school admissions criteria and appeals.

[Ixia]

If you put 3 schools down on your reception application and aren't offered a place at the first choice, can you still appeal even if you are offered a place at your second choice? A friend isn't putting a 2nd and 3rd choice down because she has been told that she won't have the right to appeal if she does. This doesn't sound right to me?

Also do state schools have to follow the same admissions criteria, is it acceptable for a school to put catchment area as a priority over siblings admission?

It depends. It's really hard. The best thing to do is ring the admissions department at your local authority.

We have been told we can appeal the three schools on our application but not any others and that since we don't want the two schools that we are in the catchment for (and which are oversubscribed) if we do not receive an offer or any of the three we have picked, the local authority will tell us which schools do have places available and we can pick from them. Which may mean travelling up to 35 miles each way. The council are willing to pay for this travel. But it's utterly bonkers.

If your LA have told you that, whomovedmychocolate, they are wrong. You can apply for any school at any time regardless of whether or not you put that school on your original application form. If you are refused entry you can appeal.

OP - Being offered a place at your second choice doesn't stop you from appealing for your first choice. Whoever told your friend that she can't appeal for her first choice if she gets her second choice is wrong.

This is the same everywhere. LAs have no choice in the matter.

There is no requirement for all state schools to follow the same admissions criteria although it is normal for all schools run by a particular LA to use the same criteria. It is acceptable for schools to prioritise catchment area over siblings.

As far as I am aware you can appeal for any school of the three that you have applied for, should you be unsuccessful in obtaining a place at any or all of them - even if you get your second choice you can appeal at your first.

If you do not get a place at any of your three chosen schools you will normally be offered a place at the nearest state school with places.

Each school should publish a list of admissions criteria. Your local county council will publish this in a document that covers all schools in the county - most likely in both hard copy and online. Try the county council website first.

HTH - facing the admissions round myself too.

Thank you :)

Is there anything official online that I can print off for her, re. being able to appeal her first choice even if she gets her 2nd choice?

for the two gospels on schools admissions/appeals see here (left hand side) :)

Ixia,
The situation could not be simpler, a parent can appeal for any school at any time and for as many schools as you want. There are no restrictions other than you can only appeal once for a specific school in one academic year.

It is by no means uncommon for someone who got their first preference to subsequently change their mind and appeal for their 2nd or 3rd preference.

It is so annoying that apparently LAs and others make these comments, when they simply are incorrect and misleading worried parents.

Your friend is making a big mistake if she does not put down three preferences. If she only puts down one and is not offered a place then she goes to the bottom of the pile and will only be allocated a place when all others who applied on time have been allocated a place. Putting a second and third preference gives you far more opportunity to be offered a place at one of the three schools.