Feeder Schools = Unfair

[KrustyKo]

In my area there is an Academy trust, runs about 10 primary schools and 2 high schools, covers quite a large area (a city) and both the high schools are very central. The primary schools are more spread out. We live relatively near one of the high schools, we do have another high school about the same distance away too though.

One of my friends works for the other high school and has told me that they are looking at changing the admissions criteria to include feeder schools. The feeder schools would be the trusts own primary schools. The likelihood is there would be some but not many spaces left after the feeder school children (and other priority kids like cared for and SEN) got their places for local children. I don’t think we would be close enough to get in with all the feeder school kids.
My friend thinks it would be fair, as we are pretty central there aren’t that many family’s and already most of the kids at the school are travelling in a bit. She also thinks that less than half of the feeder school kids would travel in as some are over 30 min away on public transport, others live closer to grammars etc. and a few of the feeder schools are in very wealthy areas so typically a high number of the kids go to independent schools.
AIBU to think this system would be unfair? I hope if they push ahead with it something stops it as it seems so unfair on the kids living in flats locally to give to the kids in big houses further out before them !!

When they aren't geographically near it does seem unfair.

We have feeder schools but its geographical and all Primaries feed into a designated local Secondary

So, trying to understand this...
Are you saying that, essentially, Bigtown High School will only take the kids from feeder schools nearest them/SEN; then other places for request? That's how it works here (Scotland), and most kids go to their nearest high school. Some people put in requests for other schools for other reasons. If there's space, they get in. If not, they go to their nearest school. It works.

There will be a consultation where you can put your views.

However where I am, for our local secondary the priority goes: ... in catchment, feeder, other out of catchment so if they did that local children still have priority over further away feeder school kids.

Should say that we don't really have grammar schools (although my nearest is MyTown Grammar - but that's a total hangover), or church schools (other than Catholic schools.) You get a place at your local high school, as standard. If you want something else, you apply. None of this putting preferences/touring schools/not knowing where you've got in.

No, I’ll simplify

Big High School is central and part of an academy trust. The academy trust also run 10 primary schools spread out across the city, none of these are geographically close to the high school.
High school wants to prioritise these primary schools over children who live near the high school.

The Admissions Code says:

'1.15 Admission authorities may wish to name a primary or middle school as a
feeder school. The selection of a feeder school or schools as an
oversubscription criterion must be transparent and made on reasonable
ground'

So if you could argue that it's not reasonable, then they may have to change it. I will say though, that an arrangement such as you have described is not super unusual.

What would be unreasonable would be if by making the change your area falls into a black hole whereby you don't easily qualify for any school.
There has to be a consultation. Make sure you know about when it is.

We are quite lucky we are very close to several schools, including a grammar and 2 others. My area has an issue with all the high schools being centred around a few areas and other areas (especially those which have seen a lot of new builds) are without one for miles.

We're in a feeder school area and it seems to work well. I think maybe the difference is that most of the secondary schools are on the feeder system, so it works because they all have different feeders. Perhaps the problem with the one being suggested is that it wouldn't fit well with the existing system. As a pp says, make sure you respond to the consultation and encourage other parents to do the same so your voices are heard.