Issue - meetings

Cabinet is asked to approve an update to the Fair Access Protocol.

Cabinet Portfolio Holder – Councillor Kam Kaur

Councillor Kam Kaur, Portfolio Holder for Education introduced this report, explaining that the changes sought to address the challenges highlighted by the previous agenda item (Annual Education Sufficiency Update (Ages 0-25) 2023).   The existing Fair Access Protocol was not user-friendly and readers struggled to comprehend its content.  After a consultation process which took opportunities to reach out to a wide variety of forums, including the Head Teachers Conference and Educational Head Teachers Board, the aim of the new Fair Access Protocol was to ensure that children were placed more promptly.  The Protocol was a more fair, cohesive and transparent document which provided for more frequent Panels and ensured that the most appropriate places were granted using a bank of supportive information and pool of head teachers to operate objectively on behalf of the sector, supported by multi agency panel representation.

Councillor Peter Butlin expressed his support for the proposals which he considered would see children placed in the most appropriate schools and thereby create a saving on the home to school transport budget.

Resolved

That Cabinet approves the introduction of a new Fair Access Protocol for Warwickshire Schools from January 2024 to support a more efficient and effective way of placing children where we have been unable to secure a school place.