Jesmond Park Academy required to revise admissions arrangements which 'cannot be easily understood'
The school has until Friday, October 4 to revise its arrangements
by Daniel Hall · ChronicleLiveA Newcastle academy trust has been ordered to revise its admission arrangements for a second school after its admissions policy was deemed to be unclear.
Jesmond Park Academy in High Heaton has been ordered by the Office of the Schools Adjudicator to revise its admissions arrangements by October 4, 2024. It comes after the Gosforth Multi Academy Trust was ordered to revise its own arrangements after 26 parents made objections to the random allocation tie break system in place at Gosforth Academy and Great Park Academy.
A report by schools adjudicator Jennifer Gamble found that the application of the oversubscription at Jesmond Park Academy "cannot be easily understood." Ms Gamble also found that a lack of information with the schools random allocation arrangements does not comply with the Schools' Code as it does "not set out clearly how random allocation will operate."
Deborah Burns, councillor for Manor Park ward, where Jesmond Park academy is located, told ChronicleLive: "It's a real David and Goliath situation. Parents are at the mercy of this hugely powerful organisation within the city and we need to have some faith that they're acting with integrity."
Coun Burns was one of several parents who protested the random allocation tie-break system at Gosforth Academy, with her daughter's appeal eventually upheld for the 2024/25 academic year. She said that parents applying to Gosforth Group Schools were facing a huge amount of apprehension and uncertainty because of the previous admission arrangements.
She continued: "People move home to get their children into a school based on the way that places are allocated, so there needs to be some kind of uniformity and clarity. All they have to do is set out really clearly what they're going to do and be open and honest about it, but they haven't been so far."
A call for all Newcastle Schools to have the same admissions rules was put to Newcastle City Council at an overview and scrutiny committee last Thursday, but that was rejected by assistant director of Education Mark Patton. He said that it was not the council's role to guide people towards a uniform policy across the city.
A spokesperson for the Gosforth Group Multi Academy Trust said: "The Gosforth Group is considering the comments made by the Office of the Schools Adjudicator and will respond accordingly by the deadline."
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