Memorandum submitted by Chrissie Garrett,
Acting Assistant Director, Inclusion Support Birmingham Admissions
Forum (SA 04)
Thank you for your letter of 18 July 2003 inviting
written submissions to the Education and Skills Committee's inquiry
into school admissions.
I am responding on behalf of Tony Howell, Chief
Education Officer, as Acting Assistant Director with responsibility
for Admissions and Appeals arrangements in Birmingham LEA.
Co-ordinated secondary transfer arrangements
required under the statutory School Admissions Code of Practice
were recently considered by Birmingham Schools Admissions Forum.
The Forum expressed concern about the duty on LEAs to exchange
information with other LEAs on applications and potential offers
of places without fixed specified dates.
To agree dates for exchange of information with
neighbouring LEAs requires each LEA to agree the same dates with
their neighbours. This is impossible for individual LEAs to co-ordinate.
Could a national timetable which all LEAs are required to adhere
to, be considered?
The Forum also expressed concern about the lack
of facilities in some LEAs to exchange information electronically.
This needs to be carried out in a format acceptable to all LEAs.
Birmingham Admissions Forum's view was that
the 2005 inter-LEA secondary co-ordinated arrangements should
be delayed whilst these matters are resolved.
19 August 2003
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