didn't get any of 6 primary school choices. Can we reject the school offered to us?

[efie]

We were unsuccessful with all 6 of our school choices (all local schools and first 5 were the geographically closest schools). We have been offered a school 50 minute walk away. There are 31 schools closer than the one offered. The school seems to do a great job with a difficult intake (58% special needs/ very high ESOL etc) but little on achievement. The school is ranked as 10th bottom school in London. There is a problem with overcrowding (currently 37 children in one reception class) though teacher ratios ok. Can we reject this offer? What do you think would happen? Do you think we would be forced to homeschool. One last thing is about reserve lists..we have applied to be on lots of (nearer) schools reserve lists but have been told that we will be lower down the list than parents who put that school originally. Fair enough but at least they got one of their 6 preferences ? does this seem fair??? Would be grateful for ANY thoughts/ advice. Thank you.

Poor you. What an awful situation for you.

Someone who knows more will be along soon hopefully but I would suggest going to look around the school you have been offered and consider whether it would be acceptable as (hopefully) a short-term measure. If it's doing well with a difficult intake, it actually sounds like a good school. 10% bottom school in London in terms of results with that intake doesn't sound terrible tbh.

If you reject the offer, you may have to home school from the term after your child turns 5 if there are no other schools with vacancies.

I think the information that you have been given about the waiting lists is inaccurate; from when the waiting lists are finalised (places accepted or declined) you should be treated the same as everyone else according the the admission criteria eg siblings, distance.

Good luck.

You can reject this offer but that won't get you into one of your preferred schools nor will it help you win any appeals. You may find that any alternative offered by the council is even worse. I would recommend accepting the offer so that you have a backup while you look at other options.

And Rosebud is right. They are not allowed to put you lower down the waiting list than parents who applied for the school originally. That is a clear breach of the Admissions Code. If they are actually doing this as opposed to just giving poor advice you should complain to the Schools Adjudicator. The Adjudicator cannot award your child a place but he can ensure that the council obey the admissions code.

Can you tell us which council we are talking about? I can then take a look at their admission arrangements and advise which bits of the Admissions Code they are breaking, assuming they are in breach. If you don't want to reveal that publicly feel free to PM me.

Thank you both of you. It's Enfield. I am really encouraged that the waiting lists should be just arranged on distance/ siblings etc. I know that we get an update on waiting times in may so fingers crossed things are more hopeful (we are 18th at our nearest school).

We did visit the school and I am still pretty worried. There is much, much more going on at my child's preschool. All their emphasis is on behaviour, inclusion and nurturing e.g. they have a mock-up of a flat to teach some pupils how to sit round a table to eat etc etc

I'm not saying that our child is a genius or anything but I think she is bright and I worry that she will actually be the disruptive one as she won't be stretched in the slightest. The ofsted says exactly that point that more able children are not challenged.

Thanks for your advice re accepting the place. I wondered whether you would be more of a problem if you didn't accept but maybe that is just wishful thinking. Thanks again.

Apply to go on the waiting list of every school you would be interested in! afaik there is no limit to the number of waiting lists you can go on? There will be LOTS of places come up before school starts - people who were waiting on private admission tests, people who move out of the area, people who have already moved since the applications went in. Some places even come up in the first week of term as pupils simply don't show up!!

Enfield appear to be trying to get round the Admissions Code by operating two lists for each school - a reallocations list which is for children who named the school as a higher preference than the one they were offered and a waiting list for everyone else. Until September the reallocation list takes precedence over the waiting list. So the effect is that they are putting you behind the parents who applied for the school originally.

I would complain to the Schools Adjudicator. I would argue that they are in breach of paragraph 3.19 of the Admissions Code which states that they "must not give priority to children based on the date either their application was received or their name was added to the list". By operating a reallocations list as well as a waiting list they are giving priority to parents who applied to this school before the cut off date for the original round of applications. The reallocation list appears to be a transparent attempt to avoid complying with the Admissions Code.

I would argue that they may also be in breach of paragraph 2.16(a) which prohibits "conditionality" and 2.16(b) which prohibits giving priority according to the order of schools named as preferences. Paragraph 2.16(a) means that they cannot stipulate conditions which affect the priority given to an application by, for example, taking account of other preferences. In this case I believe they are in breach of these two paragraphs as they are effectively saying that making this school one of your top 5 preferences in the original round of applications gives you priority over anyone else applying for the school.

As I said previously, the Schools Adjudicator cannot award your daughter a place but they can insist that Enfield comply with the rules, which will give you a better chance of getting in through the waiting list.

If you need any help with a submission to the Adjudicator feel free to ask here or PM me.

Having looked carefully at Enfield's reallocation and waiting list statements I can only agree with PRH. This is illegal in having efefctively two waiting list with different priorities.
It is now becoming a bit of a farce that we seem to be seeing far too many LAs doing things that are patently against the admission code and in areas that have been well documented and tested at a legal level. It does not bode well for the future when far more schools that are becoming academies will be their own admission authority and taking a leaf out of the LAs will simply do what they want when it comes to admissions.
Get off my soap box now!

Have a look at the threads about Southwark secondaries - where there is not a single secondary where admission is within LA control, as all are academies, faith or foundation schools.

PUT YOURSELF ON THE WAITING LIST OF THE SCHOOLS YOU DEF WANT.

What helpful advice. Thank you again. We will definitely contact the schools adjudicator. It is so worrying that so many schools (an more to come) wil be outside of LA control.