Are you based in Essex or Wokingham? It’s a long way between the two!
I have no idea how Essex handle accordance or rejections.
Reading (where I’m based) state this.
Quote:
We would encourage you to accept the place you have been offered, even if it is not your preferred school - accepting the place will not affect your position on a waiting list or your chances of winning an appeal (see below). If you decline the place, we will only withdraw the place if you have an offer of a place at an alternative school as we have a duty to ensure that all children have a school place.
So for Reading applicants even if you reject a place, they won’t withdraw the offer until you tell them where your child will be going. I’ve not seen this before, so don’t know if it’s new or whether some other LAs do the same.