Does siblings really count when choosing school

[ATTILADHUN]

My son recently sat for 11+ exam. He passed the exam and managed to secure an interview, which was great. However, he didn't get the offer from this school. I found that the school choose to pick the children who have siblings already there or parent working with school ground. I felt quite peed-off which this arrangement. What is the point having the exam if the school already knew who they are going to offer a place to.

Does the siblings really count when choosing the school? Whatever happened to choose pupil based on their exam result which more fair?

[jno]

yes, it makes sense to have siblings all at one school partly because it's not a great idea to split families up, partly because holidays get tricky if they're at different schools with different term times.

[Canary42]

Just a foretaste of what he'll encounter throughout life - forget all about merit - it's jobs for the boys, old school tie, whp you know not what you know, etc.

[Canary42]

"who"

[ATTILADHUN]

jno - i totally understand about having children at different school, different holiday time..
Canary24 - it is so sad to admit that our children have to learn early that their knowledge came second!!

[jno]

I think this is pretty normal practice, though someone may be able to give a more detailed answer. It may someday benefit your second child, for instance.

I'd be surprised if siblings and staff kids made up all the intake, though. More likely is just that they had plenty of places but more applicants, and some missed out because even if they did well, others did better.

[ATTILADHUN]

jno - totally agree... not that I'm trying to be awkward!!! I just based this from the children who sat the exam from my son's school and some of our friends outside his school. Happy days :-))

[B00]

"Does the siblings really count when choosing the school?"

You've answered your own question. Yes, siblings at a school is an advantage when trying to get a child into it.

[Barmaid]

You need to acquire and read the School's Admission Arrangements Policy (which they must have in accordance with the DFES (or whatever they are called now) Schools Admissions Policy) to see if the Admission arrangements have been correctly applied in your son's case.