Admissions, transport and relevant areas consultation

For general information on admissions in Devon or application forms find out more here

Local authorities are required to publish co-ordinated admissions schemes for the first entry to schools in their area. That means primary schools (reception, a transfer from infant to junior schools, first to middle schools) and secondary schools (middle to high schools and primary to secondary schools).

Devon County Council’s annual consultation on School Admission and Transport Arrangements took place between Monday 2 November 2020 and Friday 8 January 2021. Policies will be determined by the end of February and published by 15 March.

The next consultation will take place between 1 November 2021 and 7 January 2022.

This will include its normal round co-ordinated admissions scheme, in-year co-ordinated admissions scheme, Education Transport Policy and the admissions policies for individual schools in Devon for 2023-24.

Responses must be submitted either in writing to: Senior Policy Officer, Room L60, County Hall, Topsham Road, Exeter, EX2 4QD, or by email: schoolsadmissionpolicy-mailbox@devon.gov.uk

After the consultation, responses will be considered by the Local Authority and the admission authority for each school. A report will be presented to The Cabinet of the Council for its consideration on 11 February 2022.

The determined versions of all policies will be published by 15 March 2022 at devon.cc/lapolicies and devon.cc/schoolpolicy and on the websites of schools and their own admissions authorities.

The following schools will also be included:

• • in Plymouth: Old Priory Junior Academy
  • Oreston Community Academy
  • Plympton St Mary’s C of E Infant School
  • St Edward’s C of E Primary School
  • St George’s C of E Primary School
  • St Matthew’s C of E Primary and Nursery School
  • and in Torbay: All Saints, Babbacombe C of E Primary School
  • Brixham C of E Primary School
  • Collaton St Mary C of E Primary School
  • Ellacombe Academy
  • Galmpton C of E Primary School
  • Ilsham C of E Academy
  • Oldway Primary School
  • Roselands Primary School
  • Shiphay Learning Academy
  • St Marychurch C of E Primary School
  • St Michael’s C of E Academy
  • Upton St James C of E Primary School
  • Warberry C of E Academy

A summary of significant Proposed Changes for Policies will be published during the consultation at devon.cc/schoolpolicy.

In Devon, we believe that arrangements should be open for consultation annually, including all aspects of the arrangements such as the number of places available at each school. While not a legal requirement where there are no changes proposed, this enables parents new to admissions and new members of staff and governors at schools to consider the arrangements. You are invited to review the arrangements for Devon County Council and individual schools and to ask yourself the following questions:

• are the arrangements reasonable?
• are the arrangements clear?
• are the arrangements objective?
• do the arrangements comply with the school admissions code 2014 and the school admissions appeals code 2012, and the laws and regulations behind them?
• will the arrangements cause disadvantage or discrimination?
• could changes be made that would improve the arrangements, including the number of places available at a school, how they prioritise children when they have more applications than places, the designated areas for schools or how applications are managed?

The information below constitutes an appendix to all local authority policies:

• DfE School admissions code
• Office of the schools’ adjudicator
• Education and Skills Funding Agency
• UK – General education and learning information
• UK – School admissions and transport to school advice
• Ofsted – Office for Standards in Education
• Ofsted – Primary and Secondary schools’ information and reports
• GIAS – Get information about schools

Contact us

You can email schoolsadmissionpolicy-mailbox@devon.gov.uk or write, marking the letter ‘School Admissions and Transport Policy’ to: Senior Policy Officer, Room L60, County Hall, Topsham Road, Exeter, EX2 4QD.