Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of adding a box for a second parent or guardian on the School Admission Application Form.

The School Admissions Code currently prohibits requiring both parents to sign the Common Application Form when they are applying for a school place for their child. This makes the process easier for families where it may not be possible for two parents to sign the form and ensures that a child is not discriminated against because they only have one parent. It also ensures that a child's family situation is not unlawfully considered in the application process.

In cases where parents are separated and both parents are involved in their child’s upbringing, parents will need to agree between themselves on the school they wish their child to attend and on which parent will sign the application form.