Twins

[Guest]

I have twins in year 7, they are in different secondary schools. One is at a partially selective school (daughter A qualified for a place under its entrance test criterion), daughter B is at my local comp. The partially selective school did have a sibling criterion when we applied for both girls, but daughter B was not offered a place under this criterion because daughter A was not yet on roll at the school.

Does daughter B qualify for a place under the sibling criterion now that daughter A is at the school? I understand there are other siblings on the waiting list for year 7, but we are closest to the school - the school ranks according to distance when there is a tie break. Does this mean daughter B would go to the top of the waiting list?

[Stroud Mum]

I would guess so, now that one sibling is at the selective School. I would get something in writing from the School re their policy on this. Good luck!

[Stroud Mum]

PS Should add that where I live you go on the waiting list in rank order - your order is decided by the test score, plus weighting factors such as age, sibling, distance from Schhol - in that order.

[Guest]

The sibling criterion at the school is higher than the entrance test criterion so siblings are ranked according to distance from the school.

[Geoffrey]

I know someone whose son was initially denied a place at her first choice comp because of oversubscription. They then got him into Year 8 on appeal when his sister got a place in Year 7 - even though Year 8 was still 8-9 places over PAN and the school was resistant. So it seems you can use the sibling criteria even retrospectively.

Hope this provides encouragement. Go for it!

Geoffrey

[Etienne]

If Guest were to go to appeal, then I don't think it's the sibling criterion per se that would be an issue (because the admission rules were applied correctly at the time of application). It would more likely be (1) the logistical difficulty of having siblings at different schools or (2) the emotional upset to the children of being separated, (or both!).

I agree with Geoffrey that it's well worth considering an appeal. I think a panel would probably have some sympathy where twins are concerned, but whether or not an appeal would succeed is impossible to say because of other factors (such as the strength of the case put forward on behalf of the school to resist further admissions).

[Katie]

It's worth a try - you have nothing to lose and everything to gain!
Good Luck.