school says they will only take those for whom this school is first choice?!

[Chandon]

Can this be true?

We have two good schools (lucky us) but our first choice is oversubscribed, and we cannot be sure of a place. Our second choice says they only take kids who have them as First choice!

Dilemma. But also, can this be true? that would mean we can end up with No school.

Are we being bullied into putting them down as our first choice? Can schools actually say they only want people who have them down as a first choice? Isn't it up to the LEA to decide where we are placed?

Well, let's just say in a school that allocated most places by lottery a reference to priority for 'first choicers' would be especially bizarre.

However, to be fair, when was the equal preference system adopted in London?

Equal preference was brought in nationally about 5-7 years ago, I'm a bit confused as I think to start with only community schools had to go with it, but I'm not sure.

I'm pretty sure the equal preference was in place - it was 4 year ago.

The head in his speech urged us to put the school first preference when I went to the open day this year.

I think the first 'batch' of children admitted under the equal preference policy started school (primary or secondary) in 2007. The revised admissions code would have come out some time before then.

It definitely applies to VA schools as well as LEA controlled ones.

radicalsubstitution,
I can understand why you have some doubts about my post but that is by no means the worst of what some head teachers have done at appeal hearings.

As an example I would quote the head teacher, 3 years ago, who told parents at an appeal that whilst he was quite happy to take child A he did not want to take child B because they had special needs and the child would struggle in their school.The clerk called an immediate halt to the appeal and absolutely slayed the head teacher in front of the parents, but the damage had already been done.
You do wonder how the head teacher thought he could get away with saying what would easily be an offence under the disability act as it was then, let alone all the admission code regs.

admission - I don't doubt your post - you are a proven expert on all things, err, admission.

As I said, I am just gobsmacked at the stupidity of some heads.

We are all, as teachers, given VERY strict instructions on open days not to discuss admissions with parents, and to direct any questions to the headteacher. This is to avoid the awkward situation of what we say being used in an appeal.