Purpose

That Cabinet consider the responses to the
consultation on proposed changes to Surrey’s admissions
arrangements for community and voluntary controlled schools for
September 2027, and determines Surrey’s admissions
arrangements for all community and voluntary controlled schools for
2027.

Content

RESOLVED:
 
It is recommended that Cabinet makes the
following recommendations to Full Council.
 
Recommendation 1
That the Published Admission Number (PAN) for
Reception at Cranmere Primary School is reduced from 60 to 30 for
2027 admission, as set out in Appendix 1 of Annex 1.
 
Reasons for
Recommendation

There was overall
support for this change from the responses that were
received
It is
supported by the Headteacher and Governing Body of the
school
It is
supported by Surrey’s Education Place Planning team as it
will help offset the surplus of places that is forecast in
the Esher and Weston Green planning area
There
will still be sufficient places for local children if the PAN is
decreased
It
will help the school maintain financial viability as they will be
able to operate with just one class
It
will have no impact on children who are currently on roll at the
school

 
Recommendation 2
That the Published Admission
Number (PAN) for Reception at The Grange Community Infant School is
reduced from 90 to 60 for 2027 admission, as set out in Appendix 1
of Annex 1.
 
Reasons for
Recommendation

It is supported by
the Headteacher and Governing Body of the school
It is supported by
Surrey’s Education Place Planning team
There will still be
sufficient places for local children if the PAN is
decreased
It will help support
the school’s sustainability and to maintain financial
viability as they will be able to operate with just two
classes
It will have no
impact on children who are currently on roll at the
school

 
Recommendation 3
That the Published Admission Number (PAN) for
Year 3 at Chennestone Primary School is reduced from 40 to 30 for
2027 admission, as set out in Appendix 1 of Annex 1.
 
Reasons for
Recommendation

It is supported by
the Headteacher and Governing Body of the school
It is supported by
Surrey’s Education Place Planning team
This reduction will
align the Year 3 PAN for Chennestone Primary with the Reception PAN
for Beauclerc Infant School, which was reduced from 40 to 30 for
September 2024 admission
There will still be
sufficient places for local children if the PAN is
decreased
It will ensure the
school can operate with just one class
It will have no
impact on children who are currently on roll at the
school
It is consistent with Surrey’s place
planning principles set out in the School Organisation Plan, to
have PANs that are a multiple of 30

 
Recommendation 4
That a sibling link is introduced for Manby
Lodge Infant School with Cleves School.
 
Reasons for
Recommendation

There was significant support for
this change
It is supported by the Headteacher
and Governing Body of the school
It will support families with more than one
child as families with a sibling at Cleves will benefit from
sibling priority for a place at Manby Lodge Infant School
It will maximise the opportunity for families to
keep children together or at schools with agreed links
This proposal is in line with a separate proposal
by the Governing Body of Cleves School to introduce a reciprocal
sibling link with Manby Lodge Infant School  
It is consistent with Surrey’s
place planning principles set out in the School Organisation Plan,
to promote and strengthen local links between schools that
would benefit the schools and the community

 
Recommendation 5
That a sibling link is introduced for Oatlands
School with Cleves School.
 
Reasons for
Recommendation

There was significant support for this
change
It is supported by
the Headteacher and Governing Body of the school
It will support families with more than
one child as families with a sibling at Cleves School will
benefit from sibling priority for a place at Oatlands
School
It will maximise the opportunity for
families to keep children together or at schools with agreed
links
This proposal is in
line with a separate proposal by the Governing Body of Cleves
School to introduce a reciprocal sibling link with Oatlands
School  
It is consistent with Surrey’s
place planning principles set out in the School Organisation Plan,
to promote and strengthen local links between schools that
would benefit the schools and the community

 
Recommendation 6
That a feeder link is introduced for Oakfield
Junior School from Fetcham Village Infant School.
 
