The procedure that schools use to offer places

[khyarenness]

It is not clear for me how schools and LA's proceed to decide which pupils they will offer them places.

Do they first consider only the pupils who ranked the school as 1st choice? If they proceed like this and offer all the PAN to only the pupils how have obtained the qualifying score and have ranked their school as 1st, then pupils who ranked the school as 2nd (or 3rd...) and who will not get an offer for their 1st ranked school, will then not be offered a place even if they are more qualified than those who have been offered a place because they ranked the school 1st...

I am sure it does work like this...

[Wildfuture]

No school or local authority can offer places in that manner, its unlawful.

[thirdtimemum]

My daughter got her 6th place and local oversubscribed comprehensive school last year in March. She was on the waiting list for the 5 schools above that.
They look at first place and if you don't meet criteria for that they move down to your second place etc etc. You will automatically go on the waiting lists for the schools listed in higher preference.
You must list in your prefered order or else you won't get the score you want. Even if it's Camp Hill and you are miles out of catchment but it's your first choice.

[ToadMum]

All applicants are ranked according to the school's admissions policy, with no reference as to where the school was ranked on their CAF.

Whether an individual applicant can be offered a place or not, is communicated via the schools maintaining LA to the applicant's home LA (may, of course, be the same pne).

Each applicant's home LA collates all the responses and looks to see which of the 'yesses' ranks highest on the applicant's CAF. Then allocates that school on national offer day. (Except it's largely automated).

If none can be offered, a place is found at the nearest undersubscribed school. n.b.not at the applicant's catchment school, unless that happens to be the nearest and undersubscribed. Everyone's nightmare comp three buses away is someone else's nightmare comp on their doorstep, remember.

All LAs explain how the admissions process works, some with worked examples. You will find this information more or less in the same place as you go to complete your CAF. Our LA used not to allow the form to be submitted until the parent acknowledged that they had read and understood the information, but that might be felt to be an example of the nanny state gone mad these days, of course.

Because of course everyone reads something headed Essential information for patents or some such, and doesn't just list their fave schools - or worse still, school - in some kind of 'tactical' fashion and hit the big button.

Don't they

[khyarenness]

All applicants are ranked according to the school's admissions policy, with no reference as to where the school was ranked on their CAF.

Whether an individual applicant can be offered a place or not, is communicated via the schools maintaining LA to the applicant's home LA (may, of course, be the same pne).

Each applicant's home LA collates all the responses and looks to see which of the 'yesses' ranks highest on the applicant's CAF. Then allocates that school on national offer day. (Except it's largely automated).

If none can be offered, a place is found at the nearest undersubscribed school. n.b.not at the applicant's catchment school, unless that happens to be the nearest and undersubscribed. Everyone's nightmare comp three buses away is someone else's nightmare comp on their doorstep, remember.

All LAs explain how the admissions process works, some with worked examples. You will find this information more or less in the same place as you go to complete your CAF. Our LA used not to allow the form to be submitted until the parent acknowledged that they had read and understood the information, but that might be felt to be an example of the nanny state gone mad these days, of course.

Because of course everyone reads something headed Essential information for patents or some such, and doesn't just list their fave schools - or worse still, school - in some kind of 'tactical' fashion and hit the big button.

Don't they

Thank you.

However, I do have a little problem understanding this.

Let's assume:

Child X has made the following choice:
School A
School B
School C

Child Y has made the following choice:
School D
School E
School A

Child Y got:
Yes
Yes (or No)
Yes (or No)

Child X got:
No
No (or Yes)
Yes (or Yes)

Now, my problem is, will there be another iteration after, probably Child Y will accept School D and therefore vacate a place at School A, that perhaps Child X will be offered?

[Tinkers]

This might help explain the equal preference system better.

https://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/schoo ... nce-system" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[khyarenness]

This might help explain the equal preference system better.

https://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/schoo ... nce-system" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

This is a good link, thanks.

[thirdtimemum]

All applicants are ranked according to the school's admissions policy, with no reference as to where the school was ranked on their CAF.

Whether an individual applicant can be offered a place or not, is communicated via the schools maintaining LA to the applicant's home LA (may, of course, be the same pne).

Each applicant's home LA collates all the responses and looks to see which of the 'yesses' ranks highest on the applicant's CAF. Then allocates that school on national offer day. (Except it's largely automated).

If none can be offered, a place is found at the nearest undersubscribed school. n.b.not at the applicant's catchment school, unless that happens to be the nearest and undersubscribed. Everyone's nightmare comp three buses away is someone else's nightmare comp on their doorstep, remember.

All LAs explain how the admissions process works, some with worked examples. You will find this information more or less in the same place as you go to complete your CAF. Our LA used not to allow the form to be submitted until the parent acknowledged that they had read and understood the information, but that might be felt to be an example of the nanny state gone mad these days, of course.

Because of course everyone reads something headed Essential information for patents or some such, and doesn't just list their fave schools - or worse still, school - in some kind of 'tactical' fashion and hit the big button.

Don't they

Thank you.

However, I do have a little problem understanding this.

Let's assume:

Child X has made the following choice:
School A
School B
School C

Child Y has made the following choice:
School D
School E
School A

Child Y got:
Yes
Yes (or No)
Yes (or No)

Child X got:
No
No (or Yes)
Yes (or Yes)

Now, my problem is, will there be another iteration after, probably Child Y will accept School D and therefore vacate a place at School A, that perhaps Child X will be offered?

Sounds like you are over complicating it. Child Y will only be given a place at school D as that was their first preference. Child will be given school c but will be on the waiting list for schools A and B. If a place become available and they are next on the waiting list then child X will be offered it.
Honestly you just need to put them in your preferred order ensuring that you have your local catchments school / schools on the CAF.

[mitasol]

There will be many iterations. Once your oversubscription ranking falls within a school’s PAN an offer can be made. All lower preference schools will be removed. This opens up new spaces and the lists keep moving until all children have reached the highest preference that they are eligible for.

[LouLouJ]

There will be many iterations. Once your oversubscription ranking falls within a school’s PAN an offer can be made. All lower preference schools will be removed. This opens up new spaces and the lists keep moving until all children have reached the highest preference that they are eligible for.

Sorry to seek further clarification ... newbie alert ... am I right in understanding that this describes the process that happens (within the LEAs) preceding offers day 1st March (as well as to the moving waiting lists afterwards)?

Many thanks - I have to say this forum is an invaluable source of advice and information