Do schools understand application process?

[Littletreefrog]

Bog standard comprehensive school who use the local authority to process the applications has just posted on Facebook:

"Spaces are filling up fast, if you want your child to join us in September 2025 compete your application as soon as possible"

This isn't how it works is it? I thought all applications were assessed on their own merits wether received on the first or last day or application window.

The only time I’ve seen that sort of message from a state school was in reference to the nursery class, where they manage their own admissions.

Normal state secondary using the LA for admission, all applications made before the deadline get equal weight.
Scaremongering, on the part of the school, to force parents into a quick decision. My dc school hasn’t had their open evening yet but others have. Has this school tried to get a jump over others locally?

No, that's not how it works. Either they are bafflingly ignorant or they are generally undersubscribed and are so desperate for bums on seats that they're hoping to fool uncertain parents to panic and put them on the form and submit asap!

They had their open evening the end of last week so I think yes they are probably trying to get people to send in their applications before having the chance to visit other schools.

It seems very unfair of them when some parents don't understand the application process and we are actually in an area where a lot of parents won't have gone to school in this country so maybe even less understanding of the system.

It’s bollocks and they’ll know it is. They might be trying to scare people into putting them as first preference though.

Depends who made the post. A general admin bod wouldn’t necessarily know the application process from the parents’ side - just the timeline as it relates to the school. At the end of the day the school just end up with a list of students and it doesn’t matter to them how that list was arrived at, particularly. I have an awareness of the application process to my college but I don’t know dates or anything as it just doesn’t affect me.

My guess is that, no, whoever works in the office posting these things probably doesn’t understand how these things work. Our school admin person cannot seem to even attach an attachment to an email or get dates right. Literally every email we get from school seems to be incorrect or doesn’t include the attachment that is meant to be attached. Cue several follow up emails with corrections and missing information after every one. It’s so confusing.

Any chance they are referring to an open day?

Otherwise... how would they know?

Nope they have already had their Open Day.

As someone who works in admissions, many schools really don't understand the process. Always contact the LA.

Or maybe they want to be able to fill all their spaces with people who made an active choice to put their school on the application form, rather than risk having empty spaces which have to be filled by people who are allocated somewhere they don't like because they missed the deadline and therefore have a more antagonistic attitude to the school.