164 appeals by parents over school places in Kirklees

May 18 2009 Huddersfield Daily Examiner

In Kirklees the admission criteria are:

Children in public care (looked after children)

Children who live in the school’s Priority Admission Area (PAA) who have an older brother or sister attending from the same address at the date of admission (the younger sibling rule)

Children who live in the school’s PAA

Children who live outside the school’s PAA who have an older brother or sister attending from the same address at the date of admission (the younger sibling rule)

Children who live outside the school’s PAA.

In many parts of the country parents use second homes or rented accommodation to ensure they can get their child into their first school choice which could be oversubscribed because of good GCSE results or performance in Ofsted inspections.

A woman in London has been told she could be prosecuted for allegedly giving her mother’s address to try to get her child into a good school.

The schools’ admissions watchdog says parents should appeal if they are ‘disappointed’ by the secondary place they have been allocated.

Ian Craig, chief adjudicator for schools in England, spoke as over half a million families found whether they had their first preference place.

But researchers have warned that the admissions process is too complex for many parents.

Last year, about one in five pupils did not get their first choice school.

Schools Secretary Ed Balls has admitted that the system is not perfect but said it is fairer than it had ever been.

“We’ve already given extra powers to the chief schools adjudicator, he can now do investigations.

“Any changes in admissions arrangements have to be consulted on with parents.”