Email from council says we don't need to officially "accept" place - is that really right??

[Bramshott]

The email we had on Monday confirming that DD1 has got into our catchment school says "There is no need to contact us to accept this place." Is that really right? That isn't how it worked for primary IIRC! We're in Hampshire, in case that's helpful...

That sounds unlikely! We accepted by clicking on "Accept place" on the admissions website on Monday night, and got an email confirmation, then received a letter yesterday direct from our school with a number of acceptance forms that needed to be returned by next Friday 14th. Not in Hampshire though.

Sounds very unlikely. We are in Surrey and were advised to Accept or Decline the place (by clicking appropriate buttons on website) by the 17th March...
Double check, just to be on the safe side!

You definitely don't have to accept the place here (Essex). It says so clearly in the letter I received for DS2. You need to contact them to decline but otherwise no action is required.

Was the same for DS1. I didn't formally accept the place and he's been happily at the school for a year and a half!

That was the case last year for us - I got myself in a complete tizzy when I realised in the June that I'd never formally accepted the place. Turned out there was no need - there was just as assumption that you'd take the place anyway.

Sounds like it is different depending upon county. In Essex here too and can confirm we do not have to do any formal acceptance, We only need to make contact if declining or for appeal.

You don't need to formally accept the place here either (Lancashire).

We are part of the pan London thingy and there was a button on the website to accept or decline, but the letter that came said that I didn't need to do anything unless declining.

We don't need to accept a place here either, at least not if you got your first preference, I'm not sure if you do if you are offered somewhere else.

I think this applies if you get your first preference. The council letter said we didn't need to do anything unless we want to decline. We had a letter from the school asking for a written acceptance to go straight to the school's admission dept.

Many have gone to not needing a reply as those who aren't happy will say. It stops them having to process hundreds/thousands of letters/emails/phone calls

Thanks for all the replies. Seems it varies then. I may log on and check, because I distinctly remember that for Primary we DID have to log in and click an "accept" button..

Not here either. Website, email and postal
Letter all said dame - only need to contact to decline.
Something in letter about schools contacting directly for acceptance, which you should respond to, to get meeting and induction info.
First choice here too.
Can't remember if same for DD1 as 6 years ago.

We got a letter like that from our local LA which handled the application, telling us we didn't need to formally accept the place, trouble was the school is in the neighbouring county which does expect a reply. So I didn't take any chances and fired off an acceptance to the admissions department in the LA where the school is located anyway, just to be on the safe side.

I'm in muddle with this too. My DS will be changing authority. His current one says don't do anything in terms or accepting. His secondary school have sent a letter saying we need to confirm the place. Decided to contact the authority he will be going to.

I am in West Sussex and no acceptance here to County. Some schools ask you to respond to them (Church ones). For both of my daughters' schools I've done nothing.

Having checked this out - I think it's because the school is an academy. We have now had a letter through from the school direct, with a slip to return to accept the place.

I think it depends on the area, because we didn't have to accept DD2's secondary school (also an academy). We would have had to contact them to decline the place had we wanted to do so.