Does the school know the school preference order of applicants?

[UK007]

According to what I've heard, schools are not meant to know the school preference order of individual applicants, but they may have a rough idea of the number of applicants choosing the school as their first preference.

However, I'm not sure if this is the same case to in-year applications. Will the school know the preference of the applicant? Given that in-year applications are uncommon and not submitted in the normal schedule.

Welcome to reply in this thread/pm.

When we did an in year application we didn't have to give more then one school, we just contacted the school who said they had a place and sent us the forms to fill in. They then emailed us to say we had a place.

In some LAs you apply direct to the school, so don't name any preferences.

If you apply direct to the LA it would be poor practise to give the order of preferences to the school but what matters is that the school cannot use that information to decide the outcome of your application. If they have a place available, it must be offered.

If you are worried about how your child will be treated if they end up at a school that wasn't your first choice, I have yet to come across a school where that has made any difference.

We are currently targeting two schools. Both suggested us to submit in-year application via LA. Should I submit the application form to LA for the first choice? If failed, we then re-submit an application for the second choice, right?

Fill in the form with your first and second choice (and more, if you have any other preferences). They can't decline you a place because you put another school as a higher preference. They can only decline you a place because they don't have one.

Agree with lanthanum. There is nothing to be gained by doing what you describe. You submit your application for both. If your first choice has a place you will get it. If your first choice doesn't have a place but your second choice does, you will get that. The second choice school cannot refuse to admit your child just because you've named it as second choice.

It makes no difference to your application whether it is your first or other preference.

The schools, for main or in-year admission, admit solely on their published criteria. So if a place comes up in your second choice, according to the school criteria, you will be offered it. The school won’t prioritise people who list it higher. Or ‘disapprove’ of anyone who lists them second.

This is the whole point of the ‘equal preference’ system.

If you get offered your second or lower choice, you can still stay on waiting lists for higher preferences.

Just apply direct to the school or via the LA as directed by the school or LA.