To think that siblings should not get priority when it comes to applying for secondary

[ReallyTired]

I think that sibling priority is essential at primary school level, but compeltely unnecessary at secondary school. My children will be at different schools as one will be at primary and one will be at secondary and I am sure we will cope.

Why is having two children at different secondaries any less doable than having a child at primary and a child at secondary? I find it unfair that a family can move into catchment of a top secondary, move out of area and still get sibbling priority. It is crazy that some children have to take a bus to school because they cannot get into the comprehensive that is walking distance of their house.

Secondary school children without special needs do not need mummy to take them to school. I feel that community secondary schools should just have a distance/ catchment criteria.

I've just been trying to arrange to go and see my brother during half term
All fine until I realised my older two have half term the week before the younger two

These threads always seem to get divided between city centric people and rural people. It happens often on mn. 'Just pop into the drop in centre if you're worried' except the nearest drop in centre is miles away and it's not possible to get there and back by bus in the school day.
The same happens on these school threads.

My dc have been at different schools for ten years. Different uniform, different direction, different holidays, different events. We sent them to the schools we thought would ensure each of them reached their potential. It has been hard work and involved much juggling. We put their education first because they rather than our personal convenience are our first priority.

"I don't think anyone is saying siblings out of area should be offered places but giving priority to siblings in catchment would be helpful."

I think we are talking at crossed purposes here. "Siblings out of area" as you put it is exactly the problem in many London secondary schools. And siblings of those who go to "out of area" schools on scholarships or via lottery.

It makes sense for secondaries in London to have a catchment and therefore most siblings will go to the same school together, just naturally (although not, as I keep having to say, where there are a lot of single sex schools).

Its the renting in catchment for a year or two to get child #1 in, then moving away and sending all their siblings that is THE big problem. People really do cheat the system like this but I think schools are becoming more wise to it.