When is a sibling counted as a sibling?

[Jemstone]

My ds2 is due to start in reception in September. My ds1 currently goes to a different school and I would like him to change schools to be at the same school as ds2 in September. The admissions authority have told me ds1 isn't considered a sibling as ds1 isn't on the school roll yet. Therefore he won't get sibling priority for any spaces which do come up. This is despite the fact I have accepted a place for ds2 to start at the school in September and I am applying for ds1 to start in September, not immediately.
Does this sound correct? Is there anything I can do and when exactly will ds2 be in the school roll? This is Buckinghamshire btw.

It will be from when he's actually attending.

Ds2 won't be on the school role until he starts in september.

Ds1 will then get a sibling priority on the waiting list if that's how the school works it. You'll be able to get the list off your lea website.

If you are out of catchment ds1 will still come below
Looked after kids ,
sen which recommends the school,
children with siblings in catchment,
No siblings and in catchment.

So you will just go above the no siblings and not in catchment kids.

Now it depends on the lea as to what happens when a place comes up mid year.

So 1 place comes up. No looked after kids/sen on the list. You have 2 kids with sibling and in catchment.

So some will do it by distance to the school - some will do it by time on the waiting list.

Yes, works the same way in many LEAs.

Once dc2's started dc1 may get sibling priority that is, from September. Which is frustrating because there may well be ones leaving over the summer that you won't get priority for the spaces.

However they may not do it "upwards" as it were. I know of at least one school in this area which only considers younger siblings as siblings. If you get your younger one in then the older ones does not get priority. It's not a county wide rule, it's one that specific schools have.

I suppose they do it like that because some children who have accepted places just won't turn up in September.

As for the rest of it, you need to look at the individual school's admissions policy. They may well do it like choco describes but it does vary. And as dewee also says, check whether sibling priority goes up as well as down.

Hope it all works out for you. It's rubbish I know.

Is there an available space for DS1 now? If so, would you consider moving him ASAP instead of September?

thanks for all your replies, guess I'll just have to put up with it, and sibling priority does operate in both directions which it's something come September. At least they both do have school places.