An adjudicator has ruled that a council’s decision not to give priority school places to siblings was unfair.
Parents had launched a battle against Nottinghamshire County Council after it decided siblings outside a school's catchment area would no longer be given priority over other children.
The Office of the Schools Adjudicator (OSA) judgement stated: ‘Having children at more than one primary school, even if these are geographically not distant from each other, must cause disruption and expense that would otherwise be unnecessary, and is also very likely to impact on the lives of all concerned including the children themselves especially for this age group.
‘If this is brought about without adequate reason, my view is that unfairness has resulted.’
The council welcomed the judgement and said it would apply the ruling to all primary schools across the county.
Marion Clay, acting service director for education standards and inclusion at Nottinghamshire County Council, said: ‘The Schools Adjudicator’s report raises a number of complex issues. It is important to note that most of the complaints raised were dismissed.
‘However, the Schools Adjudicator is of the view that the admissions arrangements were unfair to some applicants and the council accepts that view and the binding nature of the decision.’
