Diary of a Headteacher: Admissions – Holding our heads high

At this time of year many families around the country are deeply entrenched in the decision-making process about secondary school choices. For some, there is very little choice and the transition is an obvious one.

However, part of the rationale behind the academies movement was to introduce a higher element of competition. It was thought that market forces and parental choice would become a factor in driving up standards. Fierce competition for places would inevitably lead to higher standards, right?

Factor in wave after wave of real-terms funding cuts and the importance of reaching a full pupil admission number each year significantly increases. As a result, schools place huge importance on “recruitment season” – the period between September and October 31 during which it is essential to impress the local cohort of year 6 pupils.