There is good news for most Kent families applying for reception class places in primary schools this year although, with 88.3% of families offered their first choice school, this is the lowest proportion since 2016. However, 97.4% of families have been offered one of their three choices, coincidentally the same percentage as in 2019 and 2017. Sadly, that still leaves 457 children with no school of their choice. Altogether, the number of Kent pupils offered places through the scheme is 17,411, up by 125, but less than 1% on the 2019 figure. These details are contained in the Press Release.
In Medway, more than 88% of children have again been offered their first choice school, with 97.9% being offered a school on their application form, both figures similar to 2019. 74 children were offered no school of their choice, again, almost the same as in 2019, when there were 75. In total there was an increase of 78 pupils offered places from 2019, with a total of 3491. Most of these details are contained in the Press Release.
This year is of course very different from any other because of Coronavirus, with all schools currently closed. As a result you will probably not be able to contact them directly to raise concerns over admissions. Nevertheless, you should still accept the school you have been offered. It can do you no damage if you then pursue places elsewhere. Then follow as normal the advice below on what to do if you have not received a school or any school of your choice and wish to be reconsidered at one or more of these.
You will also find information and advice on appeals below and here. In summary, if your school is one of the overwhelming majority where Infant Class Legislation applies, I am afraid that chances of success are negligible.
I am waiting for detailed oversubscription and vacancy figures at both Reception and Junior School level to be sent, and will publish these as soon as possible, probably into May. You may find the equivalent picture for 2019 allocations helpful, as it conducts a detailed survey of the issues in each of Kent's 16 Districts. It is, year on year, the largest article on the website and one of the most read.
| Kent Primary Schools: allocation of Kent children to Reception Classes April 2020 | ||||||||
| Offers to Kent Pupils | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | ||||
No of pupils | % | No of pupils | % | No of pupils | % | No of pupils | % | |
Offered a school on the application form | 16954 | 97.4% | 16839 | 97.4% | 16843 | 97.7% | 16855 | 97.4% |
Offered a first preference | 15372 | 88.3% | 15540 | 89.4% | 15426 | 89.5% | 15429 | 89.0% |
| Offered a second preference | 1192 | 6.9% | 1057 | 6.1% | 1093 | 6.3% | 1077 | 6.2% |
| Offered a third preference | 390 | 2.2% | 332 | 1.9% | 324 | 1.9% | 379 | 2.2% |
| Allocated by local authority | 457 | 2.6% | 447 | 2.6% | 390 | 2.3% | 444 | 2.6% |
| Total number of offers | 17411 | 17286 | 17233 | 17329 | ||||
| Medway Primary Schools: allocation of Medway children to Reception Classes April 2020 | ||||||||
| Offers to Medway Pupils | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | ||||
| 2018 figures to follow. | No of pupils | % | No of pupils | % | No of pupils | % | No of pupils | % |
Offered a school on the appln form | 3417 | 97.9% | 3338* | 97.8%* | 3167 | 97.6% | 3245 | 97.4% |
Offered a first preference | >3072 | >88%* | 3035 | 89.0% | 2888 | 89.1% | 2978 | 89.4% |
| Offered a second preference | 228 | 6.7% | 220 | 6.7% | 209 | 6.3% | ||
| Offered a third preference | 59 | 1.7% | 48 | 1.4% | 49 | 1.5% | ||
| Offered a fourth preference | 16 | 0.5% | 10 | 0.3% | 7 | 0.1% | ||
| Allocated by Council | 74 | 2.1% | 75 | 2.2%* | 79 | 2.4% | 85 | 2.6% |
| Total number of offers | 3491 | 3413 | 3246 | 3330 | ||||
* From Press Release. Medway Council has decided to provide a figure for the proportion of children offered one of their first three preferences, rather than for all six preferences as in previous years. I will fill this table in when I have full data.
A large number of children are offered places off waiting lists, most setting off a ‘churning process’ freeing up other places. You have nothing to lose from going on the waiting list for as many schools as you wish. Sadly, chances of success at appeal are negligible in nearly all cases, as explained below.
Medway Council Advice on Returning Documentation during Coronavirus Emergency Due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic parents are advised to return any forms they need to complete, to accept or refuse their child’s offer, by email rather than visiting the school to hand them in. If a family would like to appeal their child’s school place the appeal form should be emailed to the school, or to Medway (Kent County) Council, if the school is maintained by the local authority. There is a link in each child’s admissions offer email to the next steps guide which advises parents and carers where to return the forms. If a family decides to place their child on a waiting list for a school place forms should be returned to admissions@medway.gov.uk (or kentonlineadmissions@kent.gov.uk). |
Primary School Appeals
| Kent and Medway Primary School Appeals 2019 | |||||
| School | Appeals Submitted | Appeals Heard | Upheld | Not Upheld | Place Offered/Withdrawn |
Kent Reception Infant Legislation | 246 | 161 | 2 | 159 | 74 |
Kent Reception other | 6 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| Kent Junior (2017) | 8 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 0 |
| Medway Reception | 57 | 32 | 1 | 16 | 15 |
Notes(1) The Medway Reception data is made up from Appeals heard for all maintained schools by Medway Council together with those from some academies by Kent County Council
(2) The latest Junior figures I have
(3) Medway Reception Figures are from Appeals heard through Medway Council and at Academies held through KCC