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Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

Original poster

DD didn't get into any of our school preferences - any options?

86 replies

HannahTone · 03/03/2022 11:05

We live in an area with really low performing schools, so after having checked the preferences list and admission criteria, we put the further schools as our top 3 choices because we really did not want DD to end up into one of the school nearby, as we heard lots of nasty rumours about them, but then added them in the last 3 choices just so if nothing else, she does get accepted into the more reasonable ones near our house.

However, on offer day, we got rejected out of all our preferences and DD got put into one of the most low performing schools which are even further away than the nearby school I put in number 4.

Now, I just contacted the council and the lady was really rude and just told me to wait till 21st March when the waiting lists will be out and that she will be put on waiting lists for all 6 schools, but given higher preference for the first school. I'm not even sure she knew what she was talking about tbh, but realistically I dont think she'll get the 1st school choice, so I was thinking of getting her to higher preference to the more reasonable school near to us, but I dont know if I can do that?

Has anyone been in a similar situation, do you think I could do that, or does that seem like an impossible thing to do? Please help a struggling mum!

OP posts:
PatriciaHolm · 03/03/2022 17:45

You can add yourself to waiting lists for other schools, yes.

In terms of detail as to why you didn't get the other places, that will probably come in a letter in the next few days hopefully.

ChicCroissant · 03/03/2022 18:00

I did get a letter when my child didn't get their first preference, it did arrive a day or so later than the online portal showing the result but it did state in writing the reason for not being offered that school.

The waiting list procedures vary a bit between councils but I know you've already spoken to them about that and sorted it out. There can be some movement while people accept places and after that you'll get an idea of your position on the waiting list.

Good luck OP, it is a stressful time. I hope a place at the right school for your DD is sorted soon, you just want to know for definite where they'll be going Flowers

Soontobe60 · 03/03/2022 18:07

@Ozanj

Social and medical reasons are the only things that count when you apply for schools that aren’t in your catchment area. You should only be choosing further away schools if you can justify it eg her existing friends / relatives go there or if she has a deathly allergy to something common & the new school is on the doorstep to an A&E.

Also, lower performing schools tend to have more current ratings and so may be performing at a higher level than so called Outstanding schools who haven’t had an Ofsted rating in 10 years. This needs to be kept firmly in mind especially considering Ofsted’s recent crackdown on outstanding schools.

No, social reasons are not valid reasons for getting a particular school. Many schools don’t have a catchment area as such.
boyblue · 03/03/2022 18:10

Get on the wait lists for any schools you prefer. I suspect you'll get a wait list place by the summer

Soontobe60 · 03/03/2022 18:18

OP, I think you’ll find that most schools have kids that sometimes fight!

LadyLazarus40 · 03/03/2022 18:21

Have you read the admissions policy for each school you applied to? It will state in detail how places are allocated. Eg it will show priority prob something like this: 1. Children in care 2. Catchment siblings 3. Catchment by distance 4. Distance. Then be clear what category you fall into eg are you catchment or not.

You then need to cross reference this with the details given by your council for each school showing how they allocated places. This will allow you to see if a mistake has been made.

If however they only offered to say catchment up to 0.5 mikes and you are catchment 0.6 miles you will not get a place. Similarly if they only offered in catchment and you live out of catchment then no place.

It works on an equal preference so you will be offered your highest placed school which you meet the admissions criteria for. If you do not meet the admissions criteria for any of the schools you listed then you will be offered the closest school which has a place (which it sounds like is the case with you).

Crockof · 03/03/2022 18:25

Can you find the admission allocation of the schools you have been refused. Lots of councils post a chart like this. If you wish to pm me I can have a look if you'd like, if I can find a chart you can then know why you weren't offered a place.

DD didn't get into any of our school preferences - any options?
Jijithecat · 03/03/2022 18:39

OP have you read the secondary schools admissions process on your county council website? It should detail the admissions criteria for schools, have a distance calculator and show you how places were allocated in previous years.

Lily737 · 03/03/2022 18:46

You can't compare how far your dd's friends live from the school as that's not how it works. For them they could have put the school as their first choice. The way it is done is that all who put a school as their first choice are ranked and the number of places they have are given out to the same number of children in order of ranking. Then the ones who dont get in are looked at by the second school and so on. Each school takes children in the same way so a child who has the school listed 4th will be "overtaken" by those who place it higher. Hence the need to order your choices with care. (This isn't not how it literally happens if course - the computer works it out. The schools just wait for their pupil lists.)

Riverlee · 03/03/2022 18:46

Can you appeal for one of the preferred schools? Check the schools appeal procedure. Then you need to put a case together as to why you want your dc to go to that school. Eg. Dc is musical and school has a good music departmentvetc

titchy · 03/03/2022 18:48

@Lily737

You can't compare how far your dd's friends live from the school as that's not how it works. For them they could have put the school as their first choice. The way it is done is that all who put a school as their first choice are ranked and the number of places they have are given out to the same number of children in order of ranking. Then the ones who dont get in are looked at by the second school and so on. Each school takes children in the same way so a child who has the school listed 4th will be "overtaken" by those who place it higher. Hence the need to order your choices with care. (This isn't not how it literally happens if course - the computer works it out. The schools just wait for their pupil lists.)
No that's really not the way it works at all. Equal preference means it doesn't matter whether you put a school first or sixth - if you are in the top ranked 120 or whatever who applied you get a place.
ChildOfFriday · 03/03/2022 18:49

