Dear Parents/Carers,
Concordia Academy (the Academy), part of REAch2 Academy Trust (the Trust), are consulting on proposed variations to its admission arrangements for the September 2021 intake. The consultation period will commence on 2 December 2019 and will end on 31 January 2020.
The Trust is the ‘Admission Authority’ for all of its academies and is therefore responsible for determining the admission arrangements for all of its academies, ensuring that they are fully compliant with the School Admissions Code 2014 (Code) and other relevant legislation (for example, the Equality Act 2010).
On 15 November 2019, REAch2’s Trust Board approved a number of proposed changes to the Trust’s standardised admission arrangements for all of its academies, which the Trust and its academies are now consulting on in line with the Code.
A full set of the proposed new arrangements for the Academy (together with this consultation notice) can be found online at: www.reach2.org/admissions and http://concordiaacademy.co.uk/admissions/
Consultation
Consultees are invited to consider the proposed new admission arrangements in their entirety and provide the Academy/Trust with their views or comments. In particular, consultees are invited to consider two key proposed changes to the previous admission arrangements, both of which relate to the oversubscription criteria, as follows:
Priority for Children Previously in Care Outside England
Some time ago, the then School Standards Minister wrote to all Admission Authorities stating the government’s intention to amend the Code to include children who were previously looked after outside England equal priority with children who are looked after or were previously looked after in England (who are currently required to be given highest priority). The Minister asked Admission Authorities to consider giving second priority to children previously looked after outside England (following consultation) in the interim period.
As a result of this, it is proposed to give second priority to children who were previously looked after outside England in the admission arrangements for the September 2021 intake.
Children of Staff Members
The current admission arrangements give third priority to the children of leadership and teaching staff with a permanent contract at the Academy who are fulfilling a skills shortage role.
It is proposed to vary this criterion to give fourth priority to the children of all staff with a permanent contract at the Academy who were recruited to fill a vacant post for which there is a demonstrable skills shortage in the admission arrangements for the September 2021 intake.
Consultees’ Responses
During the consultation period, the Academy/Trust is actively seeking responses from a wide range of consultees in relation to the proposed new admission arrangements as a whole and, in particular, the two key changes outlined above.
Responses on any aspect of the admission arrangements can be submitted by email to:
Or by post to:
Admissions Consultation
REAch2 Academy Trust
Henhurst Ridge Primary Academy
Henhurst Ridge
Burton on Trent
DE13 9TQ
The consultation period will close at 11:59 on 31 January 2020, after which all responses received will be carefully considered by the Academy/Trust before the admission arrangements are finalised and formally determined.