DECISION

1.    Agree the Local Authority Relevant Area (geographical area) for admissions purposes.

2.    Agree the admission policy for admission to Community Nursery Schools/Classes in 2025/26, as set out in Appendix A to the report.

3.    Agree the admission policy for admission to Community Primary Schools in 2025/26, as set out in Appendix B to the report.

4.    Agree the admission policy for admission to Community Secondary Schools in 2025/26 as set out in Appendix C to the report.

5.    Agree the schemes for co-ordinating admissions to the Reception Year and Year 7 for 2025/26, as set out in Appendix D to the report.

6.    Agree the scheme for co-ordinating ‘In-Year’ Admissions for 2025/26, as set out in Appendix E to the report.

7.    Agree the planned admission number (PAN) for each school in Tower Hamlets in 2026/26, as set out in Appendix F to the report.

8.    Note the specific equalities considerations as set out in Paragraph 4.1 of the report.

Action by:

TERRY BRYAN, SERVICE HEAD FOR PUPIL ACCESS AND SCHOOL SUFFICIENCY (T. BRYAN)

Head of School Admissions and Place Planning (C. Grace)

Councillor Maium Talukdar (Deputy Mayor and Cabinet Member for Education, Youth and Lifelong Learning) introduced the report that presented recommendations for the Mayor in Cabinet to agree the Local Authority’s school admission arrangements for Tower Hamlets Community Schools and those schools for whom the Local Authority acts as the admission authority. He explained the proposed arrangements included a change to Year 7 admissions, with introduction of a new testing method for schools that use people ability banding. Councillor Talukdar also provided detail on the public consultation between October 2023 and January 2024. He stressed the need for a new approach to public engagement to secure more responses from parents and schools in future consultation exercises.

Steve Reddy, Interim Corporate Director Childrens Services provided further detail and explained that consultation responses were overwhelmingly positive to the proposed changes.

The Mayor and Cabinet welcomed the report and proposed new arrangements. They briefly discussed the appeal arrangements currently in place and expressed dissatisfaction with reported cases of parents not being offered one of their preferred schools. The Lead Member welcomed the comments and offered to provide a briefing to any Cabinet members who wished to know more about the application and appeal process for school admissions.  

RESOLVED that the Mayor in Cabinet:

1.    Agree the Local Authority Relevant Area (geographical area) for admissions purposes.

2.    Agree the admission policy for admission to Community Nursery Schools/Classes in 2025/26, as set out in Appendix A to the report.

3.    Agree the admission policy for admission to Community Primary Schools in 2025/26, as set out in Appendix B to the report.

4.    Agree the admission policy for admission to Community Secondary Schools in 2025/26 as set out in Appendix C to the report.

5.    Agree the schemes for co-ordinating admissions to the Reception Year and Year 7 for 2025/26, as set out in Appendix D to the report.

6.    Agree the scheme for co-ordinating ‘In-Year’ Admissions for 2025/26, as set out in Appendix E to the report.

7.    Agree the planned admission number (PAN) for each school in Tower Hamlets in 2026/26, as set out in Appendix F to the report.

8.    Note the specific equalities considerations as set out in Paragraph 4.1 of the report.