Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

Original poster

Is it possible to have been offered two different secondary school places?

37 replies

Ada23 · 14/03/2018 20:49

Hello, hope anyone with an insight knowledge into the secondary school application process could give me a quick answer:
we have not been allocated a school place for our child (not our first choice, not our second choice, not one which we did not apply for in the bad side of town - nothing; yes, we applied on time, no, we did not move recently, yes, we applied for the two closest school, one of which we are in the catchment area of).
Now my son tells me he overheard a playground conversation, about how three of his classmates have been offered places at two different schools - can someone tell me whether this is possible at all? Will ask around the playground tomorrow, but if this is true is this maladministration and who can I complain to about the admission office?

Any thoughts appreciated, thanks.

OP posts:
meditrina · 14/03/2018 22:45

You can only apply for a school place through your own council, ^Sue* and they do any necessary co-ordination with neighbouring boroughs. You wouid't hear from both, just from your own (even if the offer is a school outwith their patch).

The only way this can happen is if there is a brand new free school, which in its first year of operation doesn't mesh with the main round.

steppemum · 14/03/2018 22:44

Sue - no they can't.

That used to be the case, but it isn't any more. (saying that, I can only speak for England)

Now, you apply always to the LEA that you LIVE in, regardless of where the school is that you are applying to and regardless of the primary school you go to.

So you can have a school in authority A as school no. 1 and a school in authority B as school no. 2 on your form. Your LEA processes the form in conjucntion with the other authority, You are then offered one place.

GreenTulips · 14/03/2018 22:44

We used to live near a catholic school and the kids were offered the catholic and local primary place - they usually dropped the primary place and the waiting list were offered a place - could this be the same?

SueDunome · 14/03/2018 22:39

If you live near an authority boundary, they could have two offers from two separate authorities.

steppemum · 14/03/2018 22:35

How many spaces on the application form? Did you fill them?

Ok, so I know a bit about it, but I am not an expert.

As I understand it, you have played it by the book, applied to your closest schools, and have not got a place. The LEA is therefore obliged ot find you a place. They are supposed to do that in the nearest school with a place. That line with a place is the rub, as it can be a school miles away.

You need to do several things.

  1. call the LEA and make sure you talk to someone in admissions, and get the name of the person you speak to. Let them know you do not have a school place and want to know why and what the LEA is offering you, because legally they do have to provide a place.
  1. find out - you can ask directly - where you would be on the waiting list for schools 1, 2, and 3. Ask specifically to go on the waitig list for each school, and get the name etc of the person who you speak to.

If you are in the top 5 on the waiting list, you may well get a place before september.

  1. appeal. you need to get some advice from the appeal experts on here, have alook at a couple of appeal threads, and pm some of the appeal experts (prh is one, I can't remember her full name)

It does seem that the schools admission policies are discriminating against people who live in your local area. I am wondering if there is anything you can do. I vaguely remember something about people who live in an area where they fall out side of all catchments, but can't remember it

CotswoldStrife · 14/03/2018 22:28

I doubt the children have been offered two places by the council - more likely that they have a state school offer and an independent one or are on a waiting list for another state school.

I know that our council has a second reallocation day at the end of March, yours may do the same and have more of an idea then of the available school places. Can you put yourself on the waiting list for the schools that you did put on your form? There may be some movement.

Our council firmly recommends that you accept a place and go on the waiting list for the school you want (we've done this as we got our second choice, although it's also a good school but further away than our first choice!) because if you reject the place that they have offered, they have fulfilled their obligation and don't need to offer another one. Check this is the case at yours and if it is, I'd accept one of the offered places and then go on the waiting list for others.

The admissions officer should be able to tell you how many people put down your chosen schools as first choice and the last distance admitted which may give you an idea of how likely you'd be to get in.

Original poster
Ada23 · 14/03/2018 22:13

Don't worry, not taking any offence, legitimate question: we applied to the closest school (3miles away), for which we are in the catchment area. However, they rank catchment in 5th place. Above that is children in care, partner schools, feeder schools, siblings, then catchment, then children of staff, then distance. We are in the feeder school, but not partner school.
The other school we applied for is just next door (3.2miles away), but we are not in the catchment area for that one, and that criterion is ranked 2nd by that school (after children in care). Then siblings, then feeder schools (in which we are).
The next school after that is 3.7 miles, and we are not in the catchment or feeder, or anything else. Next one 4.5 miles, not fulfilling any of the criteria either.
So we applied to the two closest ones, where we fit at least some of the admissions criteria. Any four of these schools would be acceptable, we did not apply to No 3 or No 4 simply because we did not seem to fit the criteria at all. Tell me honestly - unrealistic?

I agree, they should have offered a place somewhere, but they did not and have pretty much washed their hands of any responsibility.

Thus again, any thoughts or advice appreciated, as there does not seem to be any advice or even discussion for this situation.

OP posts:
steppemum · 14/03/2018 21:58

I am wondering if you only applied to unrealistic schools?
Sorry, I'm not criticising, just trying to get a full picture

steppemum · 14/03/2018 21:57

if they offer a place 6 miles away as the only school place for you, theyhave to provide transport.

I am not an expert, but I think they should have offered you a place in a school that has places? Not just say you can apply, but actually offered you a place?

If you are offered ANY place, you should accept it. If you don't the LEA is not obliged to help any further. You accept the place, and then pursue waiting lists and appeals and so on.

Original poster
Ada23 · 14/03/2018 21:29

Thanks for the quick replies, much appreciated.
So the consensus is that it should not be possible to hold two non-independent school offers concurrently?
I will ask the kids' mums directly, but am considering what to do with the information in relation to our appeal.

P.S. Just in case you are curious, LEA included a list of schools with availability with the refusal, the closest being some 6 miles by car or 1 1/2 hours by bus, the furthest 30 miles away with a stark warning that if we do not apply for one of those they would possibly be unable to offer us a place at all.

OP posts:
steppemum · 14/03/2018 21:07

firstly, the local authority has to find you a place, so you need to get back to them and ask what is going on.

secondly, it is very likely that they kids in the playground are talking about independant place plus local authority place.

BrownTurkey · 14/03/2018 20:59

Might they have applied to Independent schools too?