So disappointed - can anyone explain to me exactly how offers work?

[Coraldress]

I stayed up until midnight to login and find out about ds school place. I'm really disappointed, he has been offered his second choice, school B, a school which has just been rated inadequate.

School A, his first choice, is next door to his primary and is where all of his friends will be going.

What should my next steps be? I've already found out that a couple of people have been offered school A as their second choice. I was under the impression that the LA approached schools with first choices before offering it to those who have it as second choice, but perhaps I've misunderstood. We don't have catchment areas round here, it goes on distance.

I will appeal, but I understand that you must have pretty exceptional circumstances to win an appeal.

Can anyone please offer me any advice?

Coraldress thank you and good luck. And try to get some sleep!

Prettyvase has been remarkably lucky

Agreed. Every year I come across people who think naming only one school (or even naming the same school multiple times) guarantees getting a place at that school. It makes absolutely no difference whatsoever to your chances of getting that school. You may be lucky and get it but you may not. And, as others have said, if you miss out you may then end up with a terrible school that is miles away.

I wish we could kill off these myths once and for all. Unfortunately I don't think it will ever happen.

Apparently we are 2006 metres away from the school, and the last place offered was 1705 metres. However, google tells me we are actually only 1827 metres, as the crow flies. Not that it would have made a difference and I imagine they'll say that they use a different calculator.

Raise this with admissions because that's how they have it recorded in their system. It may be that they don't use a straight line definition, but check it.

"Apparently we are 2006 metres away from the school, and the last place offered was 1705 metres. However, google tells me we are actually only 1827 metres, as the crow flies. Not that it would have made a difference and I imagine they'll say that they use a different calculator."

If they are using straight line distance, they will be using a system that uses seed points on your property and a designated seed point on the school property. If the school has more than one entrance, there should be a defined 'main' entrance which is used for the purpose of admissions. The calculations are normally performed to a stated accuracy. Some LAs state "to the nearest metre" others state "to the nearest 0.001 mile". So Google Maps may well not correspond with the stated distance. You are entitled to ask for them to double check the distance and to justify it.

the BBC article about admissions and appeals is more accurate than some newspapers, although I still think they mislead parents by stating how hard it is to win an appeal, and giving the reasons that need to apply for KS1 infant class size appeals only. However, they then give many examples of the things to say in ordinary prejudice appeals, without explaining the difference.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-43783681

I find this article from the School Run website explains the preference system well. It should be sent to every parent!!!!
www.theschoolrun.com/equal-preference-system-explained

The School Run website has lots of good info on appeals, late applications etc.