advice on social need and waiting lists

[marbles1]

We are moving and will need to transfer dd. My hosp consultant will be writing a letter for social need consideration as I can't walk long distances due to a medical condition.

My question is, does that mean I have to take the nearest school I'm offered or can I select preferred waiting list like any other parent? I don't want to abuse my situation but also don't want it to mean I can't exercise parental preferences based on the normal criteria.

So, e.g, if I preferred a school that was .15 away to the one that was .07 away could I just put name down for that one? (both are within medical need)

If you can't walk long distances, surely your medical need is to get a place at the closest school ...?

The simple answer is if the school has a place available then you can choose any school you want.
However if the schools are full then the LA would normally allocate you the nearest school with an available place. It is then for you to argue at appeal for a place at a school that you want. The problem is that if this not the nearest school then it destroys your argument for a school within walking distance for medical and social reasons. Most admission panels would under those circumstances not admit unless it was the nearest school to the home. I have done one appeal where we did admit to a school further away and that was where the parent was in a wheel chair and the nearest school was up a steep hill whereas the other school, further away, was on relatively flat ground.

Thanks admission. I don't want to go into specific details here but the point of the doctor's letter would be to show medical evidence why a school of .4 would be problematic. Schools closer than .2 would be ok, so it wouldn't destroy the medical argument to prefer the second nearest school, even if it was the LA's policy that in such cases the social need would only apply to nearest school - that's a bit different. Anyway as I say don't really want to go into more detail on a public forum. Thanks for the advice.

Do you mind me asking why you don't want to go to the closest school ? Is it not as good ?

pastoral care felt much better tho both are good schools academically. dd very young for year so I'm drawn to somewhere that feels warmer and friendlier.