Admissions breaches to be probed

The man who oversees England's schools admissions has been given until July to probe the way all schools and academies decide which pupils to take.

Schools Adjudicator Philip Hunter will check they are legal and will order schools to change them if they are not.

He has been asked by Schools Secretary Ed Balls to ensure all children have fair access to state schools.

"We've made it clear that it is unacceptable not to comply with basic admissions law"
Ed Balls
Children's secretary

Mr Balls ordered the probe after Department for Children, Schools and Families research revealed that a "significant number" of schools in three sample areas were breaking the statutory admissions code.

Breaches included parents being asked for money and personal and financial details.

The findings came as figures showing almost one in five children failed to get a place at the first choice of secondary school for next September were published.

Mr Hunter last week wrote to ministers of his concerns that admissions authorities could still be operating unlawful arrangements.

He will give ministers an interim report in July. A full report will be published in September.

Mr Balls and schools minister Jim Knight gave the schools in Manchester, Northamptonshire and Barnet 10 days to state whether they are meeting the legal requirements.

'Smokescreen'

The secretary of state is also publishing draft regulations in Parliament which will extend the amount of time local people have in which to object to school's written admission arrangements.

Arrangements for next year's intake have to be published by 15 April.

Mr Balls announced last week that every local authority would be required to monitor admissions arrangements and ensure that children in care and those with statements of special educational need are prioritised as the law says they should be.

He added: "We are acting now to make sure all children have fair access to schools. I know all the major faith groups are committed to stamping out practices which could penalise low-income families or increase social segregation.

"We've made it clear that it is unacceptable not to comply with basic admissions law and we will work with every local authority and faith body to make sure this happens."

But ministers faced claims that last week's shock revelations had been made public as a "smokescreen" to hide the figures showing many children did not get their first choice school.

'Admission fee'

The head teacher of Northampton School for Boys, Mike Griffiths, said ministers' accusations were "outrageously inaccurate".

A department spokesman vehemently rebutted the claim, saying it was frankly ludicrous to say the government had imagined this

But local authorities in two of the areas involved, Manchester and Northamptonshire, have denied that any schools there were seeking money.

In the third area checked, Barnet in north London, one Jewish primary school admitted that it had asked parents for a £50 deposit towards voluntary contributions for extra-curricular Jewish studies.

It said that "historically but incorrectly" this had been shown on the application form as an "admission fee" - which would be illegal.

Barnet played down any other problems in its area as "minor".

Teaching unions claim the idea that parents can choose which school their child goes only serves to raise expectation unreasonably.

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