National Offer Day – how to appeal to parents

Today, parents will be hoping their child ends up in the right elementary school on National Offers Day, but some families will be disappointed with the news – if that’s you, read on

This is the nationwide offer day where expectant primary school parents find out which school their offspring will go to.

It’s a source of excitement for many across the country, but not everything will go as planned for some people.

National Offer Day is April 19 this year, three days later than a typical year.

Because in 2022 this will collide with the Easter holiday, so that the receipt of the correspondence can be expected on the next working day.

If you are in Scotland please remember that the system is quite different as children are allocated their places automatically by the local authorities and with no parental preference system.

What to do if your child does not get the desired primary school place?

Parents and guardians must take a number of steps and processes if their child does not get their preferred place at school on National Offer Day.

Your first step should be to accept offers from the schools your child has attended. From that point on, your child will automatically be placed on the waiting lists of the schools to which they were not accepted and which you have ranked higher on the application form.

You can appeal to the local authority if you’re not happy with the school you’re assigned – but be careful, these deadlines vary from community to community.

As a rule, however, it takes about 10 days from the submission of the offer.

The Government says: “If a parent wishes to make an appeal they should first contact the school’s admissions board. The school’s admissions authority is responsible for establishing the Appellate Body, but the body itself is an independent body.

“The appeals committee must come to its own independent decision as to whether the school should accept the child, taking into account the case presented by the admissions board and the parent.”

According to School Guide: “In most cases, your offer will be your first preference.”

In an article for School Guide, former headteacher and readiness specialist Emma Lewry pointed out three important things you can do when you find you haven’t gotten the school you were hoping for:

• Look at the elementary school you’ve been assigned to – use resources like the school guide to find out which school your child got a place in and try talking to families who are already at the school.
• Call the school of your choice – ask if there is a waiting list and if your child could be accepted. You’ll be busy, but there’s no harm in making a quick request for this information and the chances of getting a spot later.
• Check out the primary school’s appeals process – please note these are usually only granted where there is a specific need which the school you have been assigned cannot meet.

Has your child entered the primary school of their choice? Share your thoughts in the comments below