Secondary admissions consultation. How often?

[Tissunnyupnorth]

Hi

My DD1's school is currently inviting comments for a consultation for changes to their admissions criteria for 2018/2019 (so for Sep 2018 starters).

One of the changes the school is considering (and by all accounts looks likely to be adopted) has quite a big impact on our DD2. As I have a large gap between my two daughters, under previous admissions criteria, she would not be considered under the sibling criteria as her sister would not be on roll at the school, at the time of her application. However, the new rules extends the sibling criteria to cover the older sibling having been at the school up to three years prior to the application of the younger sibling.

My question is, if this consultation is adopted for 2018/2019, how likely is this to stay in place for the following year, 2019/2020? This is the year we would be applying for DD2 to start. Can schools consult every year or is there a framework for new admissions rules to be in place for a certain length of time?

Thanks.

They have to consult every year if the school is proposing to make any changes, so in theory it is possible that it could get changed. However unless it is a total unmitigating disaster in some way (maybe gets far to many applicants than places) then it is unlikely the school will want to change school admission criteria the next year.

Unlikely (but technically possible) it would change for the following year. Admissions arrangements for 19/20 have to be determined by (I think) Easter 2018 - a few months before applications open in September 2018, so a consultation should start Jan 2018 at the latest. Outcomes of the 18/19 application year won't be known then, as the deadline will only just have gone, so the admissions authority (school presumably) would have no evidence that the change wasn't working.

Thank you both, very encouraging.

The school have said that they expect this change to have a very small impact on numbers, but feel it's an important change for blended families. For us it's a huge game changer.

A happy new year so far!

I think that the school may be underestimating the number of pupils it will apply to. There are many pupils who miss out on a place at a school because the elder sibling has either just left or is in the year leaving when the application is made. How many it affects will depend on how well those affected have previously faired when it comes to getting a place.
The danger to the school is not in regard to those siblings being admitted but those who previously would have got in but now will not get a place at the school. Those people will appeal and argue they have been disadvantaged by the change in admission criteria, just as you have the opposite of giving you an advantage.

Have you replied to the consultation yourself i.e. are current parents among those who are being asked for their opinions? If you are, then would advise you to state that you are in favour of the changes.
If it goes through, thenI think it would be likely to still be in place for the following year.
But, however positive the school management are being, there are no guarantees that this will actually go ahead if there are large numbers that are not in favour. Many parents would not vote for a change that may mean their children (or their friend's children) are less likely to obtain a place at their preferred school even if the proposed changes could be small.
What type of school is it? I think there may be differences in the way admissions criteria can be changed for academies and LEA schools. It's a few years ago now but an aware (through school governors forum) that locally one secondary school had a change in admissions criteria over-ruled by the LEA.