What reasons for preference on admission form?

[Justkeeprunning]

My daughter is due to start Reception in 2011, so I'm in admission form hell at present. There is a box (on the online form) that gives you an opportunity to write 2000 characters as to why you would prefer that particular school. So, did you write anything? If so, along what lines? Do you think it has any bearing at all on your chances to get dc into that school? Should I save my breath?

I just put that DD was at the on-site preschool and so it would be the best place for her transition-wise. I also underlined that it was the nearest school to us geographically which meant that we could walk to school.

It makes absolutely no difference what you put. The information you put in that box does not play any part in the admissions process. All that matters is where your daughter is placed according to the admissions criteria for each school. Nothing you say about why you prefer a particular school affects that.

Thanks. As I suspected! Such a shame really, but oh well, one less thing to do!

That's what I thought, too.

So what is the purpose of this question?

The space (if it's a similar form to ours) is useful if you have ticked one of the special reasons boxes and want to use it to add supporting evidence. E.g. you have picked the Social and Emotional Needs box and explain that the child is traumatised by the loss of her parents and therefore needs to attend the same school as her cousins. That sort of thing.

But utterly useless if you are only going to write "X is the nicest school and I want my dd to have a lovely time" (because that would naturally apply to all children).

Our LEA also says that, if it's allocating a school when you fail to get any of your choices, may use it when determining what school to offer. So, if you were choosing a faith school because you practise the faith and a relevant education is important to you, then rather than just allocate the nearest free place they might allocate the newest applicable free faith place (or vice versa!)

Barbeasty, I put something along those lines....that we were Roman Catholics and would only accept a place in an RC school if our 3 preferences could not be satisfied.

Apart from the uses given by Cory and Barbeasty (although many LAs will still allocate you to the nearest school with places if you don't get one of your choices regardless of what you put), the main purpose of this box is to allow parents to feel that they are able to exercise their parental choice fully. It stops the LA being bombarded with parents ringing up explaining that little Johnny must go to XYZ school because he has sensitive eyes and the walls are painted just the right shade of blue to stop him getting distressed.

LOL prh - it completely bemuses me the stuff that parents feel absolutely necessary to contact LA's and schools about.
I'm usually such a laid back parent, but have to admit that I'm getting so wound up about the school situation - mainly because other parents keep going on about the different conversations they've had with various schools and how this one is so much better than that one, when ultimately I know my kids gonna land up in the nearest school to us, that's okay, nothing wrong with it, but I'll always think other parents will look down on me as if i haven't tried hard enough (I am unfortunately not in a position to move house, so I have very little influence over this!).
Sigh, here we go, 12 more years of this!