Twins allocated different schools !

[lazybill]

My twin boys have been allocated different schools in different boroughs. They want to go to the one that's not in our borough, and definitely don't want to go to the one in our borough. Anyone got any ideas or suggestions ?

Make sure that you get on the waiting list for your preferred school - the other twin must be top of the list (or is it by lottery?).

That's horrendous! TAMBA have been trying to campaign for twins to be treated as "siblings" and therefore not be split - mine are only 4, but we had to go through the worry when we were applying for Reception places. One of my friends had her twins put in different schools for Yr R, and had to go through an appeal to get it sorted. Try contacting TAMBA and see what advice they can offer. And I would be on the phone to my LA to ask about appealing - it's utterly ridiculous.

I thought they were not allowed to do this anymore

I thought that schools were allowed to go over pan in the case of twins.

I would appeal if I were you

OMG - this is my worse nightmare - can they do that!

It'll be next year for my two...I can't believe that this is even a possibility ...Oh no! What will you do?

Some words of encouragement, thankyou. Perhaps one twin can go on the waiting list, and if he doesn't get in, I'll sneak him in the back door when no-one's looking and they'll probably never notice. I like the idea they're "not allowed" to do this, and hope that's not just wishful thinking, any evidence ?

I am waiting for primary results (mid April) and it says in the LEA booklet for Cornwall that they cannot confirm that twins/mulitple births will be allocated the same school.

There are 4 schools in the town am I currently have ds1 in one of them. I am having nightmares of having 3 children in 3 different schools - I also agree that they should not be sent diferent places whether it be primary or secondary

Look on the 'didn't get preferred school' thread for some good, general advice on appeals.

Oh no.:( This happened to my twins last year. So stressful.Thread about it here Do call tamba- they were very helpful to us. Wrote a letter for us to use in the appeal. In the end another school offered both my boys places. Fingers crossed for you.

I'd assume it was an error or oversight tbh

I would not stress or take any hasty action -bar accepting the desired place) but get the head of education (of your preferred borough) on the phone in a few days and simply threaten to bring in the local rag.

very wrong

"I like the idea they're "not allowed" to do this, and hope that's not just wishful thinking, any evidence ?"

I should think if splitting twins up at secondary weren't allowed then that would be part of the School Admissions Code, and it isn't. LAs are supposed to prevent twins being split up at primary age, but that is on the grounds that they are too young to travel independently... which sort of suggests that splitting them up for secondary IS considered acceptable, IYSWIM.

"2.25 Giving priority to siblings particularly supports families with young children of primary school age who may not be able to travel independently. Families must be at the heart of the admissions system and the Government expects the admission authorities for primary schools to take the needs of parents with young children into account in deciding which oversubscription criteria will be used. The admission authorities for primary schools should ensure in their oversubscription criteria that siblings (including twins, triplets or children from other multiple births) can attend the same primary school, as long as they comply with the Education (Infant Class Sizes) (England) Regulations 1998"

I think you're right, Saracen.

Tamba can help with your school appeal, we have a team of volunteer Honorary Consultants who have expertise in assisting parents who have had their twins/triplets split into separate schools.
Please contact us through www.tamba.org.uk

Maybe they didn't realise? I would call the school and tell them. It is quite possible that they reviewed both applications separately and didn't make the connection that they are twins. Definitely worth a call to the school.

They are allowed to split twins. The school may not go over PAN simply to admit a twin. Telling the school they are twins won't make any difference. The school cannot change things.

Did you put the same schools in the same order for both of your sons?

It is, of course, possible that a mistake has been made. It depends on the admission criteria but that is worth investigating. If they have got it wrong they should admit the other twin without needing an appeal.

You can appeal and will get plenty of help here free of charge from people who understand the Admissions Code inside out. You should definitely make sure that your son who didn't get into the preferred school is on the waiting list.

Wot prh47bridge said.

Thanks everyone for your help and suggestions. It turns out twin one was offered a place on the basis of having done well in the school's test for the 10% of places offered for their speciality. Twin 2's just as good if not better, but that obviously didn't come out in the test. Now that Twin 1 has a place there, Twin 2 will get priority on the waiting list because he will be the only applicant in the queue with a sibling expected to be on the roll in September, so, fingers crossed, he will get his place.

I would check carefully exactly what the admission criteria says about siblings because in quite a few LAs your twin would not be considered a sibling until after they have actually started in September. What that may mean is that your second twin will simply be on the waiting list presumbly on a distance criteria.

I would ask in writing whoever is the admission authority to confirm that they will be treated as a sibling in the waiting list as of now rather than as of after September 1st.

Yes, admission , thanks for the caveat.

This is the exact wording, which, I think, is unequivocal.

"siblings of children who are expected to be on the roll of the school from September 2011 "

My italics

Lazybill,
As a year 7 boy your first twin will be expected to be on the roll of the school from September 2011 and as such you might expect the second twin to therefore be classed as a sibling admission. That is certainly the interpretation I would put on it at an appeal.
However i could well see the admission authority arguing that it only refers to continuing pupils not new pupils. The normal wording is that siblings refers to children who are expected to continue to be on the roll of the school in September 2011.
My temptation would still be to get an unequivocable answer in writing from the admission authority.