School transfer

[Salskey]

I have 2 ds's the eldest was transferred to school x just at the end of the school term. Ds2 is entering school y (y7) in sep but we want him to go to school x. We know we have to fill out an in year transfer application but just wondered now that ds1 is in school x will ds2 have a good chance now that he has a sibling in the school. School x is an academy btw.

For admissions

If they have a place available they must give it to your son. If there is no place available they won't offer him one even though he has a sibling at the school. However, if their admission criteria give priority to siblings he will be at or near the head of the waiting list.

Thanks prh47bridge, I thought that but school x told me that because ds1 got in through an in year transfer it didnt really apply for a sibling and that we must apply through the in year transfer but no body ever leaves yr 7 so it was pointless applying (more or less)

They either have sibling priority or they don't. They can't give sibling priority unless the older child got in through an in year transfer. However, you have missed the main admissions round so you will be applying for an in year transfer, so that bit is correct.

They use random allocation if a place comes up but if we have a sibling there would this take priority over r a?

The answer is it depends on exactly what the admission criteria is for the school. It could be that all admissions are on random allocation or it could be that siblings get priority and then the rest are on random allocation. There is then the issue of how the random allocations are set up. Most schools have a test used to put the pupils in a band and then allocate equal numbers from each band. Again it depends what the admission criteria says about in-year admissions as to how they are treated. You need to look very carefully at the admission criteria for the school.
The comments about nobody ever leaves year 7 is questionable, of course there could be pupils leaving. That sounds like an excuse about not wanting to do anything about admitting your younger child. I would formally apply to the LA for a place for your younger child with the LA, who are responsible for in-year admissions and see what happens. If they say no it is full then go to appeal, but there could be a place in year 7 - after all there was a place in another year group for your older child.

Thanks admission.