Primary School Admissions 2013 (sorry folks I know there are lots of threads!)

[Eileithyia]

Hello. I just wondered if experts like prh47bridge or admission are still out there and able to help us navigate an appeals process? I'm not sure we have grounds for an appeal but we'd like to give it a go. We are 8th on a waiting list for our preferred school and about 0.26 of a mile away from it. It takes 90 children and is in London so apparently there can be movement. Basically, the cut off point was about 0.23. One part of the LA website says "?as the crow flies? from the home address to the centre of the school" but the admissions application booklet says to the "main gate". The main gate has a sign on it saying "cars and deliveries only" and there are then two pedestrian entrances, one of which is actually into the Reception class playground and is 0.21 from us. The other is 0.24 and while it wouldn't have got us in, it would certainly have bumped us up the waiting list (the first two on the list have already been admitted). We are wondering whether the fact that there are conflicting statements about distance means that perhaps they ought to have measured to the gate but have in fact measured to the middle of the (large) property? And if they had set that pedestrian gate as the measuring point then the central point of the admissions area would shift anyway (though obviously they couldn't now take places away from people). Are they allowed to measure to a gate that doesn't allow pedestrian access and can they state on the form that it is to the main gate but then change it to the middle of the property? Very technical sorry! Thank you in advance for any help out there.

I don't know about the rest of it, but I am fairly sure that they can choose to measure to whatever point in the property they like. Given that it can be the middle of the school field, I don't see why it can't be the main gate, even if that isn't pedestrian.

The inconsistencies sound more iffy and hope you get an expert along soon.

Good luck.

I'm not an expert, but I think you can call into question the measurement system they used. You could ask them for details of which gate they considered to be the main gate.

If they did in fact measure to the 'main gate' and there is published literature to say they measure to the middle of the property, then they would have to decide which were correct.

If they have used the incorrect one, then they would have to look at all the admissions, I think, to find out whether the mistake directly cost you a place.

I don't want to comment on the apparent discrepancy between the website and the booklet without seeing them for myself. If you would like to PM me the name of the school and LA involved I will take a look.

They can measure to any point on the property they want provided it is clear what point they are using. This school clearly has several gates. It may be possible to argue that a gate for cars and deliveries is not the main gate but it depends what they say in their published admission arrangements. Again, if you let me know the details I can take a look and see if they say anything that would help you.

If they have measured to the wrong point that won't necessarily get you a place. The appeal panel should ask the LA to remeasure all the distances to figure out who would have been admitted. It may be there are other people who would also move closer to the school which would still leave you without a place.

AS PRH says they can measure to any point of the school they nominate but it has to be specific or it opens up exactly the problems that you have illustrated.
If the LA admission booklet says to the main gate then this is what they have to measure to. The LA admission booklet is always considered to be the primary book to consult on any issue over what exactly the admission criteria is.
As PRH says it would be sensible to look at exactly what the admission criteria is for the school and if you could PM me the school and LA that would be helpful.
In the interim I would suggest that you email the school admission office and ask them to confirm exactly where the admission distance distance was measured from on the school and see what answer you get back. From past experience of such issues if there is a discrepancy the likelihood is that you will not get a school place because any such change also means that lots of other pupils' distances are also wrong