High school seeks admission change to prioritise children of its staff
City of Norwich School in Eaton Road is consulting to prioritise children of its own staff. Picture: Ormiston Academies Trust - Credit: CNS
Children of staff members at a Norwich school could be given priority over others if a change in its admission rules is approved.
Year 10 students studying French at City of Norwich School in 2019. Picture: Ormiston Academies Trust - Credit: Ormiston Academies Trust
City of Norwich School is seeking public views on proposed changes to its oversubscription criteria that would see staff children added to the list of those with a priority for places.
When the school has more applications than places, oversubscription criteria are a series of factors against which places are allocated.
The Eaton Road secondary school, which is run by the Ormiston Academies Trust, has 1,641 pupils and has been oversubscribed in previous years.
Jo Philpott, headteacher of City of Norwich School. Picture: Ormiston Academies Trust - Credit: Archant
MORE: Oversubscribed school unveils £8m expansion to welcome more pupilsThe school’s current oversubscription criteria include five factors, including children due to transfer who have an older brother or sister already at the school, children with a statement of special educational needs and Education Health Care Plan naming the school, and children in public care.
Other deciding factors are children who have been offered a place under music potential, aptitude and ability criteria, and those due to transfer living nearest to the academy.
Headteacher Jo Philpott said adding the children of staff members to the criteria would help the school retain valued teachers.
City of Norwich School is consulting to prioritise children of its own staff. Picture: Denise Bradley - Credit: copyright: Archant 2014
She said: “This is for staff members who have been employed at the school for two or more years at the time of application, or where a staff member is recruited to fill a vacant post for which there is a demonstrable skill shortage.
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“Whilst no decisions have been made, the plans have been proposed as a means of further strengthening the CNS community and family values.
MORE: CNS hits high note with national award for music partnership“It will mean staff members can educate their children at their place of work, which will promote an increased sense of belonging for staff families, alongside supporting our already strong staff recruitment and retention, so that we can continue to provide the best possible education to our students.”
Fourteen city primary schools feed into CNS. Ms Philpott said “in line with our commitment to ensuring we operate an open and fair admissions procedure for all applications”, the school was keen to hear the thoughts of parents, carers and staff.
If approved the changes would affect the September 2022 admissions. The public consultation runs until November 11 and views can be given by emailing consutlation@cns-school.org
