Primary school applicants and their parents in England and Wales are currently waiting to find out which school they have been offered for the coming September 2021 intake. As per the present rules, offer day for school placement is 25 April in Northern Ireland and 30 April in Scotland. In the previous year, more than 90% of applicants in England were offered their first-choice school.
In case a child misses out on their first choice, parents can appeal against the decision within 20 school days from the offer day. Parents are required to complete a form and attend a hearing with an independent admissions panel. The panel considers several factors such as class size limits, whether the school’s admissions arrangements were followed correctly, and prioritize the child’s interests. While appealing, it is recommended that parents still accept the offer their child has received to ensure that a place is still available if the appeal is unsuccessful.
In Wales as well, parents can challenge the decision during an appeal hearing during which arguments from both sides are examined. In Scotland, appeals are to be heard by an appeal committee, including councillors, teachers, and parents. In Northern Ireland, those seeking an appeal can visit the Education Authority website to fill and send off a form. After the appeal, an independent admissions appeal tribunal reviews whether the school applied its admission criteria properly.
Factors prioritized in primary school admissions are living near the school, having a sibling at the school, and the child’s religion (for faith schools). Following these, schools and local authorities have their own admissions criteria to decide which children to prioritize. Information about a specific school’s or authority’s criteria can be obtained from the local council.
In case of children with special education needs and disabilities (SEND), rules may differ. In England, the Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) specifies a school for the child, which must give them a place. In Wales, children with additional learning needs (ALN) have an Individual Development Plan (IDP), maintained by a school, college, or local authority. Whereas in Northern Ireland, separate application procedures exist for children with an SEND statement.
On the offer day, parents receive a letter, email, or notification indicating the school their child has been offered. After that, they must accept the offer formally by the given deadline. The school will provide a start date and a list of other necessary information required in due course
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