Advice on MAT admissions consultation please!

[suitcaseofdreams]

Hi there,

Looking for some advice from admissions experts please!

Local MAT (7 schools, mix of primary and secondary) is consulting at the moment to add a new criteria to admissions policy for all schools in the MAT which states “Priority is given to children of xxx [MAT name] staff on a permanent contract”
This would come after sibling priority but before ‘nearest to home’ address priority.

Is this in line with Admissions code? I was under the impression that a MAT could only give priority to children of staff in the specific school, not across all schools in the MAT. And also that staff had to have been working for 2 years at the school (or be recently recruited into a post which could not easily be filled)

i want to respond to the consultation but would like to have my facts straight first. Would be grateful for any guidance and in particular clarity on whether this is against the Admissions Code (and what I can do about it if it is)

Many thanks!

Bump. GA?

The code states:
(a) where the member of staff has been employed at the school for two or more years at the time at which the application for admission to the school is made, and/or

However, it also states:
b) the member of staff is recruited to fill a vacant post for which there is a demonstrable skill shortage.

Schools are having such a terrible time recruiting and retaining teachers that I think this "perk" is necessary and sensible.

TwigTheWonderKid correctly quotes the relevant part of the Admissions Code. The heading for this section is "Children of staff at the school". The question therefore is whether the heading forms part of this particular provision (in which case the MAT can only give priority to children staff at the school) or not (in which case the MAT can give priority to children of any of their staff provided one of the two provisions is met).

Personally I would respond to the consultation saying that the proposal is open to challenge as it stands as the Admissions Code isn't entirely clear whereas limiting it to staff of the school will make a successful challenge less likely.

Thanks both, I will respond accordingly

As it is the MAT consulting on a new admission criteria which will be used in each of the schools in the MAT, then I think it is open to different potential interpretations.
In some respects this is the admission regs simply not keeping up with the reality of the situation in MATs. It makes perfect sense to me for the MAT to have common admission criteria in each of their schools and for this admission priority to apply to any member of permanent staff of the MAT or any of their schools.
My gut feeling is that any referral to the Schools adjudicator would be rejected because they will see this as being sensible to all members of staff of the MAT who qualify.