P-05-832 To Amend the School Admissions Code Relating to Summer-Born Children, Correspondence – Caerphilly County Borough Council to Chair, 16.04.19

Response from Caerphilly CBC

In particular, we would be grateful to receive the following information:

• • details of your authority’s policy in relation to requests for a deferral of school admission; No Policy at present

• • any specific policy you operate in relation to requests for deferrals for summer-born children (those born between 1 April and 31 August); We do not have a specific policy with regards to this.  However, through the ADEW Admissions Group WG has been requested to provide guidance in order that this can be consistently applied across all Welsh Authorities.

For each of the past 3 years:

• • the number of requests for deferral of school admission received; 0

• • the number of requests that were granted or rejected; 0

• • the number of requests for deferral of school admission for the reason that a child was ‘summer-born’ (as defined above) or not ready to start fulltime school due to the date of their birth; 0

• • the number of these requests that were granted or rejected; and 0

• • for any requests granted, whether those children were subsequently admitted within or outside of their normal age group. 0

However I have recently been contacted by parents who may wish to apply for a deferral for a Summer Born child for the next Admissions round.  I have asked WG for advice in relation to this and have been advised that they are currently reviewing the School Admissions Legislation.