This is different from previous years, when places were allocated by the Local Authority on set dates. This makes the process much clearer and fairer (if applied properly) when taken in conjunction with the appeals process. For an oversubscribed school, once the appeal process is finished, there is no further reallocation until the number of children who have accepted places falls back to the Planned Admission number. At least, that is the rule, but as there are no sanctions for breaking the rules, some schools may go their own way.  Already Westlands School  has offered places to most children on their waiting lists for the second year running, there having been no sanction in 2011. I would not be surpriaded to see at least one grammar school  break ranks in this way, as popular schools take advantage of their situation to expand numbers.