As we are in admissions season again...some top tips for first timers

[BetsyBoop]

On this thread a while ago, I posted some top tips on the admissions system, which people found useful, so here they are again...

1. Visit every school local to you & make your own mind up - don't go on reputation/gossip/Ofsted reports/league tables
2. Find out how likely it is you stand a chance of a place by looking at the last few years admissions (eg what category & distance)
3. Put the schools in your genuine order or preference (schools are not allowed to operate a "first preference first" system, despite what people tell you)
4. Use all your preferences - but be realistic about your chances of getting a place - don't waste a preference on a hell-will-freeze-over-first option.
5. Always include one "safe" option (even if it is as last preference) which you are okay with & are pretty much guaranteed to get into (ie "catchment" school) . (Or you run the risk of getting a random "worse" school miles away if you don't get any of your preferences)
6. You will not be able to bully the LA/school/appeals panel into giving you the school you want by only putting that school on the application form & refusing places at other schools.
7. Read the admission code - you need to know the "rules" as if the rules are broken it gives you a valid reason to appeal.
8. Submit any exceptional social/medical circumstances evidence with your initial application, whether or not you are fairly confident you will get a place anyway - much easier than trying to win an appeal based on this later (which will typically fail if it is an infant class size* appeal)

• "infant class size" =YR/Y1/Y2 classes can have a maximum of 30 pupils per teacher

Belated thanks to phr and Betsy for the travel info.

(And don't forget if you've a spare £10k a year you can always pay school fees and have a little more choice in some areas)

Admissions policy for a school I like:

Category 1 Looked after 0 (applied) 0 (offered)
Category 2 Statemented 1 (app) 1 (off)
Category 3 Church in area 13 13
Category 4 Sibling 18 18
Category 5 Catchment 9 9
Category 6 Church (moved to area) 1 1
Category 7 Other 51 (applied) 28 (offered)
Total 93 70

If you fell into Category seven would you put this on your preference form? Above or below the local school you preferred?

Not admissions policy, sorry - I meant lst years acceptance figures

This school has children with a statement of SEN as a category? And puts them after looked after children? They aren't allowed to do that. Children with a statement of SEN naming the school must be admitted even if the school is already full. They are not allowed to say anything in their admission criteria that implies they have any discretion over whether or not to admit such children.

Having got that out of the way, over half the category 7 children who applied last year were admitted so it is worth putting on the list. If you prefer the local school you must put this school below the local school on your list. If you don't and you end up getting a place at both this school and your local school you will only be offered the place at this school, so you would miss out on your preferred school.

Had a quick check prh47 and it seems statemented means:

Category 2
Children whose parent(s) are regular worshippers (at least once a month for at
least the 12 months preceding the application closing date) at one of the
churches named in appendix B. In order for an application to be considered
under this criterion parents must complete the Church attendance details form
(the supplementary information form) and submit it separately to the School
whilst forwarding the common application form directly to the LA by the date
published in the LA?s co-ordinated admission scheme.

I don't prefer my local school. I have 3 local schools, all rubbish except one.

I prefer four others who are not in my catchment area.

Where would you place the local school? In my true list of choice it would be 5th.

The problem is that it's catholic so might struggle to get in their as well. Would you put down another local choice just in case?

So my true list would be:

1. out of catchment

2 " "

1. " "
2. " "
3. Local catholic school (1st choice school I'm in catchment for)
4. 2nd best school I'm in the catchment for

How does this look?

As you have put down the local catchment maintained school and the local catholic school as your 5th and 6th preference you have covered the issue of making sure that you have a fall back position that is most likely to yield a school place.
The 4 out of catchment schools are obviously your preference so you have correctly put them as your 1st to 4th preferences.
This seems to be a logical and sensible choice of preferences.

Thanks for taking a look and replying admission

Dh thinks its a waste of time to visit these schools, or even list them, but I am not in agreement as a small chance is still a chance. He thinks the schools will think we are daft!

bythemoonlight I agree you have got absolutely nothing to lose by putting your preferred schools 1-4 even if there is only a slim chance you will get a place. You have got a fall back position at 5 or 6, which is very sensible.

The only caveat I would add is that if your DC has younger siblings wanting to follow in their footsteps, then check where in the criteria out of catchment siblings fall - in some areas all siblings are "equal" in other areas you get criteria along the lines of: in-catchment siblings, in-catchment other children, out of catchment siblings etc. If it's the latter at any/all of the schools 1-4 then think about how you will handle things if the younger DC doesn't get a place with their older sibling.

(And don't forget if you've a spare £10k a year you can always pay school fees and have a little more choice in some areas)

I'll just look behind the sofa then.

With all due respect, Xenia, that is the singularly most unhelpful comment on this entire thread.

I've been looking for admissions data for my area (Stockton-on-Tees) but can't find it. I am pretty sure I have come across before but been looking all over their website without any luck. Can anyone help?

thank you prh47bridge - will check out the wilts admissions and that website at lunchtime!

Thanks for the headsup about Kent county council! Will keep an eye out. In the meantime we are visiting a school today. Will report back!

Will the 4 schools I have slim chance of getting into think I'm daft for visiting? Would you visit all four?

Kara I thin this is what you are after :)

bytheMoonlight most schools are happy to show anyone round who asks - although some have set open days, so it is worth checking (and TBH if they don't want to show you round then it probably tells you all you need to know anyway )

Betsy - thank you, that is very useful!

I would completely agree with BettsyBoop, any school that is not falling over themselves to show you around and extol the virtues of the school would immediately go to the bottom of my list. They are simply not interested in my child which as far as I am concerned is the most important person they should be considering!

bythemoonlight, I've visited a number of schools, some of which are way too far away. The schools don't generally ask where you live, and I don't care what they think anyway! I wanted to see the "best" in the area (according to local rumour / Ofsted) as well as the closest ones, partly out of curiosity and partly to help us to work out what's important to us. Have found it tiring but useful.

admission I would be concerned if a school was willing to show parents round at the drop of a hat. The most important people are their existing pupils who need the teaching staff teaching not marketing.

Are you saying you think we shouldn't visit squishy?

I would not expect to be shown around by teaching staff, I would expect to be shown around by the headteacher or the deputy head teacher at a primary school. I am not saying there is an expectation that you can just drop in and expect the guided our but if you arrange an appointment then I would expect somebody in authority. That is certainly what happens at my primary school I am a governor at, the head or deputy shows them around and lets then go in any classroom they want.

I agree with Admission - if a school isn't willing for me to look round that tells me everything I want to know.

"want to know" - sorry, meant "need to know"

Well... DH and I went to see a school today. Absolutely loved it. Was a group of parents who went; we were the only ones without kids there (in nursery as we work!). Anyway absolutely loved it. Asked HT about possibilities of getting in and she thought we would probably end up in the other school (which we haven't checked out because they've not gotten their act together to get dates yet). this other school is seen (for generations) to be a great school and some of us think that's why they are so flipping complacent.

And now that you say if school isn't interested in showing parents about then it tells you everything you need to know, that makes me even more . .

Agh. Still hoping to get a date to look around though.

At the moment we are thinking we like today's school v much and would like to put it first. Does that help at all? In terms of ofsted they are both 2 and oversubscribed.

Thanks.

Oh and today's school has a 3 form intake. With 30 siblings already Other school is 2.