School place lotteries

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Sheilas’ Wheels comments on today’s recommendations by The Local Government Information Unit (LGIU) to expand school place lotteries[1].

At a time when parents of children in England are applying for secondary school places for next September, recommendations by the LGIU today that more schools should award places by lottery may cause unease amongst many parents.

According to a survey[2] of parents with children under the age of 16 by Sheilas’ Wheels home insurance, over half (56 per cent) of those surveyed believe that ‘postcode lottery’ systems should not be used for admission into schools.

Suggestions by the LGIU that the so-called ‘siblings rule’ is not a fair way to run school admissions could also cause worry to parents.  Over one in ten (12 per cent) parents polled cited that one of the main concerns they have regarding their children missing out on their first choice of school was that their child would not be with their siblings.

Parents value the education of their children highly - which explains the extreme lengths that parents will go to in order to try to secure their child in their first choice school.  A shocking 33 per cent of parents of those surveyed would consider moving home to secure their child a place at their first choice school.  Five per cent of parents questioned said they would even buy an additional property in the catchment area of their favoured school to guarantee their child a place.

Lengths that parents would go to to secure their child’s place at school[3]:

  1. Moving nearer to the school (33 per cent or 2,158,972)
  2. Appealing (24 per cent or 1,570,162)
  3. Offering time to the school - such as joining the PTA (17 per cent or 1,112,198)
  4. Using a relative’s address on the application (14 per cent or 915,928)
  5. ‘Sweet-talk’ the headmaster / decision maker (8 per cent or 523,387)
  6. Buy an additional property near the school (5 per cent or  327,117)
  7. Change religion (4 per cent or 261,694)
  8. Baptise their child to gain entry in to a Catholic school (3 per cent or   196,270)
  9. Pledge money (2 per cent or 130,847)
  10. Bribery (1 per cent or 65,423)

Jacky Brown at Sheilas’ Wheels home insurance, commented: "To a parent, their child’s education is of paramount importance and they naturally want the very best for them - even if that means going to extreme lengths to try to secure a place in their first choice school. 

The recommendations today being made to councils by the LGIU may hit a nerve with many parents as they could lose all influence and control in trying to ensure their child gets a place in their preferred school."

Less than a quarter (24 per cent) of parents polled said they would consider appealing if their child did not get into a school of choice - due to factors such as time and money - but Sheilas’ Wheels home insurance supports parents by offering family legal protection which covers legal representation and guidance if their child does not get a place at their top school.

Family legal protection is offered free to Sheilas’ Wheels home insurance policyholders for the first year when bought online.  Policyholders receive up to £50,000 of cover for legal assistance which includes legal representation for a customer’s child if they do not gain entry to the school of their choice.  Customers can make a claim under their policy, by phone or in writing. Policyholders will be asked about their legal dispute and will be provided with advice. Terms and conditions apply.

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About Sheilas’ Wheels home insurance:
Sheilas’ Wheels provides both buildings and contents cover - with a contents no claim discount:

Terms and conditions apply to Sheilas’ Wheels home insurance

Sheilas’ Wheels press contacts:
Asia Manzoor, Public Relations Officer: 01737 641305
Niki Bolton, Corporate Communications Manager: 01737 235070
Emma Lloyd, Assistant Communications Officer: 01737 641309
Adrian Webb, Head of Corporate Communications: 01737 641000

Email: pr@sheilaswheels.com
Visit the official fansite for Sheilas’ Wheels: www.ilovesheilas.com
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Notes to Editors:
[1] http://www.lgiu.gov.uk/index.jsp 
[2] ICM Research interviewed a random sample of 880 parents aged 18+ with children aged 4-16 by telephone between 19th - 26th August 2008. Interviews were conducted across the country and the results have been weighted to the profile of all adults. ICM is a member of the British Polling Council and abides by its rules. Further information at www.icmresearch.co.uk 
[3] There are 6,542,340 parents in the UK with children of school age according to the Office of National Statistics: Table S014, 2001 Census.

About Sheilas’ Wheels:
Sheilas’ Wheels was launched in October 2005 to offer women drivers cheaper car insurance and female targeted product enhancements. In February 2008, the brand moved beyond car insurance to also offer home insurance with product enhancements including alternative accommodation (buildings and contents cover) in the event of loss of utilities in the home (terms and conditions apply), new for old cover on clothes (contents cover) and family legal protection cover which also includes assistance in finding emergency registered childminders while the insured person is attending jury service, and legal representation for a customer’s child if they do not gain entry to the school of their choice (terms and conditions apply).

Sponsorship:
Sheilas' Wheels sponsors the ITV National Weather: "Whether skies are grey or blue, Sheilas’ Wheels could cover you."