Schools Organisation, Capital and Admissions Group: Notes of meeting on 19 May 2026

Item 2. Admission Round 2026  

• SOCA noted successful 2026 admissions round, with a further increase in the total number of children who were allocated a place at their preferred school. The collaboration between Admissions Team and schools was commended.

Item 3. Admission Arrangements for 2028-29

• Draft Arrangements for the 28/29 admissions round will be prepared soon by admissions team.  All schools should review current arrangements and make any proposals for changes to their admissions policy and plan appropriate consultation processes for determinisation. 

Item 4. School Organisation Update

• School Organisation guidance has recently been updated by DfE following royal assent of the Wellbeing and Schools Bill.  Section 6A of the Education and Inspections Act has been removed and it is no longer a requirement that a LA must seek proposals for the establishment of an Academy where a new school is required.   LAs can invite proposals for new mainstream academies, voluntary or foundations schools, special school academies or foundation special schools or AP academies. LAs, at the same time, may now make proposals themselves for the establishment of new community, community special, foundation or foundation special schools or PRUs.
• The LA will be the decision maker unless they have put forward their own proposal or if they have involvement in a Foundation School proposed. In these cases, the decision maker is the Regional Director

Item 5. Capital Programme Update

• In the context of falling capital maintenance grant year on year, an internal review alongside Norse seeks to improve and widen condition data available to improve prioritisation of urgent, reactive works as well as planned projects year on year.

Item 7. SW Norse Update

• Joint Venture with SW Norse has been renewed for a further 3 years from 1 April 2026
• Connect 2 moving to a cloud-based system through Concerto shortly.  Schools are reminded annually to update contact details for C2.

Attendance

DCC

Katherine Crompton (Chair) – Capital Programme Manager,  Karen Worthington – Service Lead, Access to Education, Shona Meek – Senior School Organisation Officer, Andrew Brent – Senior Policy Officer, Heidi Watson-Jones – Executive Assistant (Inclusion & Learning)

Devon Schools Leadership Services

David Perkins – Littletown Primary, Penny Hammett – FORT Federation, Gareth Smith – Okehampton College

Special School Heads

DAG

Ian Rogers

In Attendance

Nick Cook (part) – SW Norse

Apologies

Fran Butler – Early Years & Childcare Sufficiency Lead, Andrew Sweeney – Holsworthy College, Caroline Harding – NASUWT, Kirsty Wright – Catholic Diocese of Plymouth,

1. Minutes of previous meeting – 3 March 2026

• Outstanding Actions:
• Katherine Crompton reminded the group that any issues being experienced re. DMP may be raised directly with her.
• Awaiting outstanding feedback on draft guidance regarding headteacher involvement in the admission appeals process. ACTION: AB to follow up with KW and SN
• All other actions complete or in hand. The minutes were agreed as an accurate record.

2. Admissions – Admission Round 2026 

• 2026-27 admissions round has been successful, with both Primary (96.4%) and secondary (93.7%) first preference allocations increasing this year.
• Noted that ongoing reminders from schools to parents that preferences need to be submitted are helpful to support the smooth running of the process.
• SOCA considered admission to out of county schools, particularly for Torbay Boys and Girls’ Grammar Schools.  There has been a rise of approximately in Devon admissions to these schools 10% over the last decade.

3. Admissions – Admission Policy Arrangements 2028/29

• Arrangements for the 28/29 admissions round will be prepared soon by admissions team.  All schools should review current arrangements and make any proposals for changes to their admissions policy (e.g. increasing or decreasing PAN, changes to oversubscription criteria and amendments to catchment areas) and plan appropriate consultation processes for determining. 
• Proposed policies will be open for public consultation from November 2026 to January 2027. All own admission authority schools and academies are again invited to take part in the consultation.
• ACTION: DSLS to share reminder to Headteachers to begin the planning process, and discuss with DCC and Diocese where appropriate if changes to admission policy are to be considered. 
• It is anticipated that a revised Admissions Code is likely to be introduced within that timescale, reflecting the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill.
• Noted that school admissions policy in Devon has already outlined an approach to changes for in year applications for children of families of crown servants and Forces.  Noted that this may require further amendment dependent on revised Admissions Code.
• A revised Admissions Code may remove the ability for Own Admission Authority schools’ to increase or reduce PAN without consultation, which could impact on local authority statutory duty to ensure sufficiency of school places in local areas.  SOCA agreed that changes to PAN should be as a result of collaborative planning.
• Noted the DfE Education Estates strategy includes consideration of how school buildings are used, including repurposing of vacant space in schools.  LA and schools will need to work together locally to address challenging issues around changing demographics, PAN, surplus places and repurposing of those places.
• Mindful that in future, further consideration of ensuring sufficiency of places which are currently being repurposed as surplus, may be challenging when demographics increase.
• Noted that emails will shortly be sent to schools where children are currently offset in year 4 to prompt early conversations with parents about transition and to ensure that potential destination secondary schools are aware of possible plans to admit children out of year group.
• SOCA members requested guidance for secondary principals to support consideration of admission out of year group if that is an appropriate approach for an individual child.  Noted possible risk around Y10 engagement, and ceased funding should a third year of FE be required. 
• Noted that children being educated out of year group receive no increased priority for secondary admission.
• ACTION: AB to draft guidance and circulate via Schools Leadership Update (post meeting note – details circulated in Schools Leadership Update 21/5/26)
• School Leaders were reminded that additional head teacher representation on Fair Access Panels is from all areas across the county.  This will help Heads to better understand the FAP process and reduce the burden on individual representatives.  ACTION: AB to share text for inclusion in Schools Leadership Update (post meeting note – details circulated in Schools Leadership Update 21/5/26)

4. Admissions – Nursery Admissions and Free School Meals

• Report noted, including changes to the nursery admissions policy, which is available to view atDevon County Council Nursery Admissions Policy – Information for childcare providers
• ACTION: FB to share brief details in Schools Leadership Update
• Schools are reminded that nursery admission policy must be available on the school’s website.
• It was noted that not all schools should support efforts to improve access to and take up of Free School Meals in school nurseries – not all schools are offering FSM when they are required to do so.

