Primary school admissions for Kent and Medway and how to appeal a decision

Families with an offer of a primary school place have until the beginning of May to now accept it.

Both Kent County Council and Medway Council released offers, for children starting primary school this year, on Tuesday (April 16).

Parents offered a place at a KCC primary have until Monday, May 13 to accept or refuse that offer and return any waiting list forms if they wish to try for a place at a different school.

In Medway, the deadline for accepting or refusing the place allocated is Friday, May 10.

Medway Council 'strongly advices' families to accept the primary school place offered even if they are unhappy with the school they have been given and are looking to go on a waiting list for another school or appeal to a school named on their application that didn't offer their child a place.

There is no guarantee, says the council, that either of these routes would be successful so suggests to parents that they accept the place they are given which can always be released at a later date if circumstances change.

Refused places cannot, says the council be reinstated.

Families requiring a place in Medway need to request to go on a waiting list or submit appeals also by Friday, May 10 ahead of the start of reallocation which takes place on Monday, May 20.

In Kent, more than 97% of children will start at a primary school this year named on their parents' application, says KCC, and 89% at their first choice primary school.

This means 16,839 of a total 17,286 children who applied will be attending one of their preferred schools.

However 447 pupils were given a place they didn't choose, equating to 2.6%.

Cllr Roger Gough said: "We appreciate this will be a disappointing and concerning time for those families but we urge them not to be discouraged as this is only the first stage in the applications process.

"I want to reassure parents many pupils will secure places through waiting lists and reallocation."

Offering the same advice as Medway Council - KCC is encouraging families to accept the place they have been given even if they are unhappy with the offer. That way their their child has a confirmed primary school place whilst they investigate alternative options.

The options for anyone unhappy with their offer is to join a waiting list of an alternative school and/or lodge an appeal.

Waiting list forms must be completed and returned by May 13 and appeals in Kent must be lodged by Tuesday, May 21.

KCC will then reallocate places from schools waiting lists, sending out a second round of offers on Wednesday, June 12, from which point schools will control their own waiting lists and parents apply directly.

To lean more about the appeal process in Kent visit www.kent.gov.uk or www.medway.gov.uk for Medway.