Schools Organisation, Capital and Admissions Group: Notes of meeting on 24 September 2024

Key items for DEF to note

Item 2. Delayed Admissions – Decision making process

• SOCA endorsed the approach to process requests for delayed admission to school for summer born children.  Schools’ admission authorities are obliged to respond to all requests to delay admission to reception, and each request must be considered on its own merits, based on the child’s best interests.

Item 3. Fair Access arrangements

• Fair Access relate to in-year admissions to ensure that children can be admitted to school quickly.

Item 4. Draft EHCPs and the admissions process

• SEND Statutory Team will take responsibility for naming the setting that a child will attend from that point that a decision to issue an EHCP has been made. 

Item 5. Working PANs (Published Admission Number)

• Changes to working PAN must be notified to the LA.  A reduction should be consulted on, in advance of the academic year.  Schools should have a strategic plan in place to support such a decision.

Item 6. In Year Admissions – non determination of applications

• SOCA had noted instances of school admission authorities not responding to in-year admission applications within statutory 15 day timeframe
• Where a decision is not made within 25 days, the LA will assume non-determination by the school, and then determine whether that decision to refuse is lawful.  The consequences of this response could further lengthen the timeframe that a child is out of school.

Item 8. Early Years Update

• £1.5m capital funding has been allocated for Early Years and Wraparound childcare provision.  Information is available online  and applications open for schools or settings to consider setting up new or expanding existing places for 2 year olds and babies, and breakfast and afterschool places for 5-11 year olds.

Item 9. Wraparound Childcare provision

• Wraparound Childcare Funding Programme was launched by the previous government to establish provision between 8am – 6pm.  Primary schools are encouraged to apply for Wraparound funding before the end March 2025 to secure funding ahead of a new Breakfast Club initiative introduced by the new administration

Item 11. SW Norse Update

• A new engineer has been appointed to manage the Service Term Contract linked to Devon Maintenance Partnership and VA schemes, where there have been issues relating to compliance.

Item 12. Capital Maintenance Update

• Devon awaits announcement of a revised methodology for the School Condition Allocation.  A £2.8m allocation for 2025/26 has been assumed based on the current methodology.

Attendance

DCC

Katherine Crompton (Chair) – Capital Programme Manager,  Shona Meek – Senior School Organisation Officer, Andrew Brent (part) – Senior Policy Officer, Fran Butler – Early Years & Childcare Sufficiency Lead, Heidi Watson-Jones – Safety Valve Project Officer

Devon Schools Leadership Services

Primary

Penny Hammett – FORT Federation, David Perkins (part) – Littletown Primary

Special

Stuart Allman – Pathfield School

DAG

Ian Rogers

SW Norse

Nick Cook (part) – South West Norse,

Apologies

Secondary: Graham Hill – Pilton Community College

Diocesan Reps: Kirsty Wright – Catholic Diocese of Plymouth

1. Minutes of previous meeting – 14 May 2024

• Outstanding Actions:
• Primary and Secondary Schools had agreed an update to Flexi-schooling guidance would be helpful. ACTION: Andrew Brent
• Noted difficulties accessing data from a number of Early Years settings through Provider Self-Update.
• All other actions complete or in hand.
• Minutes agreed as an accurate record.

2. Admissions – Delayed Admissions – Decision making process

• SOCA endorsed the approach to process requests for delayed admission to school for summer born children.
• The schools’ admission authorities are obliged to respond to requests to delay admission to reception. Each request must be considered on its own merits, based on the child’s best interests.
• Noted issues can arise when the child moves to secondary school with expectations that they are educated in their chronological age group.  It is important that this is explained to parents at the time of requesting.
• Noted there can be some confusion between delayed and deferred admission (which can postpone entry until later in the school year when the child does reach statutory school age).
• SOCA noted implications for Early years providers and LA responsibilities for place planning.  This can impact on parents if there are no longer spaces available for a school-aged child to continue to attend EY provision.
• Primary schools are encouraged to make contact with parents and secondary schools as early as possible (e.g. Y4-Y5) to understand the implications of transition. LA writes to schools in the spring of Year 4 to remind them of this.

3. Fair Access arrangements data

• SOCA was reminded of Devon arrangements for Fair Access relating to in-year admissions to ensure that children can be admitted to school quickly.
• Devon Fair Access arrangements have two tiers:
• Tier 1 to support new arrivals into an area.
• Tier 2 relating to harder to place children e.g. those returning to mainstream education following exclusion.
• Tier 1 decisions are made by an LA officer Panel and for tier 2, by a Panel which includes school representatives – participants welcome from across the county.
• Considered the equitable distribution of children alongside equitable levels of need across local schools.
• Fair Access allocations are not requests for schools to revisit decisions on the same grounds.

