On 26 June 2020 the Department for Education (DfE) initiated a consultation in respect of the Schools Admissions Code 2014 (‘the code’). This consultation will end on 16 October 2020 and we therefore encourage all clients to review the proposed amendments and submit any comments or requests for further clarification to the DfE as soon as possible. Please visit www.education.gov.uk/consultations to submit your response. You can access the consultation here.
The proposed changes are to support access to education for the most vulnerable children who are unable to secure a school place quickly.
The purpose of the proposed amendments is to support the in-year admission of vulnerable children by, for example, making changes and adding clarity to the in-year admissions process and the Fair Access Protocols.
On 26 June 2020 the DfE also issued a statement in respect of summer born children. In September 2015, the DfE made a commitment to amend the code so that summer born children could automatically be admitted to a reception class at the age of five when requested by their parents. This is not being proposed in the current consultation as this particular amendment requires the enactment of further legislation. However the DfE has promised new advice to both help ‘parents make informed decisions about what would be right for their child’, and to ‘support admission authorities in fulfilling the duties imposed on them by the code’. Please refer to both the DfE updated statement and the ‘Delayed school admissions for summer born pupils Research report September 2019’ accessed here.
If you have any queries regarding the above, or should you be considering updating or amending your admissions arrangements, please do not hesitate to contact our School Support team for further guidance and assistance so as to ensure compliance with the Code.’