Local admissions arrangements can give rise to strong feelings

The Chief Schools Adjudicator, Philip Hunter, says too often policies are not clear enough for parents to assess realistically the chance of a place.

His annual report says schools are still being accused of selecting pupils "by ability or social group".

Councils are told not to challenge admissions policies as a way of trying to get rid of grammar schools.

Council care

He said: "If a local authority or a group of local schools want, for example, to challenge the existence of grammar schools, they should use the statutory provisions for making a change of that kind, not try to do it through admission arrangements."

His other message to local authorities and people objecting to arrangements was that their focus should be raising educational standards.

"Adjudicators have one central question in mind when considering a referral: 'Are the children in this area likely to be better educated if I approve this proposal?'," he said.

Dr Hunter was out of the country on Friday and not available for interview to expand on his remarks.

The schools adjudicators rule on whole school issues, rather than dealing with individual admissions appeals by parents.

Among complaints they upheld during the year were those where schools were not giving the priority they should to children who are in council care.

There were 24 objections, most of which they upheld, involving schools that were giving preference to children of staff.

They were told they should ensure that teachers' children "do not displace local children".

Interviews

Eleven cases related to the religious denomination of applicants and they were referred to the Education Secretary, Ruth Kelly.

The most high profile involved the London Oratory School, attended by the prime minister's children.

The school gives preference to practising Catholics.

It went to the High Court, arguing - successfully - that it should be able to continue interviewing prospective pupils and their parents, in breach of the national admissions code.

It said it was required to "have regard to" the national admissions code - but not to abide by it.

Ms Kelly decided she could not overrule the school.

She said interviewing could be "a highly subjective process".

"That process can lead to schools cherry-picking articulate applicants and their families at the expense of less articulate, but equally worthy applicants."

And she said the "potentially intimidating effect" of interviews might deter certain parents from applying.

But she concluded that the Oratory's process was "clear, fair and as objective as it can be" and did not uphold complaints about it.