Primary school catchment areas and priority

[ric1982]

Hi,

I was wondering if someone could help us understand how exactly the admission in school works in councils. I understand how it works as in terms of person who is nearest to the school in straight line distance will get priority and then there is siblings etc. I have gone through the document on the council website. But my question is more about details.

Just to give you a bit of background, We got two kids one in year 1 and other in year 3. We just moved house from Birmingham to Solihull and we are in catchment area of the school A and school B. School A is near and school B is little further away. We want our kids to go to School A as its got feeder to very good secondary school. Currently both our kids go to school at our old address in Birmingham. We just have been offered a place at School B in Solihull (which is not our school (Nursery) of choice) for our little one which is in year 1. We are now thinking about wether to take this place or not. Even if we do we want to keep both of our kids to the waiting list of School B.

My question is that if we decide to take this place (in school B), then do council make us lesser of priority for School A over someone who is coming into Solihull Borough (from outside lets say from Birmingham). Lets say someone who is moved into Solihull and is same distance as us, do they get priority over us as our child already has now got school (School B hence that child gets into School A) within our house's catchment area?

Hope this makes sense. Any input is much appreciated.

Thanks

No that's not the way it works. You can accept school B and remain on the waiting list for school A and the fact that you already have a school place play no part in whether you will be offered a place at school A - the only people who would go ahead of you are people who like you move to the area but actually live closer to the school than you (or they have a sibling link after having maybe got one of their kids in school A and are waiting for a place for the other).

The first question is whether you asked specifically for places at school A. If you did then the LA is obliged to say yes or no to places at the school A. It is not clear from your post whether this has happened or not. I suspect that they have just offered school B as they know there are places there. If you have not had a formal rejection from school A then you need to email the admission office and ask them to confirm that you do have an offer of a place at school A for both children. (Well you might as well assume the positive)
You need to establish also exactly what is the process for continued interest in a school. Different LAs have very different versions of having a waiting list and in many instances there is no waiting list. If so you might wait for a very long time assuming that there is a waiting list.
I can confirm that Hersetta is correct in saying that admissions to the school are always about who has admission criteria preference but you need to be sure what the process is, so that you will be considered for the school as and when places come up.

Thanks Hersetta427 and admission,

We have given priority order when requested places. So school A is first priority and School B is second.

This LA definitely have waiting list as they say what position your child is in.

If you have not had a formal rejection from school A then you need to email the >admission office and ask them to confirm that you do have an offer of a place at >school A for both children. (Well you might as well assume the positive)

Over the phone they said they haven't got place at School A yet. and you are prob. right in saying that there is an opening at School B hence they have made an offer.
Will it makes any difference If I ask them about to confirm (prob. in email) about wether or not have a place in School A?

Thanks

I'm assuming school A has no places for either. Hold and school B only places for one child. Take the place, but let the LA know you still wish to stay on the list for school A.
The same dpadmissions criteria apply for secondary schools, it's nothing to do with which primary school a child attends. So it doesn't matter whether they go to A or B.
One thing you need to understand is that constantly changing schools is very disruptive to a child.

The same dpadmissions criteria apply for secondary schools, it's nothing to do with which primary school a child attends.

No, the same admissions criteria do not apply for all schools. They can be very different and can involve giving preference to children attending specific schools. At least one secondary in Solihull does so.

Thanks Soontobe60,

PatriciaHolm is right. Some schools are feeder for the secondary. So if your child gets in primary then the secondary place is guaranteed.

RIC, having an admission criteria which gives a level of priority to feeder schools does not give an absolute guarantee of a place only a level of priority. If siblings is a higher admission criteria than feeder schools and there a lot of siblings then it is quite possible for some pupils attending feeder schools not to get the offer of a place.
At present you are being left hanging by the LA over school A. If the LA confirm there is no places available then you can appeal for places at school A at least starting the process. There is a possibility that the LA is trying to get you places at school A, so it would be sensible to ask at what point the LA will say there is no place for school A as you have to make a decision over school B.
Solihull hold a waiting list but it is only for half a term, after which you have to request again to go on the waiting list.

If the LA confirm there is no places available then you can appeal for places at school A at least starting the process.

Do we do it before we accept place at School B. Because they are not giving us much time saying we need to tell them in a couple of days!

Also there is an issue with our first daughter who is older. She will be still at the old school in Birmingham meaning we have to do two school runs which are a fair distance apart at least 20 mins. Not sure how we are going to cope with it. Also I think I didnt mention it before that my younger daughter who got the admission in school B in solihull, the school is the nursery and infant school meaning only till year 2. So after this she will sent to one of the feeder school for year 3.

Do we do it before we accept place at School B

No. Accepting the place at school B will not affect your appeal for school A. If you don't accept the place at school B the council is entitled to offer it to someone else. So your choices are:

• accept the place at school B and appeal for school A. Even if you lose your appeal you will at least have your younger child in school B and can appeal for a place at that school for your older child.

• reject the place at school B and appeal for school A. If you lose your appeal you wouldn't have any places at either school so your children would still go to their current school.