What does mean to you?

[RosieLemonade]

Me and my friend thinks this means different things. How would you read this?

It’s badly written but seems clear. Late applications will be prioritised lower than early ones. No?

The later the application is made, the further back you go in terms of being prioritised.

All on time applications will be considered before any late applications.

To me it means late applications will still be considered, but only after they have looked at all the applications that were submitted before the closing date.

I would assume the same as @ickabog - they'll prioritise the applications that were sent on time, then afterwards look at late ones. I don't see anything that indicates you'll automatically wait longer the later you send it in (they might do all the late ones in a batch, together), but you couldn't count on anything.

What is the disagreement about?

I would take it to mean they will process all on time applications, then when all those applications have been fulfilled consider late applications for any unfilled places.

Well it sounds like they will consider late applications, but only after they have looked at those received on time?

Which is a bonus for anyone submitting late, as I would have thought that you'd have zero chance if you missed the deadline, but this seems to suggest this is not the case.

Essentially you’re still in with a chance if you submitted your application after the deadline but they will only consider these applications once they’ve reviewed and discounted all the other applications submitted within timescales. That seems more than generous to me.

What is the application for? A course or event that they want to fill, or a job where there is likely to be far more applicants than posts?

Although in my industry, there is a shortage of suitably qualified applicants, to the extent that posts often remain open for months without anyone suitable applying.

It’s school admissions. One of us thought that meant first come first served and the other thought it meant no places allocated until after the original deadline.

Before closing date, all applications will be treated on merit regardless of when they were received.

After the closing date, those applications will be lower in priority than those that were in on time.

First come first served is not backed up by what’s written.

It doesn't mean either of the things you thought it did. On time applications are given places first. The late applications are dealt with after.

@ExclamationPerfume

It doesn't mean either of the things you thought it did. On time applications are given places first. The late applications are dealt with after.

I can see what you mean but are those applications that are handed in before the date treated as a first come first serve?

No. They are put in priority order according to the admissions criteria after the closing date. After all those places are given out then the late applications are dealt with.

All applications received before the closing date will be looked at the same time and ranked according to the criteria (usually Looked after, siblings, distance). But the day late application is likely to be looked at before the one that is 2 months late

There's actually nothing to indicate how they plan to deal with them, other than prioritising all those that came in on time after all those that didn't.

I think it's likely they intend to indicate that they'll look at all the on time applications in a batch together, then all the late ones. But they don't actually state that they won't deal with the applications 'first come first served,' either before or after the deadline.

Not a very carefully worded statement.

No school has first come first served as an admission method do they

It means that if you apply late your application won't be considered until all the on time ones have been dealt with

@SarahAndQuack

There's actually nothing to indicate how they plan to deal with them, other than prioritising all those that came in on time after all those that didn't.

I think it's likely they intend to indicate that they'll look at all the on time applications in a batch together, then all the late ones. But they don't actually state that they won't deal with the applications 'first come first served,' either before or after the deadline.

Not a very carefully worded statement.

Surely all those applications that came in on time are prioritised before those that didn't?

Schools.

All 'on time' applications are considered together as a bunch. No advantage for submitting early, but don't be late.

After all the 'on time' applications have been handled and school places allocated, then late applications are considered. This means getting allocated places at the schools that still have spaces (which not surprisingly, are the less popular ones.)

Moral of the story: Get your school application in on time.

Just for example if you have a priority 1 child, if you submit your application on time they retain their priority 1 and go to the top of the list for allocation even if their application was handed in 5 minutes before deadline.

If you submit your application late then your priority 1 child won't be considered for a space until all off the on time applications are processed. You retain priority 1 status, but only as part of the 2nd wave of applications, you don't get to bump people off the list who applied on time.

Unless there are seriously good mitigating circumstances always get your school applications in on time, but don't stress about being one of the first because that makes no difference.

Applications made before the closing date will all be considered in accordance with the admissions policy. Applications made after the closing date will be considered if there are any places left.

All 'on time' applications are considered together as a bunch. No advantage for submitting early, but don't be late.

This. Get it in by the closing date and it will be assessed according to the local admissions criteria with all the others on time. Get it in late and it will be considered for whatever (if any) places are left.

I am planning on getting it in well before the deadline. Just my friend applied today but I am moving into the area in November. She seemed to think I would have no chance of getting a place at the school as I’m not applying today and she will have a place as she applied today.

For primary? If you move in in November, and deadline is ??Jan, then you'll be considered along with all of those that applied before the deadline.
They don't even look at allocation until the deadline has passed.