Question about secondary school entry

[Yorkpud]

You know how all the schools seem to have specialist areas, eg sport or IT etc. If your catchment school's specialism is not of interest to your child but a nearby school's one is, can you apply on those grounds or does it not mean anything in the grand scheme of things?

Don't think it matters much. If it's not oversubscribed, you could put in your 'reasons' bit that your child has strong interest in dance/drama/languages, but the specialisms aren't that specialist IME! I can't even remember what ours is!

Look at the school in question's admissions criteria. I think the law was that schools with 'academic' specialisms are not allowed to admit anyone especially under 'academic aptitude criteria' but non-academic specialist schools are (eg drama/art/PE/tech etc) - for up to 10% max, but not all of them do, of course.

In our area there are at least 2 Perf Arts specialist schools which will admit 10% by aptitude (you play an instrument/belong to a drama group etc) and one technology one and one sports one which also do. Obviously the science/maths ones etc are not allowed. And if it's a grammar you have to pass the normal entrance test as well.

It really will vary from school to school.

Thanks for your replies. It is pretty much what I thought. I think my non-sporty son will end up at a sports academy, then again second son is very sporty!!