Waiting list

[coccyx]

If my ds gets offered a place in reception at school I would like dd in year 6 to transfer to, would that affect her place on waiting list? Or would it only change once he started in september, not when place was accepted. Thanks.
Trying to work out logistics of different schools etc

I think your older dc will climb up the waiting list once your youngest actual starts reception.

I'm assuming this because I know someone who didn't get their youngest into her first choice because her eldest would have left by the time he was due to start, despite the older one attending when they applied, iyswim.

See, that's where I am confused. With my older children,a younger sibling got priority for admission if they had a sibling at school at time of application, so as long as the child was in year six, they were ok..I am still in same area , but council decide places now not the school

If your DD is currently in Y6 then no, I don't think it would affect her waiting list place. Also, by the time you find out in late April, that would give her less than a term before moving on to Secondary school.

If she is currently in Y5, then in September she would go up the waiting list assuming there is a sibling criteria. Deepending on the school it could also depends on catchment/non-catchment, our LA would still prioritise a catchment child over an out of catchment sibling.

Our LA also wouldn't give priority for admission to a current Y6 sibling for Reception in September.

You really need one of the experts like Admission of PRh47bridge to come along here!

or

Which year is your older DD in at the moment? If she is in year 6 and your younger DD will start school in September 2012 then it doesn't make any difference as you would need your younger DD to be in the school before it any sibling priority would come into effect.

Older child is in year 5. We have been out of country, as oh is in armed forces. We are returning to our home but system seems to have changed since we were here last. Bit confused by admissions team as one said we could apply for a reception place and another said no, we could only apply once children were permanently resident. Husband is classed as uk resident and we still pay poll tax.

I think there are some special rules for people in the armed forces but you would definitely need an admissions expert for that. In that case I think your older DD would move up a waiting list once the younger one started at school. It can be easier to get a KS2 child a place as if you appeal you only have to show that the school wouldn't be prejudiced by having her there, whereas with infants they are more limited to the number you can have in a class, and you need to show a mistake has been made.

There are definitely special rules for the armed services, but often LEAs get it wrong. Hopefully te Guru's will turn up soon to give you the chapter and verse to quote.
BTW the LA should administer admission the same way as the schools did, unless the rules have changed.

As your husband is in the armed forces special rules apply for your older child. You can apply now provided you can give them an official letter giving your relocation date and intended address and they must allocate places in advance of your move. They cannot refuse a place just because you don't live in the area at the moment. If they are awkward about this point them at paragraphs 3.27 and 3.28 of the Admissions Code.

For your younger child who starts school in September (if I understand you correctly) the position is less clear but I would certainly argue that paragraph 2.44 of the Admissions Code suggests they should accept your application for a place in Reception as long as you give proof of posting. You haven't got long to apply - the closing date is January 15th (although some LAs are allowing an extra day as the 15th is a Sunday).

As for your original question, that really depends on the exact wording of the admission criteria. Some LAs only give priority if there is an older child at the school. Most only give priority if the sibling will be attending the school at the time the child is admitted. The chances are your older son will only get priority from the start of the summer holidays if he gets it at all.

If you would like to name the LA involved I will take a look for you. If the school is a faith school I will need to know which school we are talking about as well. Feel free to PM me if you don't want to post the information publicly.