North Yorkshire County Council has been praised by the Schools Adjudicator for the impressive nature of the widespread consultation it is holding to review secondary school admissions in Harrogate.

The Adjudicator has also agreed with the authority that any changes to admissions arrangements will not have to be made until 2011 to allow the extensive consultation process to take place.

Although the Schools Adjudicator has upheld the concerns of a group of parents about the fairness of the current system, he concluded in a determination last week that the changes cannot be made in time for 2010. Any changes will be made for the following year.

County Councillor Jim Clark, North Yorkshire's executive member for schools said: "We are delighted that the Schools Adjudicator has acknowledged the determination of the authority to listen to people's concerns and to consult widely and is giving us the time to do it properly. We are going to a great deal of effort to make sure that all who wish to make their views known are heard, and that what they have to say is thoroughly considered. It is in the interests of all of us to adopt an admissions system which is as fair as it can possibly be and sustainable for the long term.

"I am also pleased that the Adjudicator noted that the objectors are willing to contribute to the review in a well-informed and constructive manner."

Concerns have been raised by some parents about the current system, which gives priority for places at the three community secondary schools in Harrogate to children living in the rural part of the area.

The system was introduced when the current pattern of secondary schools was set up in the area. It recognised that children who lived furthest away would otherwise have little chance of getting a place at their preferred school if it was very popular and so their first preferences were met before those of the town.

New national admissions rules in 2008 meant the local policy had to change and resulted in all the rural area preferences having to be met before places are allocated to other children. This led in 2008 to a small increase in the number of children in the rural area who gained places at Harrogate Grammar School, which meant that some children in the town area living closer to Harrogate Grammar School could not be offered a place at the school.

The Schools Adjudicator, who is responsible nationally for fair school admissions, has concluded that this system creates unfairness but acknowledges that there may not be another system which would be any fairer under the current national rules.

The council wants to see if there is another system that could be introduced which would not create equal or greater unfairness for children and families in the whole area.

The consultation process began on September 7, and parents of primary aged and pre-school children are being invited to attend a meeting in their local area to find out more about how any changes might affect their children. The consultation will end on 2 November.

The County Council will then make proposals about which option to use with a view to implementing it for children transferring to secondary school in September 2011. Parents will have a further opportunity to comment on the proposals once they are published in December. The County Council will then take all of these views into account in reaching a decision in February next year on arrangements for 2011.

Ends

09/09/09