Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, for what reasons the Schools Admissions Code precludes admissions authorities from taking into account how long a child has been on the waiting list for a school place.

The School Admissions Code requires that all school places, including those offered to pupils on a school’s waiting list, are allocated strictly in accordance with a school’s published admissions criteria. This ensures fairness and transparency in the process and means that those applying for admission to a school understand from the outset their likelihood of gaining a place. It also means that there is no incentive for those who do not closely match a school’s admissions criteria, to remain on a waiting list while occupying a place at an alternative school.