Schools: Admissions Code

Baroness Massey of Darwen Excerpts

Wednesday 9th March 2016 Lords Chamber

[Lord O'Shaughnessy (Con)]

My Lords—

[Baroness Massey of Darwen (Lab)]

My Lords, I understand that there is to be a consultation on a package of changes to the schools admissions code and that there will be measures on fairness and transparency. Will the Minister define what the Government actually mean about fairness and transparency?

[Baroness Evans of Bowes Park]

Schools obviously have to publish their admissions codes. It is most important that parents understand what they are and what they mean so that, if they want to send their child to a school, they understand the criteria on which it will judge. We want to put parents at the heart of this, which is why we propose to make sure that their concerns are raised by the adjudicator and can be looked at in a timely fashion. We also want to make sure that schools explain their admissions policies clearly so that parents can try to get their children to the schools they want.