Twins been given separate schools-help

[Dizzyingly]

Hi I was wondering if someone knows anything about the rules on applications regarding twins.

I know of a set of twins who have ended up at different schools. 1 child was 30th on the list and the other was 31st. So 1 child got their 1st choice and the other one got thir 2nd choice. I seem to remember reading here that the regulations regarding this have changed so that the school must accept both twins and this does not affect ics. When I spoke to the latest today they said it was up to the school whether they wanted to admit them or not. Is this true.? The school on question is a Catholic school not sure if this makes a difference?

I am desperately hoping thy both get a place at their 1st choice as I am number 2 on the waiting list for their second choice.

I wonder why LEAS don't just have forms for families of multiples so one application goes in. Then the parents have the choice of a school together or separate forms for separate schools (secondary eg)

OP, your friend might want to look to TAMBA for advice - they have campaigned hard on this issue. In the first instance there is a webinar on their website:

www.tamba.org.uk/Parenting/Primary/Primary-School-Admissions

Good luck to your friend.

Cody that would depend on whether twin2 was the 30th child admitted.

Twin1 was offered school 1 in 30th place, so twin 2 can be admitted there as an excepted pupil. But wasn't.

Twin 1, having received an offer, would then no longer be considered for lower preference schools. Twin 2, having at this point not received an offer and no-one doing anything about the potential to admit as excepted, would then be considered for lower preference schools and received an offer from school 2. But was not necessarily in 30th place, so the exception to be 31st child wouldn't apply.

Even if the rule about excepted child applies it still doesn't work. If both children were offered places at the other school as excepted pupils the OP's friend would accept one offer and reject the other. Neither the LA nor the schools can force her to accept both offers.

Out of curiosity (sorry, I know this is besides the point of the OP's question)

I understand that if a 31st child is admitted to an infant class (e.g. by appeal, if a mistake was made), then two children need to leave before a space becomes free and e.g. someone from the waiting list can be admitted.

But what if a twin gets the 30st space, and the other twin is admitted as excepted child, therefore not counting towards the numbers. What if then somebody else i.e. not one of the twins, leaves the school. Does the excepted child then turn into a normal child and count towards the numbers, meaning that no space opens up? Or does the excepted child remain excepted, and continues to not count towards the numbers?

If there are 31 children in a class then 2 have to leave before there is a vacancy. Regardless of why there were 31 in the class. That includes twins, military families, and those with SN.

1. Tell your friend to contact TAMBA for advice. They will help.
2. Twin 2 is an excepted child. This holds all through KS1 and even with in year admissions (we challenged it round my way with in year for reception and won on appeal).

Does not hold for ks2, sadly.

Does not hold for ks2, sadly

It isn't relevant for KS2. There is no class size limit.

It's relevant because in ks1 the schools are obliged to let the second twin in even if takes class over class size limits. Even with in year admissions (though school might argue not the case).

But in ks2 there is no such obligation. It is at the discretion of the school. You might go to an appeal but you wouldn't necessarily win.

At least this is what was explained to me when we challenged it.

No, they aren't obliged to let the second twin in in KS1. That's the point of the thread!

They can do, as the second twin would be an excepted child, but they are not obliged to. It's good practise, and the basis for a winnable appeal in most cases I would suggest, but it's not a legal obligation at either ks1 or ks2.

Gosh it's so hard. Ok so she is going to accept both offers and appeal for 1st choice. She is also looking at tamba. I really hope she gets them in to first choice so I can move to 1st place in the queue!

And so she gets to keep her twins together. Let's hope for a win win situation!