SIF forms: What's most important to put on the extra info bit?

[mrszimmerman]

Is it best to praise the school to the skies or say something specific about your child?
Any advice, I'm just not sure what to put, everything I write looks so arse-licking and wrong I just can't find quite the right tone somehow.

[mrszimmerman]

Any advice at all very gratefully received!

[noraa]

if you want the school so much, write as you like, what you feel. don't think how it might look like.

[mrszimmerman]

thanks, I just wondered if anyone knew what schools like to see, I can't find any real life advice anywhere.

[mummytime]

It won't really matter, because it probably isn't really looked at. I might remind them of a sibling, or the religious nature of the school.

But if you have any special reasons for this school which don't fit the admissions criteria you don't have to state them now but can just bring them up at the appeal.

Getting the form in on time is the most crucial bit.

[crazymum53]

This depends on the school admission requirements and whether the school has any additional requirements to the LEA.
We did this last year and 2 out of 3 schools had an SIF.
School 1 was a faith school so main purpose of form was getting vicar to sign to confirm church attendance.
School 2 admitted 10% of pupils who were gifted in English so there was a box to tick to be considered under this category.
The additional info we added was that both school 1 and 2 offered tuition in ......... musical instrument that dd plays (not all schools locally offer this).
Know of some people who have put school X offers "......" at GCSE and dc has shown talent in this area by ......... and this has resulted in their child being offered a place as other schools do not offer this GCSE subject.
Hope this helps but as previous posters ay the most important thing is submitting the forms on time.
My dds school has specifically said NOT to ask older dcs already at the school to hand in supplementary forms as this is not very reliable!

[admission]

The places are allocated at any school on the basis of the admission criteria order. If a school asks for a SIF the only information that is relevant is that which enhances the admission authorities knowledge of that application in relation to the admission criteria. So if it is a faith school and it asks you for a priest's signature confirming church attendance then that is what is necessary to be counted under that criteria.
If it is asking for general information about your child or you as parents then it is illegal under the admission code. By the same token gushing comments about the school may sound good but actually have zero impact on admissions to the school if the admission code is being correctly administered.
What kind of school is it you prefer that has a SIF and are you sure that you have not missed something in the admission criteria which specifically needs to be addressed?