Action:

DSLS to remind schools of Devon arrangements for Fair Access

4. Draft EHCPs and the admissions process

• Noted that the admissions appeals process is not open to children with an EHCP or draft EHCP. 
• SOCA endorsed the proposed approach to clarify that once the SEND Statutory Team agrees that an EHCP will be issued, that team will then take responsibility for naming the setting that the child will attend.

Action

DSLS to share this information with schools

5. Admissions: Working PANs

• Each school determines a Published Admission Number (PAN) for intake years. After that year it becomes a working PAN.
• Changes to working PAN must be notified to the LA.  A reduction should be consulted on, in advance of the academic year.  Schools should have a strategic plan in place to support such a decision.
• Where a working PAN is reduced, but accommodation remains unchanged, it is assumed that any increased future demand would then necessitate an increase in the working PAN.
• Where a school reduces its working PAN in line with the number in the year group, this represents a cap in the year group number, and not a reflection that there would be prejudice to efficient education should the working PAN be exceeded.
• Noted that the Admissions and School Organisation teams liaise to review proposals to reduce PANs and working PANs against expected future demand linked to demographic data and planned housing development.

Action

DSLS to remind schools to discuss with the LA Admissions team, and the relevant Diocese where appropriate, any proposal to reduce PAN

6. In Year Admissions – non determination of applications

• Noted there have been instances where school admission authorities are not responding to in year admission applications within statutory timeframes. 
• The Admissions Code expects a decision within 15 days, which should allow time for an admissions committee to be convened by the school to reach an agreement.
• Where a decision is not made within 25 days, the LA will be obliged to assume non-determination by the school, and then determine whether that decision to refuse is lawful.  The consequences of this response could further lengthen the timeframe that a child is out of school.
• SOCA noted the approach to be taken forward by the LA.
• Heads highlighted that delays can arise where in-year admission notifications are shared with schools on the Portal rather than through direct email notification.  ACTION: AB to check if email notifications can be set up to highlight new Portal activity.
• It was noted that the school should clearly state reasons if refusing an admission, which will then be considered by the LA to determine if that decision is lawful, and whether support for an appeal can be provided.

Action:

• DSLS to remind schools of the need to respond to the LA regarding in-year admission applications within statutory timeframes, and the revised approach by the LA to managing late responses.
• AB to check if email notifications can be set up to highlight new Portal activity
• Post-meeting update: Schools receive an email on the next Tuesday or Friday after an application appears on the Portal. Schools can visit the Portal at any time but the email will flag up applications if they have been unable to visit.

7. 2026-27 Draft Admissions Policy

• Annual consultation to begin 1 Nov until 10 January.  This is open to all schools.
• It was noted that it is good practice for schools to consult on changes to PAN.
• Any suggested changes should be forwarded to Andrew Brent as soon as possible via schoolsadmissionpolicy-mailbox@devon.gov.uk
• Any changes to arrangements in CofE schools should be submitted to the Diocese by 1 October.
• Schools should note the proposed admissions policies in neighbouring schools.
• Own Admission authority schools are reminded to schedule a Governing Body meeting to determine policy by end February.

8. Early Years Update

• £1.5m capital funding has been allocated for Early Years and Wraparound childcare provision. 
• Information is available online Childcare Expansion Capital Grant – Information for childcare providers (devon.gov.uk)and applications are open for schools or settings to consider setting up new or expanding existing places for 2 year olds and babies and breakfast and afterschool places for 5-11 year olds.
• 30 hours childcare will be available for children aged 9mths – 5 years from September 2025, and additional places will need to be made available.
• SOCA noted initial data around the impact where schools are not expanding their offer to 2-year olds.  A further update will be shared when the impact of the expansion of places for 9 months olds is known in the spring/summer term 2025.
• Data considers the impact of the extended childcare offer on primary school nursery admissions.  LA is monitoring the number of funded disadvantaged 2 year olds which are not moving to their local school nurseries at 3 years old.
• SOCA discussed issues which may be preventing schools from considering an extended age range.
• Noted there is no longer a statutory distinction between education and childcare in school provision.
• Areas for schools to consider include opening nurseries for more weeks than term time, and the impact on parents when a child starts at schools and they are offered fewer hours of before and after school provision compared to 8am-6pm early years provision that many will have attended .
• Schools identified as being affected will be contacted individually.
• Noted issues around compliance with statutory space guidance in some schools with changed Reception class spaces – DfE have been asked for clarification.
• Heads raised ongoing concerns around staffing capacity and training resources, as well as physical building constraints, all impact on school decisions to expand provision.

