The Road to Learning 2008
Frequently asked questions
Why are there 3 preferences? I only want to choose 1 school
Under section 86 (1) of the Schools Standards and Framework Act 1998, we must make arrangements so that parents of children in our area can express a preference for the schools they would want their child to go to.
Every year, more people apply for places at our schools than we have places available. In that situation, not everybody will be given a place at the schools they have asked for. We need information to help us offer you another school, and the more schools you list the greater the chance of this.
The schools on your form are your preferences - they cannot be your choices because we cannot guarantee everyone a place at any school. If everybody named the same school, we would not be able to increase the number of places there.
Simply naming 1 school or repeating the same school does not increase your child's chance of getting a place there.
It may also lead to us giving your child a place at a school you had not considered. The admission number of each school and the number of applications made for those places last year are shown on the statistical information pages.
This information will show you which schools are likely to receive more applications than there are places available (we call this oversubscribed).
What happens if my child is not offered a place at the schools I have listed?
If you live in Barking and Dagenham and it is not possible to offer your child a place at one of your preferred schools, we will give your child a place at the nearest school to their home which has a place.
Do I have to prove where I live?
Once we have offered your child a place at one of our schools, the school will invite them to an induction day. At your child's induction day, the school you have been given will ask you to show proof of your and your child's address.
They will need you to show your 2008-2009 council tax bill or a copy of your tenancy agreement as well as a photocopy of your child benefit book or letter from the Benefits Agency for your 2008 claim.
Please check that the name and address of the child matches the information you give on your application form and on the child benefit book or letter from the Benefits Agency. Similarly, the guardian named on the application must be listed on the council tax bill or tenancy agreement. We check addresses to prevent fraudulent applications.
If you change your address at any time in this process, you must give us proof of your new address by sending us the documents shown above.
What does guardianship mean?
If a child is not living with their natural parents and another adult is looking after the child, we need documents as proof that you are the guardian and have parental responsibility for that child. Evidence includes a will, court order or statutory declaration and child benefit payments.
Guardianship only applies if you can prove that you have full care and the normal, permanent home is not at their parents' address. Guardianship does mean an adult picking up children to and from school, or looking after them until their parents collect them.
What if my child lives with both parents at 2 different addresses?
When a child lives with their natural parents, legal guardian or foster parent, we will consider that address to be the child's normal, permanent home. However, when a child has parents who are separated, the parents may name only 1 address for the application process.
However, the other parent can be named and given copies of information we issue. If 1 parent has parental responsibility, we must receive documents to prove this and we must use that parent's address.
If both parents have parental responsibility, we must receive documents to prove this. We will normally accept the parent's address used by the child's primary or junior school.
What happens if my child has a statement of special educational needs?
If your child has special needs but does not have a full Statement of special educational needs, you will need to fill in the common application form. Your child will then be offered a place in line with the admission criteria, no matter whether they have any special educational need or disability. When you are offered a place, you should tell the school about your child's needs or disability so the teachers can plan for when your child starts.
If your child does have a full Statement of Special Educational Needs, the Special Educational Needs Assessment and Review Team will write to you asking you to give your preference for a school place. The Head Teacher will be consulted for their views about the whether it would be suitable to give your child a place at there.
If they agree, the school will be named on your child's statement. If you have any questions, please phone the Special Educational Needs Assessment and Review Team on 020 8227 3540.
What happens if my child has a disability?
Most children with disabilities have their needs met in local mainstream schools.
If your child has a disability (this includes physical, sensory (sight, hearing or speech) and learning difficulties), please fill in the common application form. You can give details of the disability on section 2. If your child has a full Statement of Special Educational Needs, you do not need to fill in the Common application form (
PDF 155K).
What happens if my child is in the care of a local authority?
We consider applications for children in the care of a local authority before we consider all other applications. If your child is in the care of a local authority, you must also include, with the Common application form ( PDF 155K), a letter from the social worker confirming the legal status of the child and the local authority which the child is in the care of. The letter should also provide the reasons for the schools you have listed.
For more information, please telephone the Looked After Children Health and Education Support (LACHES) Team on 020 8227 5919.
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