Petition Siblings at the Same Primary School

We seek an amendment to the Admissions Code to ensure siblings have the right to be educated together.

The Suggested Criteria listed in the Admissions Code should become mandatory after SEN & children in care.

Currently it is not mandatory for Local Authorities to prioritise siblings on their admissions criteria.

Changes to the 2012 Admissions Code & increasing pressure on primary school places mean families are put in the distressing situation where young children are prevented from attending the same school.

At risk are:
- non SEN siblings of children with SEN who have gained a place at an out of catchment school
- families forced to accept an out of catchment/unplaced school for their eldest child (if their catchment school is oversubscribed), whose siblings will be ranked below children within catchment
- families who gained a place at an undersubscribed out-of-catchment school, whose siblings will not be entitled to a place once the school is oversubscribed