The Council is obliged to offer families the highest preference it possibly can, when applications have been ranked in line with the school’s admission policy. Where a place has been refused, this is because the school filled with pupils who met a higher criteria of the admissions policy, or the same criteria but lived closer to the school.
The Council would always advise that families accept the offer they have been made, as declining an offer may mean that they are without a place in September. Accepting an offer does not affect a child’s chances of receiving a more preferred offer through the waiting list or appeals process.
The first thing families can do is to complete the waiting list request form available at www.leeds.gov.uk/offerdayprimary by the first deadline of 30 April 2021.
This will ensure your child is placed on the waiting list for their preferred schools and give them the greatest chance that they may receive an improved offer when the first allocation of places from waiting lists is made. Parents should understand that waiting lists are not held in order of when they are added to the list, but are instead ranked in line with the published admission policy.
The Council has already received some late applications and these parents will be offered a place during the first allocation of any vacancies – this is likely to be during week commencing 10 May.
Families can also request an appeal for any school they have been refused – however they should be aware that where infant class size legislation applies, appeals are only granted in very limited circumstances.
Impartial information on appeals is available from a national charity called the ACE Education Advice through their website www.ace-ed.org.uk.
Families can email any queries to startingprimary@leeds.gov.uk where a team of officers will ensure they receive a response.
All families can contact the Council via the online form at www.leeds.gov.uk/offerdayprimary to ensure they receive the most timely response.
If a family has not applied for a Reception place for September, please ask them to complete the waiting list request form at www.leeds.gov.uk/offerdayprimaryas soon as possible. This will ensure we have all the information we need to process their application.
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