Our local college has changed it's sixth form application process this year, and as a result, prioritises children at seventeen partner schools (including an independent school), even though all those children have other sixth form colleges in their locality. The college has 4,000 students across two years.
Children at non-partner schools, but whom live very locally, only have a two-week period to apply, ending at the start of November. Children at partner schools can apply whenever they like.
My DD applied late, because it is our third application in four years and we did not know the admissions policy had changed (despite attending open evenings etc). It is our fault the application was late, but it feels very unfair that DD is now repeatedly leap-frogged by children who live some distance away, or attend the local independent school. DD is very unlikely to get a place, and now faces a two-hour round trip by public transport to her current school (which she has been doing, but was really looking forward to attending her local college). Her current school does not support one of her A level choices. The allocation process for 'late reserve pool' children is unspecific in terms of dates. I feel she should have the same access to her local college, as other applicants.
There is no appeal process for this new policy, and it seems crazily unfair that DD lost all local options to her from 7th November onwards, whereas children at partner schools can apply to both Farnborough, and their local option.
Is there any ability to challenge sixth form admission policies at all - acknowledging that they are outside the schools admission code ? I have emailed the College and they have politely responded, but basically said it's too bad, that partner schools trump everything and local children don't matter.