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Decision letters will be posted to parents who have applied on time (see 'Applying for a school place' for closing date details) on 16th January 2009. Letters will be posted second class.
Every school has a legal admission number (AN) applicable to the year of entry, which indicates the maximum number of places available in the year group concerned. The admission number is set to maximise parental preference within the resources available and to ensure that there are sufficient school places across the local area enabling the education service as a whole to be run efficiently and effectively. All admission authorities are required to take appropriate account of a school’s published admission number when allocating school places and will not normally admit more children than there are places available within the admission number.
Places will be allocated at Somerset schools using the ‘Equal Preference with Ranking’ method. This is a national model adopted by the majority of Local Authorities and is designed to ensure as far as possible, parents/carers preferences for particular schools are considered fairly, equitably and consistently.
The Equal Preference with Ranking allocation method requires the Admissions Authority to consider all preferences (1st, 2nd and 3rd) equally in accordance with the over subscription criteria. Where more than one preference can be met the LA will offer the highest ranking preference.
Unfortunately, at some schools, there will not be enough places for all the children whose parents would like them to go there. When all places have been allocated up to admission number, the admission authority may refuse any further requests. The reasons for refusal will include
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to admit another child would prejudice the provision of efficient education or the efficient use of resources
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to admit another child would mean the introduction of a ‘qualifying measure’ in order to comply with infant class size legislation
The ANs for September 2009 admission are shown in the list of schools in the Starting School Guide.
If a school is under-subscribed, places can be offered to all applicants. If a school is over-subscribed, the over-subscription criteria for that school are applied to determine which children can be offered places. Different over-subscription criteria will apply, depending on the type of school:
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for Community and Voluntary Controlled schools, the LA over-subscription criteria will apply.
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in Voluntary Aided and Foundation schools, the governors will apply their own published over-subscription criteria.
Further information about over-subscription criteria is given in our General Information section.
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