Chancellor’s School admission arrangements

Text of letter from the Schools Adjudicator's Office
September 16, 1999

The schools adjudicator has reached a decision regarding the objection by Hertfordshire Local Education Authority, Brookmans Park Primary School and a group of parents to Chancellor’s School admission arrangements for entry in September 2000.

A copy of his determination is attached.

(Note: The determination is 22 pages long - the following is a summary)

In summary the adjudicator has determined:

• to uphold the objection to the basis of selection by aptitude, and directs that the school reduces the overall percentage of pupils to be selected by aptitude to no greater than 10% of any relevant age group;
• not to uphold the objection that the criteria by which selection by aptitude is made is subjective and unfair.  However, the adjudicator has said that the school should consider giving clear guidance to applicants as to its targeted distribution of places for each subject and must ensure that clear guidance is supplied to all applicants as to the criteria by which selection by aptitude, for each subject, will be judged;
• not to uphold the objection that the process by which ‘feeder’ schools are allocated places in the case of over-subscription is unclear; nor to uphold the objection that the more geographically distant ‘feeder’ schools are given priority over more local ‘feeder schools;
• not to uphold the objection that admission arrangements act to deny places to local children, and create unreasonable travel distances; and
• not to uphold the objection that the admission arrangements of the school have a significant impact upon the admission profile of Mount Grace school.

The parental objection has been dealt with in Hertfordshire Local Education Authoritiy's determination.

The above summary is for information only and is not a substitute of the adjudicator's full determination.

Elaine Kennedy
Secretary to the Office of the Schools Adjudicator

September 16, 1999

Have your say

Is that the end of the matter?  What will you do now for your children?  Have Your Say