Hertfordshire Not nearest school question

[Floobyjooby]

Hello, looking at reception admissions, how can a ‘Not nearest school’ applicant be awarded a school reception place over an applicant for whom it was their nearest school? I cannot find the answer anywhere online!
We applied for a reception place at our closest school but did not get in, but someone living 700m further away than us did get in on the ‘not nearest school’ criteria.

(EHCP and siblings etc were admitted under those criteria, so I don’t think the ‘not nearest school’ person was a sibling or had an EHCP).

Sorry if this makes no sense but I’m also confused!

thank you

It's possible they got in under the 'cared for' criteria or 'previously cared for'. Or perhaps the child of a member of staff.

Is it as the crow flies or is it walking distance.? And is it the centre of the school or a particular entrance?

They might have safeguarding issues that make the nearest school unsafe for the child. They might have staff as a parent. They might have specific needs that school can cater for whilst awaiting an EHCP ( the delays at the moment might mean it will be in place by the time school starts but isn’t in place during application phase)

Straight line distance

Did you out the school as your first choice and is it definitely designated as your closest school on the Herts council postcode checker?

And does the school you applied for actually use the nearest school rule?

Yes and yes, thank you

Be Could there a social reason? For example a police officer or a social worker might get a school that’s less likely to have parents that they know.

Is the school c of e? They could have got in by proving they are part of the church there

@Jojobees thank you so much for this - it wasn’t a child of staff or EHC or medical or social as all of these are listed separately - which is why I am still very confused

No it’s not c of e @Newnewer

@SonicTheHodgeheg thank you- no, wasn’t a medical or social reason because that is already listed

@Namechange13101 yes they do- i have reviewed their admission criteria thank you

But how do you know it isn’t EHCP related, if the ehcp is in process and not final they won’t have been allocated under EHCP as the child doesn’t have one at allocation. They might have one by admission meaning they would be allocated under not closest school.
unless you specifically know the family and the child there might be an EHCP in process

Sounds bizarre….might be worth checking with the admissions team that you were in the correct admissions category as seems odd that you didn’t get in if you should have been in the higher category. You haven’t moved in between applying and allocation day have you?

Have you measured to the correct point e.g, specific gate, front door to reception, not necessarily the boundary.

Thank you all for taking the time to respond, I’m going to check with the admissions team. Ps The distances I’m using are the ones provided by the local authority

Then it’s worth checking that the admission criteria have been applied correctly and find out the reason that you weren’t offered a place.

I take it that the information about the admissions says that the last place offered went to someone in the "not nearest school" category living n miles away.

If you are in the "nearest school" category and that comes above "not nearest school", then you should have been awarded a place. You could contact to ask them which category you were deemed to be in and why. Maybe there's a nearer school you hadn't realised was there (eg over the borough boundary, or because they measured on walking distance rather than road distance or as the crow flies). Or maybe there was a mistake, in which case you can appeal.