Allocation of places

[MrGrumpy01]

I know it is a little early but I am worrying a lot about this. My eldest is in Yr 5 so in a few months I will be having to look at secondary. I realistically have 4 schools that we can apply for - I have out of area schools but getting there would logistically be very difficult. School A is our admission zone school and we are almost guaranteed a place but I really don't want that school at all. I read today that School B had 2.2 applicants per place as a 1st choice and it applies some very random allocation process in my area so I wouldn't want to hedge my bets too much on that one.

Someone told me that unless I put School C as my 1st choice then they won't consider the application at all, which then leaves School D. Schools A, B and C are academies. I would be pretty happy with B, C or D (I think) but I don't want to end up in School A because I took a gamble on B and C rejected me outright. (C is actually our closest school and is just about within walking distance)

Is there any truth in this? I've never really understood school admissions, Primary I applied for the school at the top of the road which when I applied for my eldest was under-subscribed so she got in and even my 3rd (due to start Sept) I only had that down as due to sibling priority and distance I knew it was pretty much secure.

Thanks for reading.

Not true. Your application for each school is considered irrespective of other schools you have expressed a preference for.

Put your choices down in your preferred order. If you are eligible for more than one, you will be offered your top preference.

Thank you, I thought that was the case but didn't know enough to argue.

I guess we will decide after looking round them all - we will still look round the least preferred school, it is improving, but I have heard lots of negative things about it.

I just keep telling her that she has to base her choice on where she wants to go not what her friends are putting down as none of them are guaranteed a place at any of the schools.

I thought academics could do what they wanted though. Isn't that part of the looming academy catastrophe.

I applied in-year to an academy and they told me there were places but not what the admissions criteria were. I had to go in (so they could see the cut of my jib?) and then at the end they said 'we would like to offer dd a place'

I have checked the admissions criteria. The nearest academy (C) pretty much follows the LA over subscription criteria, School B has its own.

School D still has places for Sept (according to their website) so that is hopeful for next year as I don't think that year is a bulge/boom year.

We are thinking of moving in the next few years so we will then move to the area for the school to give the youngest a better chance of getting in (but everything may have changed in 7 years time)

The academy/free school situation is very worrying as a big picture.

Academies are their own admission authority but must still meet all the mandatory requirements of the School Admission Code.

Savoy - that academy may well have been operating illegally - as they are not allowed to "interview".
Academies have to obey the admissions code just like everyone else. And I have known schools lose a lot of appeals because they implied that where you put them in your order of preference affected things (same school had to remove the question about which private schools you had applied to).

mummytime that is interesting. So maybe some places do imply it then. I have also been told the same about another school that is in a neighbouring authority. I have this years admission booklet (easier to navigate than online) I have had a good look but will go over it again and find the admissions policy online.

Thank youll the advice.

I have reported one school in our area, after the second time of hearing the head stand up and say you stood more chance of gaining a place at that school if you put it first. He is still saying it. I keep telling people to ignore him.

I have had to bite my tongue through a presentation at one local school - where the Deputy head tried to explain the waiting list/appeal process and got it WRONG! She was basically telling people they'd have to turn down a place to be offered one from the waiting list. (She was not longer at that school the following Autumn.)

I've seen presentations which imply that they should be put first. They say something like 'If you think that this is the right school for your child then you must put it first otherwise you might not get a place.'

Technically of course they are right. If they are school X and you put school Y first and school Y has places then you will be offered a place at school Y before a place at school X, because you asked for that one to be considered ahead of school Y. It does not mean that you wouldn't have also been eligible for a place at school X or that school X creams of those who chose it first. This is how it did work in some schools a long time ago but now the school won't know your preference so put them down in the order you really want them.

considered ahead of school X
creams off
choose

Thank you all. I wonder if ^ was what was said and people have put two and two together and made five.