@Lily737

You can't compare how far your dd's friends live from the school as that's not how it works. For them they could have put the school as their first choice. The way it is done is that all who put a school as their first choice are ranked and the number of places they have are given out to the same number of children in order of ranking. Then the ones who dont get in are looked at by the second school and so on. Each school takes children in the same way so a child who has the school listed 4th will be "overtaken" by those who place it higher. Hence the need to order your choices with care. (This isn't not how it literally happens if course - the computer works it out. The schools just wait for their pupil lists.)
No no no no no this is not how it works! Schools do not give priority to people who put them first, and putting the closest school first would have given the OP no advantage whatsoever in getting in. As explained many times on this thread, the equal preference system is law across England and has been for many years.
ChildOfFriday · 03/03/2022 18:52

@Jijithecat

OP have you read the secondary schools admissions process on your county council website? It should detail the admissions criteria for schools, have a distance calculator and show you how places were allocated in previous years.
I don't think all do this unfortunately, though some do. OP, if you are comfortable posting the name of your LEA, posters on here may be able to have a look for you and help you find any admissions information that has been published.
Crockof · 03/03/2022 18:54

@Lily737

You can't compare how far your dd's friends live from the school as that's not how it works. For them they could have put the school as their first choice. The way it is done is that all who put a school as their first choice are ranked and the number of places they have are given out to the same number of children in order of ranking. Then the ones who dont get in are looked at by the second school and so on. Each school takes children in the same way so a child who has the school listed 4th will be "overtaken" by those who place it higher. Hence the need to order your choices with care. (This isn't not how it literally happens if course - the computer works it out. The schools just wait for their pupil lists.)
No this isn't correct. School places are not allocated on preference, they are allocated on admissions policy and then preference is taken into account. You are advised to put a school you are likely to get into in your list, otherwise you could be allocated a school any where.
Lily737 · 03/03/2022 18:59

It's not really worth contacting the schools. The process is the process and it takes a while to finalise everyone's place. Some schools may suggest you appeal but they are very unlikely to work as you require a very unusual circumstance - not distance from a school or your personal preferences.

I'm not being unkind it's just how it is. I work in a primary and every year we have children who wait for a place, even well towards the end of the summer term.

Lily737 · 03/03/2022 19:01

Also your dd may need to take the place at the school.you do have and then stay on the waiting list into year 7. Then either she might settle in well or you wait for the chance for a place at another school.

Crockof · 03/03/2022 19:02

@Lily737

It's not really worth contacting the schools. The process is the process and it takes a while to finalise everyone's place. Some schools may suggest you appeal but they are very unlikely to work as you require a very unusual circumstance - not distance from a school or your personal preferences.

I'm not being unkind it's just how it is. I work in a primary and every year we have children who wait for a place, even well towards the end of the summer term.

Lots of appeals are successful as the LA don't follow their own admissions criteria and it is worth checking you are on the waiting list (if schools hold the waiting list)
titchy · 03/03/2022 19:05

@Lily737

It's not really worth contacting the schools. The process is the process and it takes a while to finalise everyone's place. Some schools may suggest you appeal but they are very unlikely to work as you require a very unusual circumstance - not distance from a school or your personal preferences.

I'm not being unkind it's just how it is. I work in a primary and every year we have children who wait for a place, even well towards the end of the summer term.

You don't need an unusual circumstance to succeed at appeal. You simply need to demonstrate that the disadvantage to the school of taking your child as an extra is not as great as the disadvantage to your child of not being admitted.

I hope you don't advise any of the parents in the school you work in Hmm

WaterTheBasil · 03/03/2022 19:07

@Lily737 must have had a head bump today as she is talking jibberish at every turn. Sad

boyblue · 03/03/2022 19:14

@Lily737

You can't compare how far your dd's friends live from the school as that's not how it works. For them they could have put the school as their first choice. The way it is done is that all who put a school as their first choice are ranked and the number of places they have are given out to the same number of children in order of ranking. Then the ones who dont get in are looked at by the second school and so on. Each school takes children in the same way so a child who has the school listed 4th will be "overtaken" by those who place it higher. Hence the need to order your choices with care. (This isn't not how it literally happens if course - the computer works it out. The schools just wait for their pupil lists.)
This is exactly how it does NOT happen. The order you put your preferences only counts if you are eligible for more than one school on your list in accordance to the school admissions criteria. If you don't qualify, you aren't offered a place regardless. Equal Preference System.
PanelChair · 03/03/2022 19:30

Please, readers, disregard Lily737’s posts. They are wrong on nearly every point.

Jijithecat · 03/03/2022 19:41

Out of interest does anyone know what year the Equal Preference System was introduced?

PanelChair · 03/03/2022 19:45

I’ve been involved in school appeals for a very long time and don’t remember a time when it didn’t apply.

ChildOfFriday · 03/03/2022 19:48

@Jijithecat

Out of interest does anyone know what year the Equal Preference System was introduced?
In the area I grew up in (Birmingham), it was brought in for the year that I started secondary school (so entry in 2003). It wasn't law across the country then though, and some areas were still using the first preference first system.
lanthanum · 03/03/2022 19:52

Bear in mind that in the next little while, some people will be declining the places they have been offered because their child has a place at a private school. That might be even more likely for those offered the weaker schools, who might have applied for private in case they didn't get into their first choice. So I think a lot of the reason you are told to sit tight for a couple of weeks is that as those children are taken off the lists, there will be quite a bit of movement.

If there are children in the same category as you who don't live much nearer, you may be quite near the top of the waiting list, and may well get offered a place soon.