The Acting Director of Children’s Services reported that the Local Authority (LA) was required to determine admission arrangements for community secondary schools and for community and voluntary controlled primary schools. The New School Admissions (England) Regulations (2003) also required the Authority to have in place a coordinated scheme for admissions to all primary and secondary schools in 2013-2014 and both schemes had been updated to reflect changes in national guidance. No major changes were proposed to those arrangements currently in place for primary school admissions, however a change was proposed to the co-ordinated scheme for secondary schools in relation to testing arrangements for selective grammar schools from 2013-2014. The secondary scheme had also been updated to reflect the change in status of some schools. He commented that the LA was required to consult on its admission arrangements and to determine those arrangements by April of the preceding year.

The Director commented that the proposed changes included within the national draft Code required that parents must receive their child’s selection test results prior to completing their preference form. This enhanced emphasis had been retained in the draft revised version of the Admissions Code published on 2 November 2011 and as a significant change to current practice in Wirral, this would require consultation with parents, schools and the wider community. The consensus view of the 11 Plus Working Group was that Wirral should change the timing of selective testing to ensure that test results were provided before preferences were submitted, whether or not the final published Admission Code retained the directive.

Resolved –

(1)  That a public consultation be held on the proposed admission arrangements and coordinated schemes for primary and secondary schools for 2013-2014 as required by guidance.

(2)  That the consultation shall include the proposal to amend the timing of the grammar school selection process as recommended by the Wirral Eleven Plus Working Group.