State school waiting lists - new system?

[trifling]

We are in reception in a school we want to move from. Since we applied, we have been on waiting lists for about 10 schools in our borough, hoping a place would eventually come up. But under the new system where waitign lists are controlled by the LEA we have to fill out an inyear transfer form, on which we can only specify 3 schools (all of which are way oversubscribed). Does this mean we can't go on waiting lists for all the others? I'm not sure if this new system is regulated in any way.

I'm in exactly the same position, we were told we can only put in 3 choices. Just got to wait it out. Best of luck!

It's really maddening - how I am supposed to choose, when I would happily go to any one of 10 schools, I just want to know which ones are likeliest to have vacancies in the next x months/years!

I think it's to stop schools cherry picking pupils. Before if there was eg an excluded child they could just avoid giving them a place. Now if there's room the child will go to the school. Prob fairer but I see it's difficult for you.

The answer is that the code on admissions is clear that you can apply for and go on the waiting list of any school you want to. Whilst i can understand the reasoning behind the LA wanting to throttle back your options to 3, it is not correct.
Ask them to point out where in the Admissions code it says you can only be on 3 waiting lists.
As far as I am aware the only time three is mentioned in the code is as the minimum number of preferences that must be on the common application form.
What you also need to realise is that the admission authority only has to hold the waiting list till after December of the year of entry. So it is worth checking with any LA or school if they are their own admission authority how they handle waiting lists after December.

Thanks, that is helpful. We are after December now though so the admissions code's guidance on waiting lists doesn't seem to apply - I can't find anything in it on this situation. The schools used to keep a waiting list from this point of the year but now don't, so there now doesn't seem to be a way to get on the other waiting lists. I can't see how to get on a list for schools I haven't applied for.

The Admissions Code applies all year round. If they are operating waiting lists the LA have to comply with the code and allow you to go on as many lists as you want. If they are not operating waiting lists they must still allow you to apply to any school at any time and offer you a place if there is one available.

I am a governor at a state primary school in inner London. Our LA has recently admitted that they cannot cope with in-year admissions and are allowing schools to manage their own as they used to prior to September 2010. I would advise you to check with the schools you are most interested in directly, just in case the same applies in your area. The schools will also know whether they are likely to have vacancies in the near future, as they supply that information to the LA.

Mumsyof1,
I am sure that the School Adjudicator would love to be told this, the LA completly flouting the law - which LA are we talking about?

Interesting ...

Did Mumsyof1 ever respond admissions?

You see the reason in year admissions were taken away from schools was that it had become apparent that some schools were rigging them....and being very choosy in whom they admitted.

This of course had a knock on effect on schools that were obeying the law. if an LEA were to unilaterally hand them back this would be an invitation for problems to occur....

Ideally, every LA would be very efficient with well motivated, well paid staff who allocate places at local schools to the next person on the waiting list (which they maintain up to date by checking with parents that they wish to remain on the list). Get real, guys. This is ConDem Britain and not many people are well paid or well motivated in public service. It's more important that children get an education and if that means speaking directly to the school office, then I would advise doing that. The School Adjudicator is going to be abolished in the new Education Bill, so I doubt if they're very motivated, either.

The Schools Adjudicator is not being abolished. Their powers are being restricted. And to suggest this is somehow due to the current government is ridiculous. LAs regularly flouted the law and ignored the Admissions Code under the last government. Instead of playing politics you should refer the matter to the Schools Adjudicator so that they can remind the LA of their statutory duty to comply with the Admissions Code.

So far here, the LA is sitting on the applications but hasn't produced a waiting list. I would just advise anyone who thought they could get into a better school by sitting it out on the waiting list and being persistent to rethink, as that's what we did and then the system changed. Thanks for the info about being allowed to go on lots of waiting lists though prh47bridge - I am pretty sure our LA is not going to let that happen but will see where citing the admissions code gets me.

Actually prh47bridge I am concerned that the very new powers the school adjudicator was given towards the end of the last government, which was due, I understood, to the abuses you mention, may be in the process of being rolled back in the new Bill before we have had a chance to see how they work in practice.

But I am sure these parts of the Bill will get a lot of discussion if not in the Commons, in the Lords where there are a number of people who do know about education.

nlondondad - The new bill is making two changes to the schools adjudicator.

Firstly, if the adjudicator upholds an objection to the admission arrangements of a school or LA, the adjudicator is currently required to look at the rest of the admission arrangements and see if any further modifications are needed as a consequence of this decision. The adjudicator also has the power to make changes to parts of the arrangements that are not affected by the decision - so, for example, if the adjudicator upholds an objection to the admission number for a school they can also insist that the school changes the way it measures distances. That may be unlikely but currently they have that power. After the new bill becomes law the adjudicator will simply decide on the objection and will not look any wider. It will be up to the admission authority to sort out any consequential modifications needed.

Secondly, the requirement for local authorities to provide reports to the adjudicator is being removed. The notes to the Bill say that the requirements for these reports will be moved to the Admissions Code.

My personal take on this is that I am not sure why the power for the adjudicator to make consequential changes following a decision is being removed. I suppose that, where there is a choice as to what consequential amendments are made, this change gives the choice to the school or LA. However, it increases the risk that the shool/LA will get the consequential changes wrong. On the other part of this change, I don't see that the adjudicator needs the power to make changes to parts of the admission arrangements which have nothing to do with the original objection. So I partly agree with the first change.

As for the second change, provided the Admissions Code in this area is adequate I have no objection. It seems sensible to put such matters in the Admissions Code which can be changed easily and at low cost rather than having them in Acts of Parliament which take a long time to change.

Thanks for this useful clarification.

Hi All,

I am new to this and have recently applied for my DD to get into reception. She got her third choice and I am waiting till May 2nd for the waiting lists to become available to find out where she is on the first two schools she missed out on.

I am very gutted, but the school she has gotten into is a good one so I am not too disappointed. It is mainly that she will not be with her friends and cousins who did get in.

The two schools are very over subscribed so I am not too surprised, but was wondering with the new system in places is there likely to be any movement before the September term?
It just seems that everyone had to accept their offer so seems unlikely that any places will be available.

Let me know if this is not the correct thread to post this in and I will move it. BTW the schools are in Barnet, North London.

The system makes no difference. There are no guarantees but there is likely to be some movement before the September term through people moving out of the area, deciding to go private, winning appeals or getting a place through the waiting lists for one of their higher choices.