Will my child get into their preferred school?
Your parental rights and preferred choice are very important.
You have the right to say which school you would prefer your child to go to, but this does not mean that your child will definitely get a place there.
- If the school that you apply to has some free places then your child must get a place. The only time when this might not apply for example, is if the school is selective and has its own criteria that your child has not met.
- If your preferred school has more applicants than places available, your child may not get a place.
- Bear in mind that if you apply late you risk the chance of the school being already be full.
- You should receive your highest available preference and if none of the your preferences is available it must be explained to you clearly how a place at another school will found and offered to your child.
- If you are not offered your first preference, your child’s name will be kept on the waiting lists for all the schools which you named as being a higher preference.
You should accept the place offered to make sure that your child has a school to go to in September.
- Once you have made your preferences you will not be allowed to change them without a genuine reason, i.e. you have recently moved home.
Never waste a first choice preference. An example of a wasted choice would be a scenario like the following:
If your first choice school is very popular and its first rule for offering places is that a child should have a 'brother and/or sister' there, and your child doesn't, it probably won't be a good idea to name the school as your first choice.
You need to choose a school where your child has a better chance of getting into.
This doesn't mean that you shouldn't name schools that are popular, it just means that you have think things through carefully and make sure that your choices are realistic.
Your parental right to express a preference
Schools must not: - Give your application less priority because you express preferences for other schools or you do not name their school as your ‘first preference.
- Give priority to children whose parents or carers have showed an interest in helping the school financially or in any other way.
- Give priority to children whose parents or carers have a particular occupation, financial or marital status.
- Take into account parents and carers hobbies or interests etc. (This doesn’t include membership of, or participation in, religious activities for faith schools).
- Give priority to children based on the educational achievement or background of their parents or carers.
- Take into consideration reports from your child’s primary school, in relation to past behaviour, attendance and achievement etc.
- Discriminate against or give less priority to your child if they have a special educational need or disability.
- Offer a school place just because a sibling or other relative is a former pupil.
- Use the behaviour of other members of your child’s family as a reason to offer or not offer a place.
- Give priority to children whose parents or carers are current or former staff, (including governors etc).
- Give priority to children based on the order that they receive the application.
Grammar schools will rank all children according to a pass marks and then offer places to those who score highest. They will also give priority to siblings of current or former pupils.
Oversubscription criteria
This applies when a school has more applications than places available. They use these criteria to decide which children will be offered places.
These rules must be published in the school's prospectus and/or in the LEA's booklet every year. Bear in mind that every authority will use different types of rules.
Some examples of oversubscription criteria include:
- If your child has a brother or sister already at the school.
- If you live in the area the catchment area/distance away from the school.
- If your child goes to a school link primary school or a feeder school.
- If your child has special educational needs.
- If your child is of the same faith as the school.
- If you (the parent or carer) teach at the school.
- If your child has particular medical or social reasons why they should go to the school.
The school must explain the order in which they will apply each of their rules and state which ones will be used as ‘tiebreakers’.
I.e. If ‘distance away from the school’ is the first rule, places will be offered to all children living nearest to the school before places are offered to anyone else.
In the case of Faith schools, they can give higher priority to children who are members of, or who practice, their faith or denomination.
If there are still places available they must offer a place to every child who applies, whether of their faith or not.
What if my child has special educational needs?
When your child is still at primary school and ready to transfer to secondary school you will have a meeting with the school. This meeting is called an ‘annual review’.
You will be able to discuss suitable placements for your child and tell the school which secondary school you would like your child to go to.
You should still make an application though; this is just for back up and to make sure that all the information is recorded on file.
To find out more information on this procedure you should contact the Special Needs Team in Education Services in your area.
A school must offer your child a place if they have a statement of special educational needs and it names their school, (whether they have places or not).
Children in care (looked after children)
These children must be given the highest priority and a school must offer them a place, even if it is full.
This is also the case if it is a Faith school and the child is not even of that particular faith.
Children from overseas
Parents and carers and children from overseas have the same rights as any other.
This includes asylum seekers, those who have limited leave to enter or remain in the UK and those who are teachers that have come to the UK with their children on a teacher exchange scheme.
What if my child has a social and/or medical need?
Schools may give a higher priority to children or families that have highlighted a social or medical need. If you fall into this category you will need to provide evidence relating to this, (additional information).
An example of this might be if you or your child has a disability that would make traveling to a school that is further away more difficult for you.
The school may then ask for a letter from your doctor or social worker. This letter must state why the school further away is not appropriate for your child to attend and why their school is the most suitable school for your child.
What if my child has been permanently excluded twice?
If your child has falls into this category you are still allowed to express a preference for a school place, but schools don’t have to honour this until a time period of two years has passed (after the last exclusion took place).
This rule will not apply if:
- Your child has a statement of special educational needs.
- Your child was below compulsory school age when he/she was excluded.
- Your child was reinstated following a permanent exclusion.
- Your child would have been reinstated following a permanent exclusion had it been possible for the school to do so.
Can a school refuse to offer your child a place?
Even if you have missed the normal application time frame, a school must not deny you the opportunity to make an application.
They must not tell you that your child can only be placed on a waiting list instead of allowing you to make a formal application.
A Faith school must not refuse to offer your child a place simply because your child is not of the faith of the school.
Unless a school is a fully selective, they must make sure that all their places are filled before they can turn down your child.
Your child cannot be refused a place because:
- They studied a different curriculum at their previous school.
- The school has not received information from your child’s previous school.
- Your child missed an entrance test/s.
- Your child has been reported to have displayed challenging behaviour elsewhere.
- Your child is thought to be potentially disruptive, or to exhibit challenging behaviour.
Waiting lists
Waiting lists must be clear and fair and must not give priority to children based on the date that their application was received or their name was added to the list.
You will not be told where your child is on a waiting list because this may change. You also won’t be advised about the likelihood of your child getting into the school.
As soon as school places become available the admission authorities have to fill them. Bear in mind that they can fill these vacancies from any waiting list and appeals may not have even been heard yet.
Can I choose to educate my child at home?
You have the right to educate your child at home but you should inform the education department in writing before going ahead with this.
This will need to monitored and home visits will be made. This is to ensure that your child receives a good level of education. Bear in mind that you won’t receive any assistance from the local authority.
Please refer to support groups and services for further information.
When can an offer be withdrawn?
A school place can be withdrawn:
- When a parent or carer has not responded to an offer within a reasonable time frame.
The admission authority must remind you that you need to respond and emphasize the fact that the place will be withdrawn if you don’t.
- When a place was offered on the basis of a false or intentionally misleading application.
When can’t an offer be withdrawn?
A school place must not be withdrawn:
- If your child has started at the school, (except for a place that was gained on the basis of a false or intentionally misleading application).
If this is the case you application must be considered again and if it is refused you should be given the right to appeal.
Only a whole governing can refuse an admission, an individual person cannot make the decision alone.
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