Equal Preference System

[whosenameisthisanyway]

Please could someone confirm whether I'm right... Gave a friend the following advice and would hate to be wrong. Have suggested she run it past the county anyway!

Equal pretence system is used where we live (maybe it is everywhere?!).

My friend's son is at a Catholic primary. He is a baptised Catholic and should therefore be allocated a place at the (v close) Catholic high school (which receives most children from his primary feeder). I shall call this School A.

His parents think they would prefer him to go to another very close but not catchment school. It's oversubscribed, but they live very close. This is School B.

There is obviously also a catchment school (which they are not keen on). School C. ^

I've said that - based on the equal preference system - he would still get School A (the Catholic Sch) if they put it second after School B (so long as they did not get a place at School B).

Am I right?^

Put the schools in order of preference. You get the highest preference school for which you qualify. The school doesn't know whether it is your first, second or last choice.

So, I'm right? Sorry. Being dense.

Yes as long as he was high enough on the admission criteria to qualify for place. If not it would be school C or the nearest school with a place. The school can't turn you down just because you didn't list it as first preference. The local authority website may explain better than I have!

Thank you. It's quite tricky to explain, isn't it!

Yes. But although although he has the baptism etc there's no guarantee that they get the Catholic school over C if there's no space.

So they put down B A C. B would then be looked at and they'd join the general list after all those with the preferential stuff (presume 'looked after', armed forces etc) and if there was space they'd get that. If they don't then second choice will kick in and if they have preference because of religion that should mean they stand a better chance of
getting in. And then of course choice C.
As per PP list in order of preference, use all choices available, so if allowed three then out three schools, if five then put five schools.
There's also the option of going on to a waiting list. But they must accept place they are offered even if they don't like it.

Think that's right! We are a long way out the other side! And it does vary a bit depending on council

Thanks! I think it's true that they'll be wherever they are on the list for School A regardless of whether they put it as first or second preference. Really hope they double check anyway!

In England it's law so must be right no matter the council.

Yes all schools do the lists then the la knocks off any who got their higher pref until they meet pan. Or the mat does it, whoever.

Thanks!

Yes, they can safely put school B first.

It will not put him at a disadvantage for school A should he not get school B.

The Equal Preference System is law in England , and is designed to enable parents to list schools in the order they prefer them. It is also law that schools admit according to their published admissions criteria (i.e not because someone listed them as first choice)

Each school (or the admissions authority for that school) lists all the applicants in the order in which they meet the criteria.

The computer whirrs and the LA offers each applicant the highest school on their list that can offer them a place.

So if your friends son could be offered places in B, A and C, they will be allocated B as they listed it first and the places at A and C go back into the whirring. If B doesn’t offer a place but A and C do then they will be allocated S as it is higher up the list than C.

Also, they won’t get B by only naming the one school, or naming it in every place. On the list. The Equal Preference system cannot be ‘gamed’.

Thank you.