Families across England and Wales will find out on Wednesday whether they have been offered a place at their secondary school of choice.

Education leaders have warned that this year could be more competitive than ever, with a record number of 11-year-olds seeking a place.

While most families are still forecast to win a place at their preferred school, it is important to be prepared for the worst-case scenario.

Secondary school admissions announced on National Offer Day in 2022 showed that in Central Bedfordshire, 98.2 per cent got their first choice, as did 96.9 per cent in East Riding of Yorkshire, as well as 96.7 per cent in Rutland, East Midlands. 

But this was not reflected across the whole country. In some boroughs, almost 40 per cent of children failed to secure a place at their first preference. In Trafford, Greater Manchester, around 25 per cent of families missed out on their first choice.

What can you do if your first choice is rejected? 

Bernadette John, the director of Schools Advice Service, says parents must reject the impulse to say, “over my dead body, my child is not going there”, if they are unhappy with their offer.

“All you do then is withdraw the child from the local authority’s responsibility and they think, ‘great, you are no longer a problem for us’,” she says.

But what can you do instead? 

Accept the place you’re offered

Ms John advises parents to accept the place they have been offered, because it will give them time to consider their options and appeal for another place in the local area if they are still unhappy.

“It’s worth going to see the school,” she says of schools which are not a family's preferred option. 

“Quite often a school has a bad reputation and it can be a long way out of date. Someone in the local post office might speak badly of it, but their child is 26 and things have changed.”

She adds: “If a school has had a bad Ofsted in recent years, they are under pressure to make things better. Some schools coast along with a good Ofsted that dates back six or seven years.”

Get on the waiting list

If you accept the offer, your child should still remain on the waiting list for your other preferred schools. But you can ring them up to make sure. 

Your position on the list will be in relation to the school’s admissions criteria. Local authorities advise that waiting lists do not work on a first come first served basis. 

Appeal the decision

If you are disappointed with the allocation, you can submit an appeal.

Your local authority website will set out how to appeal and the relevant timeline. Parents should also be sent information about how to appeal alongside details of their offer.

There is usually a deadline of about 20 days that parents must meet. Parents will need to make the case for why the school they didn’t get is the best place for their child.

Ms John says that parents who appeal need to have a “very specific” reason for why their child needs to be at that particular school.

“Lots of people will say, ‘my child is very shy or sensitive or has asthma’, which applies to hundreds of children. But if, say, your family background is mandarin-speaking, you can argue for a particular school where they offer mandarin,” she says.

Particular health needs are also considered strong grounds for appeal, she says. 

Parents who say that a 45-minute bus ride to school is grounds for appeal won’t get very far, unless they can relate it to health reasons, Ms John advises.

Appeals must be heard within 40 school days of the deadline for lodging appeals.

Parents must be given at least 10 days notice before the hearing of the date and arrangements. 

The notification will include a deadline for the submission of any further evidence that was not sent with the initial appeal. 

Parents will be asked if they would like to call any witnesses to the hearing. If they are unable to attend, they can state that they will be represented by a friend.

How to improve your chances of appeal

1. Be prepared

It is important that you carry out research about your preferred school so that you can question the case at the appeal. 

You will need to ask a series of questions in advance to try and establish if the school has admitted pupils above their published admission number in the past, and if so, what have been the implications.

These questions will help to provide valuable information about the school to establish whether an additional pupil can be admitted without causing problems for the school.

2. Make a strong written personal case

Make sure that you submit a well written and researched case. Establish the reasons why you want your child to attend a particular school and back this up with written evidence.

For example, if there are strong medical or social reasons to attend a particular school, make sure that you obtain written support from a doctor, consultant or similar professional.

Such supporting letters will need to explain why your child needs to attend this particular school and the letter will need to say why the professional supports the appeal and the implications if your child attends a different school.

3. Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse

Knowledge breeds confidence and so do not be afraid to carry out thorough research about the school to prepare for the appeal.

Before the hearing, go through what you want to say and make notes so that you can refer to these to ensure you do not overlook something. If you think of something after the appeal it will be too late. 

Rehearse what you want to say and stay focused. Do not repeat the same point over and over again; the panel will get the point the first time. 

4. Be polite

It might seem like an obvious point to make, but always treat the clerk, the panel members and the presenting officer with respect.

Treat them the way that you would expect to be treated. You do not want to lose the appeal before you have even started.

5. Stick to the facts

The appeal panel will reach a decision based on the facts of the case, so stick to them. It is understandable that you will become emotional, but the outcome of the appeal will be based on the facts of each and every case.

In most situations, the appeal panel is unable to make comparisons between competing appeals because each appeal is determined on its own merits.

For you, the appeal will represent the last opportunity to secure a place at the school of your choice. Why risk the consequences of an unsuccessful appeal by not preparing thoroughly?

Attending appeals has been described as similar to taking a driving test or a public examination. It can be a very nerve-racking experience. Your children deserve the best and so ensure that you give them every chance of success.