With the nervous wait to find out whether children have been given a place at school now over, what happens if your youngster has not been accepted to the school of your choice in Somerset?

Children usually start school for the first time in the September following their fourth birthday.

You can apply for a place online or download an application form and the closing date for applications is usually the end of the January before the September school year start.

It is the parent/carer’s responsibility to make an on-time school place application. If you are making an application after the closing date, it will be classed as late and you will need to complete a paper application form which you can download from this page or contact Somerset Direct if you require one to be posted to you.

Every school has a legal Published Admission Number (PAN) applicable to the year of entry, which is the maximum number of places available in the year group concerned.

The admission number is set to maximise parental preference within the resources available and to ensure that there are sufficient school places across the local area, enabling the education service as a whole to be run efficiently and effectively.

All admission authorities are required to take appropriate account of a schools ‘Published Admission Number’ when allocating school places and will not normally admit more children than there are places available within the admission number.

Unfortunately, at some schools, there will not be enough places for all the children whose parents would like them to go there.

When all places have been allocated up to the ‘Published Admission Number’, the admission authority may refuse any further requests and offer the legal right of appeal.

Most parents will be offered a place at a school they prefer; however at times this may not be possible. If this should happen, you will be informed in your outcome letter of your legal right to appeal to an independent appeal panel.

If you have been offered a place at a school you do not want, it is always a good idea to arrange to visit. You may change your opinion of the school once you have spoken to staff, seen what the school does and addressed any specific concerns you may have about your child.

You cannot lodge an appeal until you have applied for a place at your preferred school and received a refusal letter.

You can get help with your appeal from the Somerset Choice Advisor who can be contacted on 01823-356903 or email choiceadvice@somerset.gov.uk You will need to think about the following factors when preparing your case: Has the law been followed? Check the Admission Arrangements.

Have the rules been followed properly?

Has an error been made in applying the oversubscription criteria in your case – in other words, has your child been ranked correctly? In most cases the rules are followed but there can sometimes be errors.

Check that your child has been considered under the correct priority, for example, medical need, sibling, catchment, religious criteria.

Check how the admission authority has measured the distance between the school and your home address and that the method used to measure is as described in the admission arrangements.

In all cases the admission authority must allocate places as described in their published admission arrangements.

If you think a mistake has been made and your child should have been given a place, contact the admission authority immediately.

If the admission authority agrees with you, your child may be given a place in the school without an appeal.

If the admission authority doesn’t agree with you or you don't agree with what is written in the appeal papers when you receive them – present your reasons as part of your appeal case.

Is the school really full? Schools have a set number of places to fill. You can ask the admission authority for the PAN. You will also find this in the Somerset local authority guide. All places must be filled before a child can be refused a place. If your child has been refused a place because the school is full, the school will argue that another child will mean larger classes which stretch teachers, equipment and space.