Agenda item

The Committee scrutinised a report of the Head of School Support Services that provided a briefing and update to the members on the delivery of school places and school place preference rates for the borough.

The report provided an update on the delivery of additional school places and the work of Education Support Services including: -

•           Pupil Numbers

•           Allocation of school places by ward

•           The percentage of residents who are offered a school place of choice (1st or top 3 preferences)

•           Overview of the current school place plans

•           Future to increase parental choice.

The Local Authority (LA) has seen a slight dip in the numbers of Primary age pupils in schools.  In 2020 the January census recorded 24,676 pupils in Oldham schools, whilst the number from 2022 was 24,538.  In Secondary schools the number continues to rise; in 2020 there were 16,740 secondary pupils, this now stands at 17,699.  These numbers include children attending special schools and the pupil referral unit.

In secondary there was place pressure in some year groups, leaving a small number of surplus places available.

The usual situation existed insofar that the borough has some extremely popular secondary schools and others that are less popular.  New provision at the Brian Clarke Academy will give the borough much needed places and further choice for residents who may otherwise struggle to get places at more popular schools.

Ahead of September 2022 Brian Clarke Academy did their own place allocation as a new free school, so these are not included in the data for this year as the places on offer were conditional on the school opening in September 2022, which has now been confirmed. The Brian Clarke Academy will be further established into the admissions process next year as they will then be part of our allocation, and the places at the school will impact fully on the data allocation in 2023.

Primary has place pressure in year 3 and 4, however all planning areas have at least one school with places in each year group.  For many year groups there are several schools with available places.  The borough currently has 10.6 % spare capacity in the primary sector.

Oldham continues to be a net ‘importer’ of pupils with 250 secondary places and 75 primary places offered to non-Oldham residents.

Appendix One of the submitted report showed the detail for 1^st and top 3 preferences in Oldham for secondary places.  In 2020, 75% of residents were offered their first choice of secondary school.  This increased to 75.7 % in 2021 and to 76 % this year.   In 2021, 89.9% of pupils gained a place at one of their top 3 preferences of secondary school and in 2022 this had increased to 91.2 %. National rates are included for comparison. 

The data however did not include the Brian Clarke Academy as places offered at that school, for 2022/23, were conditional.  In 2023 the data was due to include the Brian Clarke Academy.  Information in relation to places offered at the Brian Clarke Academy were detailed at Appendix 3 of the submitted report.

A member commented that the percentage of first, second and third choice of school places being offered to children in the South Chadderton Ward was 84.6% in 2022, down from 90.2% in 2021 and as such had the lowest Ward percentage Ward figure in the Oldham Borough. The Head of School Support Service undertook to investigate this matter and report thereon to Members of the Committee.

Resolved:

1.    That the report be noted

2.    That the Head of School Support Services be requested to submit a further update on School’s School Places and Admissions in approximately 12 months

3.    That the Head of School Support Services’ undertaking to report back to Member of the Committee regarding the percentage of first, second and third placed school allocations be noted.