Vulnerable children could get better support when moving school under DfE plans

The Department for Education has launched an extended consultation on changes to the School Admissions Code that could see a new turnaround of 10 school days for a decision on an in-year application as well as clearly defined timescales for children moving school.

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While the new measures will apply to all children moving school during the academic year, including those of armed forces personnel, vulnerable children and those in care were more likely to move outside of the usual timeframes, the DfE said.

The proposals will also provide greater clarity for parents or carers on how applications can be made during term time, how the council or admissions authority will handle requests and how decisions can be appealed, it added.

The department is recommending an amendment to the admission code which would prioritise children adopted from state care outside of England, ensuring they benefit from the same opportunity to access a school place as those adopted domestically.

The consultation is set to run for an extended period of 16 weeks to enable schools, local authorities, parents, social workers and charitable organisations to have enough time to submit their responses.

Schools minister Nick Gibb said the changes would help speed up the process for vulnerable pupils and make it easier for them to secure a new school place.

“We remain determined to support the most vulnerable pupils to reach their potential in school and beyond, which is why we are aiming to reduce the time spent outside the classroom when a child needs to move school during term time,” he said.

Tomas Thurogood-Hyde, head of governance and legal at Astrea Academy Trust, said the proposals represented an “important step forward” in ensuring equity for the children that needed it most.

He said in-year admissions and fair access protocols, helping those children without school places to be found one as quickly as possible, were relied upon by thousands of children each year.

“They are often doubly vulnerable, not only are they between school places and therefore out of education, but there is often an underlying contributor to this.

“Children might be new to the country or have been recently re-housed and those who come before fair access panels might have been excluded or have unmet needs,” he said.