England's school admissions watchdog has said no system will ever give all parents their first choice of school.
England's school admissions watchdog has said no system will ever give all parents their first choice of school.
And Schools Adjudicator Philip Hunter flagged up a problem of infant school admissions being constrained by the law that classes must not exceed 30 pupils.
And Schools Adjudicator Philip Hunter flagged up a problem of infant school admissions being constrained by the law that classes must not exceed 30 pupils.
Publishing his annual report, Sir Philip said all schools would comply with the tighter admissions code, after a review found thousands of breaches.
Publishing his annual report, Sir Philip said all schools would comply with the tighter admissions code, after a review found thousands of breaches.
But a union representing school leaders said the code was too complex.
But a union representing school leaders said the code was too complex.
During this year the adjudicator was asked by the government to undertake a wide-ranging review of admissions across England, which identified thousands of breaches of its tightened admissions code, especially by faith schools.
During this year the adjudicator was asked by the government to undertake a wide-ranging review of admissions across England, which identified thousands of breaches of its tightened admissions code, especially by faith schools.
Almost without exception schools had corrected these once the problems had been explained, Sir Philip told journalists.
Almost without exception schools had corrected these once the problems had been explained, Sir Philip told journalists.
"My assessment is that there was not wilful disregard of the code."
"My assessment is that there was not wilful disregard of the code."
'Better organised'
'Better organised'
The problems were by and large such things as failing to define the terms "parent" or "sibling", "place of residence" or "distance from school".
The problems were by and large such things as failing to define the terms "parent" or "sibling", "place of residence" or "distance from school".
Disputes could arise if the distance were measured down the centre of roads rather than along the pavements, for example - but were easily dealt with provided the criterion had been made explicit.
Disputes could arise if the distance were measured down the centre of roads rather than along the pavements, for example - but were easily dealt with provided the criterion had been made explicit.
Head teacher Matthew Quinn told the BBC News website that the admission policy of his large school had been found wanting by the adjudicator last year.
"This naturally came as a shock as the policy had been vetted and sent to a number of organisations prior to approval, including the local authority," he said.
"On closer inspection of the adjudication it appeared that we had not accurately defined the precise method of measurement of the distance between the school and the location of the house of a prospective student in the case of a tie-break.
"This by any measure is a minor infringement compared to using unscrupulous methods including interview which, correctly, are strictly forbidden."
Changes
Sir Philip said it should not be necessary for each school's governing body to have to arrive at their own definitions.
Sir Philip said it should not be necessary for each school's governing body to have to arrive at their own definitions.
He also proposed that there should be a website on which all schools' admissions policies were published for everyone's scrutiny.
He also proposed that there should be a website on which all schools' admissions policies were published for everyone's scrutiny.
Sir Philip said: "School admissions are now better organized than they were six years ago.
Sir Philip said: "School admissions are now better organized than they were six years ago.
"No admission system is ever going to give all parents their first choice of school.
"No admission system is ever going to give all parents their first choice of school.
"But we now have a system that gives parents clear admission criteria, an efficient means of expressing their preferences and an objective means of administering the allocation process.
"But we now have a system that gives parents clear admission criteria, an efficient means of expressing their preferences and an objective means of administering the allocation process.
"Parents also have means for objecting to admission arrangements they think unfair and appealing to an independent panel when they think their own application has not been properly handled," he said.
"Parents also have means for objecting to admission arrangements they think unfair and appealing to an independent panel when they think their own application has not been properly handled," he said.
But he said those independent appeal panels had been complaining that they were bound by the law on infant class sizes.
But he said those independent appeal panels had been complaining that they were bound by the law on infant class sizes.
"I'm saying it's a problem," he said.
"I'm saying it's a problem," he said.
Sir Philip - who is retiring from the post - said he did not know what the answer was but he had passed on the issue to the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF).
Sir Philip - who is retiring from the post - said he did not know what the answer was but he had passed on the issue to the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF).
Upheld
Upheld
Previously, individual parents were not able to object to schools' admissions policies.
Previously, individual parents were not able to object to schools' admissions policies.
Now they can - and the volume of complaints more than doubled this past year to 289, with 108 being from parents and 142 from local authorities.
Now they can - and the volume of complaints more than doubled this past year to 289, with 108 being from parents and 142 from local authorities.
Of the parental complaints, 36 were upheld and 54 partially upheld, while 18 were rejected.
Of the parental complaints, 36 were upheld and 54 partially upheld, while 18 were rejected.
Local authorities' objections were better founded, with 142 of the 158 upheld and 10 partially so, with six failing.
Local authorities' objections were better founded, with 142 of the 158 upheld and 10 partially so, with six failing.
Schools Secretary Ed Balls said: "The message I want to say is that we've got a tough code, it's really important that the law is applied in every school, because every parent should have the right to send their child to the school of their choice if they can get in on fair criteria.
Schools Secretary Ed Balls said: "The message I want to say is that we've got a tough code, it's really important that the law is applied in every school, because every parent should have the right to send their child to the school of their choice if they can get in on fair criteria.
"It should not be about schools choosing which parents or which children to have.
"It should not be about schools choosing which parents or which children to have.
"The code's tough and the adjudicator will make sure it's properly implemented in every community of our country."
"The code's tough and the adjudicator will make sure it's properly implemented in every community of our country."
But the Association of School and College Leaders said the code was too complicated and confusing.
But the Association of School and College Leaders said the code was too complicated and confusing.
'Don't tinker'
'Don't tinker'
General secretary John Dunford said most dissatisfaction came from parents being misled by the rhetoric of school choice.
General secretary John Dunford said most dissatisfaction came from parents being misled by the rhetoric of school choice.
"The core problem for school admissions, as the schools adjudicator has recognised in his report today, is difference between choice and preference.
"The core problem for school admissions, as the schools adjudicator has recognised in his report today, is difference between choice and preference.
"Parents do not have, and cannot have, as much choice over schools as the political rhetoric of 'choice and diversity' has led them to believe.
"Parents do not have, and cannot have, as much choice over schools as the political rhetoric of 'choice and diversity' has led them to believe.
"Selecting a school is not like choosing breakfast cereals or clothes, in which there is a genuine choice for consumers, nor is it like healthcare, where you can delay an operation in order to be in the hospital of your choice.
"Selecting a school is not like choosing breakfast cereals or clothes, in which there is a genuine choice for consumers, nor is it like healthcare, where you can delay an operation in order to be in the hospital of your choice.
"Schools have a fixed number of places and children move into them at fixed times."
"Schools have a fixed number of places and children move into them at fixed times."
But he said the government should resist the urge to issue a revised admissions code this academic year.
But he said the government should resist the urge to issue a revised admissions code this academic year.
"The last thing that parents and schools need is more tinkering around the edges."
"The last thing that parents and schools need is more tinkering around the edges."
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