hi Etienne,

Thanks as always for your swift response and the invaluable information provided.

I did not know about this new admissions code or that it came into force February of this year for September 2013 entry. I have a DC due to take the 11+ this year so I regularly check the GS websites for any updates but did not come across this new code until now.

Nevertheless, I just feel that staff in any school (GS or otherwise) should not have priority for spaces and that it should be a level playing field. For GS, places should be first based on the 11+ score then proximity to school.