9. Wraparound Provision Programme

• Wraparound Childcare Funding awarded by previous government for 2024/25 to establish provision between 8am – 6pm. 
• Noted new government is planning to introduce universal breakfast club provision which could impact on future Wraparound funding allocations.  Primary schools are encouraged to apply for Wraparound funding before end March 2025 to secure funding for that programme. 
• SOCA noted criteria for funding and the different models of provision that can be adopted.  Funding is released on submission of monitoring forms.
• Finding that schools with wraparound childcare are more attractive to parents, and schools are encouraged to advertise this provision on their websites.  SOCA noted distinction between childcare and enrichment programmes (e.g. after school clubs)
• Schools are reminded that they are able to signpost to provision through private providers.
• SOCA noted the current picture of wraparound offers across Devon
• Noted model to be put in place for childcare for children with SEND.
• Arrangements for special schools to be considered with DSSH.
• Schools are expected to contact their Early Years Adviser prior to applying for wraparound funding to consider local needs and potential impact on other local provision.
• Noted school transport implications are being considered, both for children with SEND needs and where local arrangements for between-school transport are in place.
• Noted uncertainties around ongoing funding, however a full 12 months funding is guaranteed where provision is established before 31 March 2025.  Feel that demand will build in line with parental expectation of access to increased childcare provision.

10. School Organisation Update

• SOCA noted closure of Kingswear Primary in August 24.
• Clyst Vale have submitted a Significant Change application to the DfE Regions Group on phased closure of 6^th form provision.
• Following a pre-publication consultation, progression to a statutory process on Tipton St John proposed move to new site has been paused.  School governing body engaging further with DCC prior to moving forward with any statutory proposal.  Children’s Scrutiny to look into statutory processes relating to school closures and re-location.
• Noted that following a pre-publication consultation re. Pathways provision at Pathfield Special School, a statutory process will no longer go ahead as the number of school places will not now be reduced.
• Transforming Futures MAT has withdrawn from sponsoring new Cranbrook Special Free School and a new sponsor is being sought by DfE.  This may impact on timeframes for delivery of the school.
• SOCA noted other updates on school expansions, changes to age range and academy conversions.
• Further clarification is being sought from Regions Group on applications to extend the age ranges, to provide provision for 2 year olds, at a number of schools within the Dartmoor MAT.

11. SW Norse Update

• A new engineer has been appointed to manage the Service Term Contract linked to DevonMaintenance Partnership and VA schemes. 
• There have been compatibility issues with the Track It App being used by contractors during on-site servicing visits.  This has impacted on accuracy of data monitoring and this is currently being reviewed.
• Contractors are being closely monitored to ensure they remain on-track with completing service visits within timeframes.
• Lift contract (with RJ) now appears to be significantly overdue.  Reporting may partly be due to Connect 2 system not being used to upload reports by the contractor, but there also seems to be issues around a number of contractors not making appropriate arrangements for school site visits.
• It was felt that contractor quotations are not always reflecting good value for money, and alternatives are being sought alongside reviews of contractor pricing strategies.
• ACTION: RP and NC to meet to consider VA Promise scheme.

12. Capital Programme Update

• DfE School Capital Funding guidance was issued in September.
• Revised methodology for School Condition Allocation to be made available in Spring 25. DCC recieved £3.1m last financial year in School Condition Allocations for Devon’s maintained estate. A £2.8m allocation for DCC has been assumed based on current methodology.
• No further update received on special school net capacity assessments, though it is expected by the end of 2024.
• SOCA had previously considered investment in high needs adaptations across the estate – Four adaptations projects have already been completed this year, with a further 2 to be completed by October half term.  This is reflecting increasing levels of need being identified through the Physical Difficulties Advisory team.
• 43 Capital Maintenance scheme projects have been completed so far this year, a further 11 are either in development/ reactive schemes or are due to complete by October half term.
• High Needs capital schemes include new special school at Cranbrook (Sept 2027) for which DCC has submitted a self-delivery bid to the DfE; but outcome still awaited.  SOCA to be updated when further information is available.
• Alexander Centre is in the early stages as a proposed development for a temporary 30-place site for the new Castlebridge Special School, with the intention that it will create a permanent satellite hub once the new permanent school base is operational, which is being delivered by the DfE.
• Noted the Basic Need schemes ongoing or planned for Cranbrook Education Campus, Braunton Academy (recently completed) and Cranbrook Cobdens Primary School feasibility.
• Survey to be sent to all Devon schools re. use of Photo Voltaic Panels (PVP) across the schools estate.  Church schools data to be shared with Diocese when collated.
• Survey to be sent to Maintained schools re. condition surveys.  This is intended to complement quinquennial and CDC2 processes and better understand the current condition of Devon schools estate and for schools to highlight particular challenges and concerns.
• New Procurement Act to come into effect from February 2025 – elearning is available for schools on the expected changes.

Future meeting dates (via Teams)

• Tuesday 3 December 2024 (09.30 – 11.30)
• Tuesday 4 March 2025 (09.30 – 11.30)
• Tuesday 20 May 2025 (09.30 – 11.30)
• Tuesday 23 September 2025 (09.30 -11.30)
• Tuesday 2 December 2025 (09.30 – 11.30)
• Tuesday 3 March 2026 (09.30 – 11.30)