Hundreds of children across Somerset will be starting school for the first time this September.

Parents up and down the country have been scrambling around to get their applications for school places off to Somerset County Council before the January 15 deadline had passed.

All being well, they will find out on April 16 whether their child will get their first choice school, either via the council’s online portal or in the post.

But just how does the council decide which child goes where when schools are over-subscribed?

Every year, the council has to agree its admissions policy for all the schools which it runs directly.

These include community schools and voluntary controlled schools – but not academies or independent private schools.

The council’s cabinet has published its latest admissions policy ahead of its next meeting in Taunton on Wednesday (January 22) – which lays out which children are given priority when places are scarce.

When a school is over-subscribed, the first children who are admitted are those with an education, health and care plan (ECHP for short) – children with additional educational needs or disabilities who may not be able to travel too far from their home to receive an education.

The plan (which has been agreed between the council and the parents or legal guardians) will often name a specific school – and it’s a legally binding document, so the school cannot say no without changing the plan.

After this, priority is given to children meeting different criteria, in this order:

Children in care: this includes children who have been recently adopted or are subject to child protection orders, not just those currently in the care system

High needs pupils: a child is ‘high needs’ if they have a “sensory, physical or medical disability”. In this case professionals from the council and NHS will identify a school which can meet their needs as close to their home as possible – and if necessary, funding can be found to make alternations to the school to make it more accessible for them

Children living in the catchment area with a sibling at the same school: if the child has a brother or sister who lives at the same address, they will be placed in the same school as them wherever possible.

Children living in the catchment area: by law, children can be placed in any school which is up to two miles’ walking distance away (three miles if they are over the age of 8). In rural areas, children may have to travel further if their local school is full and they do not meet the above criteria.

Children living outside the catchment area with a sibling at the same school: as before, the council will make every effort to keep siblings at the same school wherever possible

Children registered to an Infant, First or Middle School (within the transfer school catchment area): some parts of Somerset still operate a three-tier system (which is currently under review). Where children want to transfer into a primary school from the three-tier system, they will be accommodated wherever it is feasible

Children living outside the catchment area with an older sibling at a junior school: if a child is looking to start an infant school (i.e. enter the three-tier system), they will be placed in the school linked to the junior school where their brother or sister is being taught

Children who are practising members of a religion: where the Church of England or other religious body has a role in running the school, children who are practising members of that religion (or whose parents are practising members) will be admitted ahead of members of other denominations (e.g. an Anglican child would be admitted to a C of E school ahead of a Methodist or Baptist). ‘Practising’ is defined as attending the church or place of worship in question at least once a month for the six months prior to the admissions deadline – and a member of the relevant clergy will be needed to verify this

Children of staff members: if a member of staff has taught at a school (or been otherwise employed there) for at least two years, their children will be admitted there. This also applies to children of staff members “recruited to fill a vacant post for which there is a demonstrable skill shortage” – though this will have to be verified by the head teacher or governing body

Children who do not meet other criteria: if a child does not meet any of the above criteria, they have the lowest priority in terms of where they are offered a place

If there is a tie-break (e.g. two children who meet the same criteria for the same school), the child living closest to the school as the crows flies will be given the place.

If both children in question live exactly the same distance from the school, the place will be deciding by lots drawn by someone independent of the school.

The only exceptions in this case are twins, triplets or other multiple births.

The council has said 97 per cent of pupils who applied for a primary or secondary place in 2019 were offered a place at once of their first three preferences.

Jane Seaman, the council’s service manager for access and admissions, said this system was “fit for purpose, clear and transparent,  and supports the principle of local schools for local children”.