Agenda item

7.1

The Executive Director, People Services, submitted reports and commented upon three cases where parents had expressed a wish for their children to be admitted to secondary schools of their choice.  The Executive Director stated that places in secondary schools had been identified by the City Council, in accordance with the published admission criteria, and it had been agreed that the Executive Director would provisionally allocate places at those schools where there were places available, up to the standard number/admission limit.  The Committee was requested to consider prioritising the pupils on waiting lists, within their respective categories, for admission if and when places become available. 

7.2

The Committee gave consideration to all the supporting evidence and information provided by the pupils’ parents including, in some cases, evidence and advice provided by voluntary or professional bodies and organisations and, arising therefrom, it was:-

7.3

RESOLVED: That (a) one pupil be not prioritised on the waiting list, within their respective category, on the grounds that the Committee considers that there are no exceptional educational, financial, medical or family circumstances demonstrated (Case No.1); and

(b)  two pupils be prioritised at the top of the waiting list in the ‘sibling’ category on the grounds that there are exceptional medical and/or family circumstances (Case Nos. 2 and 3).

7.4

The Committee were informed that “domestic violence” was not part of the Council criteria and was not considered as a category within its Policy on transport and admission cases.  The Committee asked that this be brought to the attention of the appropriate Policy Committee and that domestic violence be written into the Council’s policy as a category to be taken into account when considering all applications.