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Lengthy but clear! Church of England welcomes new DfES School Admissions Code and issues guidance for dioceses.

16 January 2007

The Church of England has welcomed the new School Admissions Code, published by DfES last week, and issued guidance for dioceses on the advice they should offer to their schools to match with the requirements of the new Code.

David Whittington, Acting Chief Education Officer, said: ‘Admitting children to schools is a demanding and complex business and the governing bodies of schools that are their own admissions authorities have had to adapt and revise their policies and procedures over the years since “parental preference” became the basis. This new guidance is designed to assist the over-riding aim of the Code – to produce a more understandable and transparent admissions system.’

The national guidance emphasises the nature of Church of England schools as “distinctive and inclusive”:

· New schools should normally have at least 25% of their pupils from other faiths or none.

· All schools should aim to have at least 15% such.

· The range of possibilities can be very wide – even up to 100% “local priority” where this is judged appropriate by the school.

and advises ways in which these twin aims can be achieved in very differing local circumstances.

It also suggests simpler criteria for the “faith priority” places to achieve greater transparency for parents and more straightforward decision making for the admissions panel:

· known to the church

· attached to the church and

· at the heart of the church.

The Church also welcomes other fundamental changes that the Code either repeats from recent legislation or decides for the first time:

· The abolition of “first preference first”.

· The abolition of interviews (except for boarding)

· The banning of criteria which restrict parents’ range of choice.

· The introduction of Choice Advisers.

David Whittington added: ‘The resultant Code is a lengthy document but, together with the Church’s own advice, it should lead to the desired clarity and to more responsiveness to parents’ wishes.’

Notes:

The full text of the national advice to dioceses may be found on-line on the National Society website by clicking here.

The DfES School Admissions Code may be found by clicking here.

There are about 4,620 Church of England schools: some 4,400 primary (25% of all state primary schools) and 220 secondary (6%). 19% of all primary pupils and 6% of all secondary pupils attend these schools, and both proportions are growing.

2,155 Church of England schools are their own admissions authorities (the remainder have their admissions controlled by their Local Authorities) and must consult their dioceses on their admissions policies. The Church of England nationally therefore provides guidance for dioceses on the advice they should offer to their schools.