Waiting list movement last few weeks of Aug?

[SarahOnfire]

What would you say the waiting list movement is like during the last couple of weeks of Aug? I'm number 2 on the list for the school I'm interested in.

[Msqueen33]

My friend had her son on a list for a school and he did one day at his allocated school and the next day the school she wanted called and said they had a space. She switched him.

[merlottime]

Unlikely to be any movement until schools go back. Your best hope is a no show at the start of term, and hope the person ahead of you in the queue doesn't want to take the place. Otherwise it will take two no shows. More likely in an intake of 90 than an intake of 30. Fingers crossed.

[catkind]

Not last weeks of august, no; beginning of September possibly. At least where we were there was quite a lot over of movement over the course of the Autumn term as some kids didn't show up (moved away or gone private), places were offered, kids moved opening up more places etc.

[LadyPenelope68]

Doubt there will be any movement whatsoever until term starts now, that's certainly the case in our school/surrounding area. Next band of movements will be with no shows/house moves etc in the first couple of weeks, but would imagine if you're second on the list then that's not likely to happen unless you're wanting a place at a larger School ie. 90 intake as opposed to a 30 or less intake,

[bingandflop]

There won't be any at all until term starts as the school office will be closed. It is possible once term starts as a lot of people move house during the summer holidays

[drspouse]

Would people not contact the admissions office rather than the school?
But I agree bit not till Sept.

[Wanderingraspberry]

There's really no way to tell. My DC was top of a list for two years before a place came up, but I've had friends get into other schools in the first few weeks of term.

[drspouse]

By the way we were third on our waiting list in April and got a place in June.
Friends moved house the summer before Reception (just a few miles), didn't apply till they had moved for the new school, and their DS started at the original school and changed schools at half term. I assume there were no places till then.

[Patry]

There has definitely been a lot of movement in our area since the schools closed - I think lots of people pushing their house sales to move to their new area is more relevant for this than when the schools start. Good luck!

[Mrsfrumble]

Can I hijack this thread just a little to ask a couple of questions? We've just got back to the UK aft living abroad and I'm a bit clueless.

Do the school have to disclose your position on the waiting list? Are people who are in this position sending their child to their allocated school anyway, even if they know it might not be for long? I've had people suggest I homeschool DS until we get the place we want, but I'm not comfortable with this for various reasons. Finally, how many days before the start of term to admin staff return to school (in general of course)?
Thank you! Sorry for the hijack.

[drspouse]

The school doesn't determine your place on the waiting list if it is a community school (it will be in the school's name if it is). It's the admissions authority i.e. the London borough, County etc.

The school admin staff will also be irrelevant here. It is the county admissions office that will administer the places even where the school is NOT a community school and therefore has decided the place on the waiting list.

Have you rung your admissions office? AFAIK they have to tell you your place on the waiting list.

We were considering continuing with nursery if we were very near the top of the waiting list, and starting at the school allocated if not, but in the end we got a place in June. Friends sent their DC to Reception in their original location for half a term (by train, but just a 10 min journey with Mum!) and then moved at half term. The DC is doing fine by all accounts.

[Mrsfrumble]

Hmmm. Someone from the council called yesterday to ask which schools we'd heard back from. He told me which schools have places according to their list, but said it might not be accurate. We're looking for year one place, so it might work differently to reception places.

Our first choice is a faith school (and yes, we meet the criteria and submitted the additional forms). We know DS will go on the waiting list, but presumably in this case the school decide where he goes on the list rather than borough council (we're in London).

[Mrsfrumble]

Forgot to say, the implication seemed to be that the borough council needed to wait for the schools to tell them about free places.

[drspouse]

It depends on whether the school is Voluntary Aided or Voluntary Controlled.
Aided: School is the authority but it should be administered by the Borough.
Controlled: Borough is the authority.

The school will find out if pupils don't turn up, it is true. But families that decline places or take up other places in Borough will be going through the Borough.

So the school will tell the Borough about some places that are available (due to having noticed that the child has not turned up). But in some cases the Borough will then be the one to re-allocate them AND if the Borough is the Admissions Authority they will hold the waiting list.

[Mrsfrumble]

Sigh. I've just spoken to the borough admissions office again and apparently they know nothing and we just have to wait for the schools to start back. So with 8 days to go DS has no school place yet and we can't expect to hear anything until term has started. I just want to move back to America right now, where he'd automatically be given a place at the local elementary school .

[mouldycheesefan]

I think it's a bit unrealistic to move back to the uk at the ned of August August and expect to have a school sorted by the time term starts. You may well have a place at the local elementary school in USA, but the schools there open at the end of August, they don't here.
Presumably you knew this before you moved, just have to be a bit patient.

[Mrsfrumble]

We did try and apply from overseas back in June but we're told by the LA to wait until we were back in the country. Believe me, where DS will go to school has been a source of anxiety for months, but for many reasons beyond my control we couldn't come back any sooner.

The comment about the elementary school was about how the system works over there rather than the timing.

I'll try and be patient. It's hard when every friend, neighbour and family member asks about it constantly and makes me feel like I should be more proactive even though there's apparently nothing I can do!

[riceuten]

If the school is

A) an academy
b) a church school
C) a foundation school
D) a free school

They control their own admissions, not the council.

[riceuten]

Year 1 places are a lot less easy to get, but easier to predict!

[SardineJam]

I know a number of families where the DC started at allocated school and within September were offered spaces at their first choice school.