How does it work when you list schools in preference for secondary admissions

[charleneyxxx]

My daughter is in year 5 and we have to put done up to 5 schools as options for her to go to for secondary , does anyone know how it works ? For example can the 5th option offer her a place 1st which would then stop the other schools from offering a place ?

No, if there is a place available to allocate to you at the first choice school then you will be given that one. If not they look at the second choice and so on. It is more about how you fit into the admissions criteria - usually distance from school as a primary criteria unless there are any special needs.

It's not like that - all areas have to operate an equal preference scheme.

Leaving aside selective or partially selective places, you need to list your choices in the order to really want them. Each school then ranks applicants according to how well they fit the entrance criteria and return the list to he LEA, who then turns that list into one offer per pupil.

If you qualify for more than one school, then your DD will receive an offer from the school that you listed higher up your application.

No, you will be given an offer at the highest preference level which you qualify for. If you are entitled to a place at your first choice school, you will be offered it- the other preferences will all be irrelevant. But if the first choice school can't take you, and the second choice can, you'll receive that offer. And so on.

Hi. The order you list your schools is CRITICAL. You should place the school you most want 1st and then the next school 2nd and so on. This is because your council will apply to ALL the schools on your list on your behalf BUT you will only be offered 1 place and that will be your highest preference (providing you meet that schools admissions criteria of course). I've seen many people try and guess which school they may or may not be offered and then order the preferences accordingly. This is a BIG mistake. Your preference is absolutely key and you should put the schools down in the TRUE order of your preference.

The order of preference is really a bit like a tiebreaker in the case of your qualifying by distance for more than one school - you then get allocated the one you put higher up your preference list.

Thank you so much everyone , this has really helped at least I can fill it out with confidence now

The other thing is to be sure you are listing them correctly.
A parent I know was somehow persuaded by a relative that you list the schools in reverse order. So her DC got their last choice school.
They would have got their first choice had they listed the schools correctly but as it is the most over-subscribed school in the area they are still on the waiting list 2 years later.