 
Reasons for
Recommendation

There was significant support for
this change
It is supported by the Headteacher and Governors
at Oakfield Junior School and Fetcham Village Infant
School
It will introduce a feeder link for Fetcham
Village Infant School where currently none exists
It will provide continuity and a clearer
transition for parents, children and schools and reduce anxiety for
parents
It will maximise the opportunity for families to
keep children at schools with agreed links
It
is consistent with Surrey’s place planning principles set out
in the School Organisation Plan, to promote and strengthen
local links between schools that would benefit the schools and the
community

 
Recommendation 7
That a reciprocal sibling link is introduced
between Fetcham Village Infant School and Oakfield Junior
School.
 
Reasons for
Recommendation

There was significant support for
this change
It is supported by the Headteacher
and Governing Body of both schools
It will support families with more than one
child as families with a sibling at either school will
benefit from sibling priority for a place at either Fetcham Village
Infant School or Oakfield Junior School
It will maximise the opportunity for families to
keep children together or at schools with agreed links
It is consistent with Surrey’s place
planning principles set out in the School Organisation Plan,
to promote and strengthen local links between schools that
would benefit the schools and the community

 
Recommendation 8
That the proposal to change the date that
waiting lists are closed is not implemented, but instead to
amend the wording to make clear that waiting lists for Reception,
Year 3 (for schools with a published admission number) and Year 7
will be reviewed at the end of December in the year of entry.
 
Reasons for
Recommendation

It will enable children to remain on
the waiting list seamlessly whilst also enabling the local
authority to ensure the waiting lists are up to date
It will reduce the risk of children
missing out on a school place after waiting lists are closed
It will avoid the administrative
burden of cancelling waiting lists at the end of December –
although waiting lists will continue to be cancelled at the end of
the summer term of each academic year

 
 
 
Recommendation 9
That the Published Admission Numbers (PANs) for September
2027 for all other community and voluntary controlled schools
(excluding Reception
at Cranmere Primary School and The Grange Community Infant School,
and Year 3 at Chennestone Primary School, which are covered by
Recommendations 1, 2 and 3) are determined as they are set out in
Appendix 1 of Annex 1.
 
Reasons for Recommendation

Most other PANs remain as they were determined for
2026 which enables parents to have some historical benchmark by
which to make informed decisions about their school preferences for
2027 admission
The PANs provide for the sufficiency of places at
community and voluntary controlled schools
The Education Place Planning team supports the
PANs
The PAN for Ash Manor has increased from 270 to
300 as part of a school expansion
Each community and voluntary controlled school was
given the opportunity to comment on the proposed PAN if they
wished 

 
Recommendation 10
That all other aspects of Surrey’s admission
arrangements for community and voluntary controlled schools for
September 2027, for which no change has been consulted on, are
agreed as set out in Annex 1 and its appendices.
 
Reasons for Recommendation
·        
The local authority has a duty to determine the admission
arrangements for 2027 for all community and voluntary controlled
schools by 28 February 2026
·        
The admission arrangements are working well
·        
The arrangements
enable the majority of pupils to attend a local school and in doing
so reduce travel and support Surrey’s sustainability
policies
·        
The arrangements are
compliant with the School Admissions Code
·        
The following sections have been updated to add clarity to the
arrangements:
o  
Section 11 of Annex 1 has been updated to clarify who will be
responsible for assessing eligibility where staff priority is
claimed on the basis of a demonstrable skills shortage
o  
Section 11 of Annex 1 has been updated with the application closing
dates to ensure these are clear
o  
Section 12 of Annex 1 has been updated to clarify the date on which
sibling priority will be assessed
o  
A new section has been added at Section 13 of Annex 1 to provide
clarity on ‘Feeder links’
o  
Appendix 6 of Annex 1 has been updated to clarify the dates that
eligibility as a member of staff will be assessed
 
(The decisions on
this item can be called-in by the Children, Families, Lifelong
Learning & Culture Select Committee)