Reasons for Preference

When you have selected a preferred school, you will, if necessary, be able to enter reasons in support of your choice.

Reasons for Preference

A list of possible reasons for your preference for this school is displayed. Some of the reasons will have an adjacent tick box (select the box to tick or untick it), and some will have a box with an adjacent Choose button. To select one of these select the button to open a list of options. Select the Select button for your chosen option.

Distance from Home: If home-school distance is the reason for your preference, tick the box. The actual distance will be calculated later by the Admissions Team.

Medical: If the child has a medical condition that has influenced your preference for this school, tick the box. You may enter further details in the box at the bottom of the page.

Catchment: If you believe the child's home address to be within the catchment area of the school, tick the box. This will be checked later by the Admissions Team.

Ease of Travel: If ease of access to transport has influenced your preference for this school, tick the box.

Specialist School: If you prefer this school because it is a specialist school, select the Choose button to open a list of specialisms. Select the Select button for the appropriate specialism for this school then save and close. This will be checked later by the Admissions Team.

School Gender: If you prefer this school because it only accepts students of a particular gender (or because it is co-educational - i.e. accepts both boys and girls of the correct age), select the Choose button and select Co-Ed, Female or Male. The Admissions team will check that the gender of the school and child match.

Religion: If you wish to apply to the school on religious grounds, select the Choose button then select the faith of the school.

Social: If there is a social reason for your preference, tick this box. If necessary you may enter more details about this in the box further down the screen (you will be asked to enter any other reasons for your preference that support your application).

Feeder School: If the child for whom you are applying is currently attending a school that is a feeder school for this one, tick the box. This will be checked later by the Admissions Team.

Selective School: If you prefer this school because it is a selective school (for example a grammar school), tick the box.

Do not consider for mainstream school: This message may be displayed if you are making an application to a school that has a selective or specialist band alongside a mainstream band (for example a grammar school stream alongside a comprehensive stream, or a specialist school with a stream that is selected on the basis of particular aptitude (natural ability or talent) for the specialism, alongside a non-aptitude stream). Unless you indicate otherwise, if your child cannot be offered a place in the selective or specialist stream they will automatically be considered for the mainstream part of the school. Tick the box if you do NOT wish the child to be considered for the mainstream school. Please note that if you tick this box you must also have selected Specialist School (if Aptitude Banding is being used by this school) or Selective School (if Ability Banding is being used by this school) as a reason for preference

Other: If your reasons for preferring this school do not fit one of the listed reasons or you wish to provide further information that cannot be entered elsewhere, give details in the box (which asks you to enter any other reasons for your preference that support your application).

Sibling: If the child has a sibling who will still be attending the selected school when your child starts, select Yes (this also applies for a linked school - for example you are applying to a girl's school for a girl whose older brother attends a boy's school with a linked admissions preference policy).
If you are unsure as to whether the other child is considered to be a sibling of the child on whose behalf you are applying, please see your Local Authority's definition of “sibling”.

Sibling Details

If you have confirmed that the child for whom you are applying has a sibling at the preferred school or a school linked to that school, you will then be asked to enter details of the sibling. Type in the name of the sibling, select their gender then select the down arrows and select the correct date of birth.

If the sibling's home address is the same as the child's select the Yes button. The address will be automatically entered. If it is not the same, select the No button. Enter the postcode and select Search to open the Admissions and Transfers Address Selector from where you may select the correct address.

Enter the name of the school attended by the sibling by selecting the Search button. This opens a list of schools that are relevant to the admissions group of your child. Select the correct school name.

Special Reasons

Special Reasons may also be entered. These may be used to record additional special needs or any other reason why you would prefer the child to be admitted to this school. The number of special reasons that are available for use will vary depending on the policy of your Local Authority, up to a maximum of three.

Select the appropriate reason and select the Yes button to mark it. You may now select a category (select the down arrow to open a list, and then select the most suitable entry) and enter more details relating to this reason by typing in the box provided.

Any Other Reasons

If there are any other reasons for your preference that are not covered by the other sections on this page or you have selected a reason but wish to add details to further explain your preference, type the details into the box.

At the bottom of this page are a series of links. Select a link to download a blank application or appeal form (if you wish to return the form by post rather than via this online system), change your password, contact the Local Authority or logout.