Diana Johnson MP
Department for Children Schools & Families
7th Floor, Sanctuary Buildings
Great Smith Street
London
SW1P 3BT
Tel:
01992 555704
Fax:
01992 555719
E Mail: john.harris@hertscc.gov.uk

My ref:
JH/rd
Your ref:
Date:
8 July 2009

Dear Minister

St Albans Hertfordshire: School Admissions

I am writing on behalf of Hertfordshire County Council following the meeting with you on 24th June 2009 to consider local concerns regarding school admissions in St Albans. As you know, the meeting was requested by Anne Main MP following an Early Day Motion debate in Parliament on May 20th. The County Council was pleased to take part in the round table discussion that you facilitated with your officials, and to listen to the perspectives of the local MPs, St Albans District Council and, most importantly, the representative of the parent group that has been set up to press for local improvements in fair access to schools. The County Council takes their views and concerns seriously, and we always seek to work in partnership to achieve local solutions. This letter outlines our policy approach to school admissions and the next steps that we will be taking to respond to the issues raised at our meeting.

Our Overall Approach
Through its school planning policies the County Council seeks to promote diversity and choice in the schools available to parents in Hertfordshire. Our support and challenge to schools ensures that they are of high quality. A large proportion of our 528 schools are good or outstanding and the one school currently in an OfSTED category will become an Academy in September. Through our school admission arrangements we seek to promote fair access and to maximise parental preference in a diverse county with twenty seven major communities and extended rural areas. We recognise the importance of ensuring that parents have swift and easy access to information and services. Working in partnership with DCSF, Hertfordshire led the very successful national scheme to develop on-line admissions. We are currently working with the Department in leading the Gateway to Education Services (GES) programme to develop on-line access for parents to a wider range of services.

Local Solutions for St Albans

Regarding school admissions in St Albans, the County Council provided a full briefing to DCSF officials in advance of the parliamentary debate on May 20th. I have provided with this letter the latest information about the proportion of children that have been allocated one of their ranked schools. For the St Albans District, 94.57 % of children have been allocated a place at one of their preferred primary schools (as at 8th May) and 98.34 % have secured a ranked school place at secondary school (as at 1st July).

In responding to the local concerns raised at our meeting last week, the County Council will be focusing on four key issues:

Identifying and securing a suitable site in central St Albans for a new primary school
The County Council is working closely with the District Council to ensure that the need for a new primary school is built into local town planning assumptions for future development. Two sites are currently under consideration.

Improving the parental esteem for Francis Bacon School
Francis Bacon School was removed from special measures following an inspection on June 17th. In the past few years it has been identified by the local authority as a school causing concern, with relatively low pupil attainment and falling pupil numbers. Working closely with the local authority over the past twelve months, a strengthened governing body has driven forward major improvements. The parental and community perception, however, is that this continues to be an under performing school. The County Council will be supporting a major initiative with the governing body and community leaders to promote a more positive view of the school, backed by strong support and challenge to the school to continue to improve. We will also be working with those secondary schools that are currently assessed by OfSTED as satisfactory to help them achieve a good rating, in line with the County Council’s priority to “secure a good education for all”.

Reviewing the impact of current admissions arrangements on villages in the St Albans area as part of the County Council annual review programme
The County Council undertakes a formal programme to review its admissions arrangements in the autumn each year, prior to formal consultation on its determined admissions arrangements. We will look specifically at the issues for villages in the St Albans area and model options for change, consulting as necessary if there is evidence that any changes to the current arrangements would be beneficial in promoting fair access for children from the villages, whilst not resulting in arrangements that could compromise the fair access for other localities or social groups.

Reviewing the effectiveness of information for parents to assist them in expressing appropriate school preferences and understanding the admissions procedures as a whole
We will review the information that we provide for parents in our school admissions booklets and other published materials.
As we take forward this work we will continue to work closely with the District Council. We will draw on the views of local parents and fully involve local elected Members and the two Members of Parliament to ensure that there is a strong foundation of local support for the way ahead.

Yours sincerely

John Harris
Director of Children, Schools & Families