Consultation
Council proposes to reduce school admissions numbers to align with lower birth rate
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Walsall Council has opened a public consultation which recommends reducing the Published Admission Numbers (PAN) within three local authority-maintained schools in the borough.
The consultation opens today, Monday 18 November 2024, and closes on Friday 10 January 2025.
Local authorities are required to consult on their school admissions arrangements at least once every seven years, and this year, Walsall is set to reduce the intake at some schools, to better align with the lower cohort of pupils arriving into Reception.
In response to falling enrolment numbers, the consultation will consider reducing the PAN at three local authority maintained primary schools: Salisbury Primary School, Rosedale Infant School and Pelsall Village School.
Following consultation, if approved, changes would come into effect from September 2026.
“ These proposals form part of our statutory duty to ensure that all Walsall children have a school place within the borough.
It’s recommended that we reduce the numbers at three primary schools, because we’re seeing less children enter Reception.
From looking at the data, it indicates a surplus of places over the next few years, so we want to match the data accordingly.
This is happening in many places across the country due to a dip in birth rates during the pandemic. “
The local authority can only consult on admission arrangements for schools which they maintain, and the council is working with some academy trusts in the borough to see if they will also consider adjusting their admission arrangements.
More about the consultation and how to get involved can be found here: https://go.walsall.gov.uk/schools-and-learning/school-admissions/proposed-admission-arrangements-20262027
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