Admissions criteria ; can anyone clarify sibling link?

[Benzalkonium]

Hoping for some reassurance from any resident experts on here.

"Sibling refers to brother or sister, half brother or sister, step brother or sister, or the child of the parent/ carer's partner where the child for whom the school place is sought is living in the same family unit at the same address as that sibling."

Do the conditions regarding residence at the same address apply to every type of sibling relationship?
Or is it still considered a sibling link if brothers/ sisters are resident at different addresses?

Any experience?

Yes, it needs to be living in a family unit at the same address. Or in the case of shared residency, mainly at the address with the children who would count as siblings.

At DS' school the admissions document sets out the sibling criteria including step siblings/ half siblings as all residing at the same address.

If you check the admissions document I'm sure that it will be detailed there for you.

Hi, thanks for the replies.
Yes, I have checked the document and quoted the relevant paragraph in the op.
I'm not sure how to understand it because the 'where the child...etc part of the sentence could be referring to just the last type of 'sibling' and not the whole array, if you see what I mean.

(iii) ??Sibling?? refers to brother or sister, half brother or half sister, adoptive brother or adoptive sister, foster brother or foster sister, step brother or step sister living as one family unit at the same address. It will also be applied to situations where a full, half or adoptive brother or sister are living at separate addresses. Criteria 3 and 5 include children who at the time of application have a sibling for whom the offer of a place at the preferred school has been accepted, even if the sibling is not yet attending.

Just googled DS' schools admissions policy for the forthcoming year, it is subtly different from my old document.
This isn't in the main body of the process but under 'definitions' at the end.
Hope this helps

Edith, yes I am thinking about a shared residency scenario, where siblings have been split up, but still spend a lot of time together.

Sorry cross post -ISWYM, your admissions para is a bit confusing and could be misread.

Digeridont, your schools policy seems clearer than mine. Do you suppose the policy has changed, or just the language has been clarified?

It is unclear you are right. Is there anything else on the LEA website? Otherwise if this applies to you email and ask them.

The wording has changed the definition above came in in the 2015-2016 admissions policy. In the 2014-15 (if only I could copy the link but my phone won't do it) the policy was not so clear- it was more or less the same as the paragraph you wrote in your OP.

Maybe there has been both a subtle change in policy, to better reflect how families have evolved (and to include foster children) and also clearer language to minimise ambiguity.

It is possible that there was a challenge, legal or at an appeal that forced the County Council to rewrite the definition.

I hope this helps.

I think the words "that sibling" must relate to "sibling" at the beginning of the sentence, and it therefore means that all siblings must be living at the same address. They presumably won't want siblings living a long way away with another parent having automatic priority over people living much closer.

Thanks for your replies.

I think that diheridonts policy shows there's an ambiguity, but I'll need to check with the school.

Has anyone had any experience with this?

Go to 11+ forum appeals section and post the question. They will be able to help.

Thanks for your comments.

I th I k I will need. Clarification.

Little tummer girl.....What is this 11+ forum of which you speak? Is it on mn?
Thanks

Not on mumsnet. It's a site mainly aimed at 11+ prep however the appeals section has great advice on admissions.

The criteria for Didgeridont's school have no bearing on your school. Each school/LEA sets its own admissions criteria and what applies in one school doesn't necessarily apply in another; they are free to set their own criteria as long as they comply with the Admissions Code.

Your school seems to have a very clear expectation that siblings of whatever type will be living at the same address.

Op , I think that paragraph is very clearly stating that siblings of all the ones specified must be living at the same address.

Didgeridont's school has a supplementary sentence to explain that certain categories of sibling do NOT have to live at the same address.

Sorry, I don't think your school's policy is ambiguous at all.

I agree with others. I think any appeal panel would look at that and interpret it as meaning that the child must live at the same address as the sibling regardless of the nature of the relationship.

The criteria set by Didgeridont's school are irrelevant. All that matters is the criteria for this school. I think they are completely clear.

Thanks for the posts, it's really helpful. I'll proceed on the basis that any type of sibling must be primarily residing at the same address.

As a matter of interest, DD's school also has pretty much exactly the same wording as Didgeridont . It isn't the same school is it is section ci not iii.

That's interesting, teen. Has it chAnged recently, or been like that for a,while?

Perhaps things are changing to recognize thAt children can hAve sibling relationship without being permanent resident at same address.

I don't know, I've never really paid attention.

However I have just checked 3 other nearby secondary schools (we are in Hants) and they all have the same wording.