5. School Organisation Update

• School Organisation guidance has recently been updated by DfE following royal assent of the Wellbeing and Schools Bill.  See link at: School organisation – GOV.UK
• School Organisation guidance has recently been updated by DfE following royal assent of the Wellbeing and Schools Bill.  Section 6A of the Education and Inspections Act has been removed and it is no longer a requirement that a LA must seek proposals for the establishment of an Academy where a new school is required.   LAs can invite proposals for new mainstream academies, voluntary or foundations schools, special school academies or foundation special schools or AP academies. LAs, at the same time, may now make proposals themselves for the establishment of new community, community special, foundation or foundation special schools or PRUs. The LA will be the decision maker unless they have put forward their own proposal or if they have involvement in a Foundation School proposed (i.e. if the LA or someone appointed by the LA is to be a trustee of the foundation or have voting rights in such a foundation). In these cases, the decision maker is the Regional Director.
• Small Schools
• SOCA noted 2026 projection of small schools within Devon based on NOR of less than 50 for September 25, minus Y6 leavers and expected cohort for Sept 26 intake based on allocations data from school admissions
• Noted data anomalies where Roman Catholic schools have no catchment area and where a school has changed DfE number through academisation
• SOCA noted that the difference between projected numbers in the raw catchment data and the actual NOR are based on a range of factors, including Ofsted outcomes and popularity drawing in pupils from out of catchment.  The group acknowledged difficulty in accurately predicting ongoing vulnerability from the raw data.  The LA is currently considering a range of factors influencing longer term small school viability.
• ACTION: PH to share a comparative study of Fort Federation schools’ NOR against the projections.
• SOCA noted that detail on LA maintained or trust / academy status could provide some indication of potential resilience in mitigating falling NOR.
• Small Schools
• SOCA noted 2026 projection of small schools within Devon based on NOR of less than 50 for September 25, minus Y6 leavers and expected cohort for Sept 26 intake based on allocations data from school admissions
• Noted data anomalies where Roman Catholic schools have no catchment area and where a school has changed DfE number through academisation
• SOCA noted that the difference between projected numbers in the raw catchment data and the actual NOR are based on a range of factors, including Ofsted outcomes and popularity drawing in pupils from out of catchment.  The group acknowledged difficulty in accurately predicting ongoing vulnerability from the raw data.  The LA is currently considering a range of factors influencing longer term small school viability.
• ACTION: PH to share a comparative study of Fort Federation schools’ NOR against the projections.
• SOCA noted that detail on LA maintained or trust / academy status could provide some indication of potential resilience in mitigating falling NOR.
• Term Dates
• SOCA agreed that proposals for 2028/29 appear straightforward. 
• SOCA considered Term dates for 2029/30, particularly around proposed end of autumn term on Wed 19 Dec and start of spring term on Thurs 3 Jan.
• Noted Cornwall CC proposing end of term on Friday 21 December, and starting on Monday 7 January 2030.
• SOCA considered that split weeks at the end of term could negatively affect attendance.  The Cornwall approach would also give 3 weekends during the Christmas break which might feel more beneficial, rather than 2 if the weeks were split.
• DSLS requested to seek views from Schools Leadership Group.

• Noted proposed significant change proposal to MillWater including closure of post 16 provision and opening of satellite provision in Seaton – awaiting DfE response.
• Shaugh Prior Primary – Regions Group have revoked the directive academy order; proposed closure of the school on 31 August 2026 being considered by DCC Cabinet on 20 May 2026
• Following changes to DfE guidance, academy schools are permitted to extend age range for a school without needing to submit a significant change request.  Consultation is still required. Following DCC’s objection to the proposal to change the age range at Wynstream Primary,, due to concerns around current provider viability, the academy trust has now approved the extension of the age range, as permitted by the new guidance.
• Noted proposals for age range extensions and closures of nursery provision due to declining demand and sustainability concerns with falling numbers.
• Tiverton High School joined Blackdown Education Partnership from 1 March 2026.

6. Capital Programme Update

• SOCA noted impact of the capital maintenance allocation on schools where urgent work is required. This has led to an internal review of condition data gathering planning alongside Norse with a view to improving and widening the condition data available to manage all urgent as well as planned projects, reducing proportion of reactive capital projects required year on year.
• Work to fabric of buildings remains the highest proportion of planned spend.
• High Needs provision schemes continue to include primary capacity at Ellen Tinkham, developing Mill Water site at Seaton to free up space at Bicton site, and expansion at Pathfield.
• Noted some delays to completion of Cranbrook Cobden’s primary due to planning and design issues with EDDC.
• Noted DfE requesting all responsible bodies to submit a statutory Schools Estate Management Standards return in autumn, however clarity on the expected content and format of the digital return has not yet been provided by the Department.  Understand different responsible bodies (the LA, Diocese and Academy Trusts / VA schools) will be involved in collating the returns at different stages and with different complexity of data. 
• CIF bids are set to change (e.g. from Academy Trusts/ RBs with cohort fewer than 2000)
• LA maintained schools have received an email requesting high level data regarding whether any PV panels are present on the school sites.  Colleagues are urged to respond.  Understand there had been some national treasury and DfE concerns around format of PPA agreements relating to revenue earning through sales of electricity.  ACTION: PH to share request with Maintained Heads Executive.