Who makes the decision about which kids get into primary schools. Dh says we only got in because of my spectacular brown nosing.

[MinkyChunky]

Can anyone tell me who it is that decides.

Our ds got into an impossible to get into village school (we live in the next biggest town) I know there were three times the amount of children for the places allocated and we didn't meet any of the criteria.

I would like to tell myself that they clocked my child on the open day and decided they couldn't possibly pass up the chance to take on a child genius

I did however find out when the school open days/events were going to happen and make myself utterly indispensable.

Does anyone work in a school who could share this?

Sorry to disappoint, but assuming your ds went at one of the normal admission years i.e. reception or yr 3, and it's an LEA controlled (rather than church) school then you got in on whatever your LEA's criteria were - probably distance assuming no siblings. The school won't have had anything to do with it.

Or somene made a mistake at ther town hall input into the computer that ds had a sibling - entirely possible.

Local LEA controll admissions, unless it is a voluntary aided church school then the governers decide.

It is voluntary aided.
No siblings (very kind of them to add one though if that were the case)
We are not church goers(it is a church school)
Do not live near the school(we are out of catchment area)
hmm.

Don't question it & be grateful !!

Oh god I couldn't be more greatful. it's wonderful I just want to tell dh that he is wrong. Every time someone approaches me from school and asks me to do something I find myself getting a bit jittery

It's all good- thanks.

Well if it's voluntary aided there won't be a catchment area so I reckon it is in part due to your 'brown nosing' so well done and I hope he enjoys his time there!

My children are at a voluntary aided school and it does have a catchment and a whole list of rules to follow. The only different one to the general LEA schools is church membership - at number 4 - I think. Sometimes you just get lucky and it is a small birth year.

Jicky it wasn't a small birth year the number applying was three times the places allocated.

I'm not sure if there is a catchment (I thought there was until I read the earlier post)

Just because three time the number of children apply than there are places doesn't mean that all the children had it listed as their first choice.

As far as I know that the admissions process has to be transparent and follow a strict set of rules for all state schools. Head teachers are not allowed to favour certain parents.

Anyway I hope your son likes his school.