in school admissions advice

[alibaba786]

Hi, my child is currently on the schools waiting list as a sibling. I found out that the school has taken in a child recently under "special circumstances" . I know the schools admissions criteria which is

1. in care/being looked sfter
   
2. sen
   3)sibling
   and then in order of distance.
   In the phone conversation I had with the school I was old the child was nether of these but special circumstances , are they allowed to do this , can anyone advise. Thanks

[AndNowItsSeven]

Yes obviously they can , if there is a very specific reason for a child needing that school place it trumps your need for both of your dc in the same school.

[admission]

If they were not looked after child or child with a statement of special needs (EHC) then the reason why the school would admit over the required number is if the pupil could not attend any other school (that is there were very specific reasons why this school was the only one they could attend) or if there were no other places available in the area around the school and the LA had to find the child a school place because they were not currently in education - they probably moved into the area from somewhere else.

The question really is whether or not your child as a sibling could and should have been considered. So if your child is attending another school, within reasonable distance, then they would not be considered under the protocol to find a school place when the child is not in education currently. If however your child is not currently in education, then I would definitely start asking some more questions as to how they were granted a place and you have not.

[titchy]

Yes. Either through Fair Access Protocol or if they appealed and won.

[alibaba786]

Thanks guys. It seems unfair to me I thought when schools had criterias they had to stick to them. Yes my child is in another school as there was no choice. Its further in distance but not too unreasonably far. So that means any child not in education due to a move would have priority over mine.. Does that apply to children being moved because of being expelled,bullied ect ?

[prh47bridge]

A child who has been permanently excluded needs a place somewhere so they may be admitted ahead of your child. If the parents are choosing to move a child due to bullying they would not normally get priority. However, if they appeal on the basis that their child needs to move due to bullying and they win their appeal that would result in immediate admission.

Schools do have to stick to their admission criteria for normal admissions, i.e. when they are admitting someone because they have a vacancy. However there are situations where they can be forced to admit a child even though the school is already full. This includes:

• successful appeals
• child getting an EHC naming the school
• child being allocated a school under the Fair Access Protocol

In these situations the school has to accept the child regardless of their admission criteria.

[DanFmDorking]

I would advise you to check their admission policy carefully (it may be available on their web site).

In my experience “special circumstances” is near the top of the list (before siblings) and would read something like ... “Evidence from a consultant doctor will be required for medical cases. Documentary evidence from any relevant support services will be required for other sensitive family circumstances. This evidence would set out why the child should attend a particular school.”

[alibaba786]

Thank you very much for your help guys.
There has been two new pupils recently my child was number 2 and is now 3 (must have been admitted under the Circumstances you guys mentioned) Here's me thinking my child would be getting one step nearer down the list but in reality anything could happen

[mummytime]

If your child is moving down the waiting list, surely that means that children are being added who are have a higher priority according to the admissions criteria?

[CrotchetQuaverMinim]

Is this secondary school? Have you tried appealing yourself?