A report by the Director of Children, Families and Education invited the Children, Young People and Education Committee to determine the Authority’s admission arrangements for community and voluntary controlled primary and secondary schools and the co-ordinated schemes for 2022-2021. Members were informed how this is a statutory requirement.

The report informed Members that some amendments had been made to the existing co-ordinated scheme in order to take into account Department for Education guidance issues July 2020, “ Coronavirus (COVID-19); assessment processes for selective school admissions”. Members were advised that the amendments included expanding the number of preferences from three to five.

Members heard how the changes to the scheme were consulted upon with the four non – Catholic selective schools, all other local schools, neighbouring authorities and the Diocesan bodies under paragraph 1.44 of the School Admissions Code, and submitted as per the DfE guidance of the Office of the Schools Adjudicator ( OSA), although the variations proposed did not require formal OSA approval.

In response to questions by Members, the Committee heard how prospective parents had partaken in virtual tours of schools and there hadn’t  been a significant difference in rates of applications in light of the current Covid 19 global pandemic.

Members then heard how last year 96.5% of primary applicants got their first or second preference whilst 96% of secondary applicants got their first or second preference.

On a motion by Councillor W Clements and seconded by Councillor T Usher it was:

Resolved - That the proposed admission arrangements for community and voluntary controlled schools and the Wirral co-ordinated schemes for 2022-2023 as set out in the appendices to the report be approved.