Priority Of Choice Of Secondary Schools

[Rosie29]

A friend of my daughters has a child in the last year of Primary school. As this child is adopted the mother thinks she has a priority of choice as to which school the child goes on to next. Mother is a single parent and comfortably off and no dealings with social services or any other agency as far as I know. Is this the case?

[rockyracoon]

As far as I understand it most policies state 'looked after' children (foster care, rsponsibility of local authority) get priority, not adopted children.

[daffy654]

Adopted children have no priority of children born to their parents. As rocky says, children in council homes or foster care do get priority.

[knowabit]

Yes, I think this could be correct. My daughter just started Secondary school... her classmate in Primary went to first choice of Secondary school, he is adopted and was priority, so I was told. He went to a different school, a bit further away than our local, but 'meant' to be better.

[knowabit]

Children in council homes? Why would they have priority?

[Sparkles62]

Maybe its just me, but I can't see any reason why the adoption should make any difference at all, Why would she have priority over other people?

[rockyracoon]

Just checked the website for kids school and local school, both state 'looked after' and council care. Zip about adoption.

[daffy654]

Council childrens homes (to be clearer)

[daffy654]

Our LEA states the same as rocky's schools.

[Old_Geezer]

I'm not seeing why any of these groups should have priority over others. So it must be all true.

[knowabit]

Ah.. childrens homes! As I said in first post, I was told this about the adopted boy, but cannot say it was true!

[rockyracoon]

Knowabit, care homes not council houses.

Sparkle's I'm with you, if you adopt a child you take on the responsibilities as if you have given birth, unless it's a late adoption and social services were involved with regards to what was best for the child.

[Barmaid]

http://www.education.gov.uk/aboutdfe/statutory/g00213254/school-admissions-code-2012

Download this code - the Schools Admissions Code. See page 8 (para 1.7). Previously looked after children who are then adopted do have priority as long as the adoption is immediately after being looked after.

[knowabit]

From my local authority website for school admissions:

Where the number of children applying for one of these schools by the published closing date exceeds the number of places published, the applications are considered, and places provisionally allocated, in the following order of priority:
1. Looked After Children and Children who have been adopted (or made subject to a residence order or special guardianship) immediately following having been looked after.

Still confused though... does that mean if they have recently been adopted? Not if adopted from baby?