The sibling rule?

Question

Many secondary schools in England have siblings as their top admissions criteria. How important is it that siblings attend the same school? Or is it more important that children are with their friends?

Thank you for all the answers. I was looking at this from a slightly different point of view. A popular school has siblings has its top admissions criteria, it has no priority admissions area, 2nd criteria is straight line distance. One year it has a low intake from the local area due to low birthrate therefore is able to take children from far and wide. A couple of years later the birthrate of the local children is back up but all the siblings of children admitted a couple of years ago are given priority over the spaces. A 1st child of a local family is squeezed out and allocated to an undersubscribed school far away where she will know nobody. Is it less important that she is with her friends than that the other children are with their siblings?

Answer 1

I think that practically siblings being in the same school is sensible and should certainly be retained as an entrance consideration but realistically what suits one child academically may not suit another-and if you have the option to send them to separate schools which offer different specialities then all power to your elbow!

I was at the same high school as my sister and at one point had the same biology teacher. Despite the surnames being the same she hadn't clicked that we were related-and sisters had certainly not occurred to her (to the point that she all but asked if Dad was really Dad!) as we were so different in both academic and personality traits.

In the long run I think that what you decide has to reflect the best interests of the child-after all you're the parent, you know them best.

Answer 2

My skeptical take on this is that it is just one more roadblock put in people's way in order to keep out students the schools would prefer not to admit. When the reputation of the school is so important and that reputation depends on the academic success of students, schools need to be able to control admissions.

In the school district where I taught, when schools had to restrict admissions because enrolments were getting too high for the facilities to handle, they no longer accepted students from outside their catchment areas. Exceptions were made for students whose siblings were already attending the schools at the time that this restriction was applied.

What is more important? Being with siblings or friends? From the schools' perspective, students - especially at secondary level - can maintain their personal friendships outside of school hours. And, they can form new friendships in their schools. When more than one child from a family attends a school, it takes advantage of the relationship already established between home and school and, hopefully, makes for better communication between teachers and parents. It makes sense for a family to attend one school - if that school is appropriate for the children in the family.

Answer 3

For primary school I think it is important in most families - just for logistically purposes, dropping off and picking up, school holidays (in our area different schools have different dates).

By secondary age most kids are getting to school independently and should probably go to the school most appropriate for them. However as a skint mum, the ability to hand down uniforms which are expensive was a factor to consider, plus some of the books and PE equiptment etc. Really down to eac family.

Answer 4

It's important for me that my kids go to the same schools because I have to get them there, if they went to seperate schools it would present more of a problem from dropping off/picking and after school clubs.

Many parents are in a similar position - plus for appraisal purposes you can build a relationship with the staff.

Answer 5

obviously its easier for parents if having to deliver children to school but that doesn't mean its best for the child.
My friend has 2 boys (3yrs difference) who attend different school. The elder, more studious/social attends a larger comp. the younger boy is less outgoing and his mum and him, didnt think the atmosphere/ethics was for him, and he would have to follow in his brothers footsteps. He attends a smaller school and is being just as successful as his brother. It is a pain for her at times but both her boys are settled and achieving well.

Answer 6

It makes more sense for them to be at the same school if it is possible. Although, if a boy is accepted into a particular boys' school, or gets a scholarship there, and a girl at another (girls') school...
.

Answer 7

It is really up to you. My younger sister struggled at school, living in my 'shadow' and only flourished when she went to a college that I had never been to.