Minutes of the BCBC Meeting on School Catchment

Minutes from the cabinet meeting about our local school catchment change is found below. The original documentation can be found on their public website... 

A few key points have been highlighted, we are yet to see formal commitments around siblings being given equal priority to attend the same school.  Please note BCBC are looking to set a 5 year time limit on this from 2013. This means if you have a child in Maes-Yr-Haul at 2018 and have a younger child due to enter the school that year or afterwards, they will not be entitled to go to the same school.

SCHOOL CATCHMENT AREAS - BROADLANDS AND LALESTON

            The Corporate Director - Children submitted a report to update Cabinet and seek approval for consultation on changing the catchment areas of Maes yr Haul and Trelales Primary Schools with effect from September 2013.

            The report outlined background information, and advised of consultation that had previously taken place with school governing bodies, parents and communities of the above schools in 2009 and early 2011, following which three main options were considered as detailed in Paragraph 3.2 of the report.

            The report confirmed that at a meeting of Cabinet on 11 January 2011, they resolved not to consider further Option A, to further consider Option C and to carry out a consultation on the option prior to being considered further by Cabinet.

            Paragraphs 3.6 - 3.11 of the report then detailed the key issues that arose from both consultation meetings including individual responses.

            The Group Manager - Support for Children then referred Members to the main points that arose from these consultations, where there appeared to be a general consensus on certain points, namely that:

·         both schools should be in a position to meet the demand for places from within the re-configured catchment areas;

·         the new developments to the west of the estate should be allocated to Trelales Primary School;

·         a safe walking route to Trelales from Broadlands, via Gypsy Lane, should be created to allow children to travel safely to school.

            The Group Manager - Support for Children then explained that Option D had been developed in response to views expressed in previous consultations, which involved allocating further areas from Maes yr Haul to the Trelales catchment area.

            The advantages and disadvantages of the above proposals were outlined in Paragraph 5.2 of the report.

            The Group Manager - Support for Children confirmed that by allocating a longer section of the Broadlands Estate to the Trelales Primary catchment area, the Council would aim to ensure that demand for places from the catchment areas is met at both schools whilst also allowing a degree of parental preference over the choice of school.

            He added that no child would be required to move schools, whilst also the Council would aim to ensure that families who may be affected by a change to the catchment areas would be able to have all their children educated at the same school.

            Paragraph 5.5 of the report then outlined the main points that arose from further consultation in accordance with the statutory Schools Admission Code 2009.

            Paragraph 5.6 of the report then included some final points made in response to certain issues and concerns raised to be taken into consideration as they were pertinent to any final decision.

            The Group Manager - Support for Children explained that there would be some financial implications arising from the proposals to reconfigure the catchment areas of Maes yr Haul Primary and Trelales Primary schools and these were detailed in Paragraph 8.1 of the report.

            The Cabinet Member - Children and Young People explained that the proposals of the report had resulted from listening to the concerns of those involved in the consultation process and then reaching a positive conclusion on the most favourable outcome.

            RESOLVED:               That Cabinet:

                         (1)       Agreed that the proposal to allocate the areas of the Broadlands estate as set out in 5.1 and Appendix B of the report to the catchment of Trelales Primary School to become effective for admissions from September 2013 goes forward for consultation under the Schools Admissions Code 2009;

                        

                         (2)       Approved, in principle, arrangements for safe travel to Trelales Primary School from Broadlands by the construction of a footpath alongside Gypsy Lane, subject to affordability, agreements with landowners and gaining planning permission;

                                     (3)       Consult on any necessary changes to the Admissions Policy to allow, for a limited time period of 5 years initially, siblings in the two catchment areas concerned to have parity with siblings from within catchment in their entitlement to a school place of their choice.