My feed
Premium

Please
or
to access all these features

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

Primary education

Cathment areas primary school saga

10 replies

Scattycaz · 30/11/2016 16:25

My son is due to start reception in September so I need to put his name down by January. My dilemma, however, is that my other 2 went to a fantastic school which he currently attends nursery at and he loves it there. The head teacher has told me that he may not get a place because he will have no siblings there (theywill both be in seniors come September)and he doesn't have special needs which gives priority) and we have moved further away from the school.
Obviously I shall put my preferred school in first but my question is if I put my less preferred school in second choice (this school being really close) are they more likely to place him in the second one because of catchment? Would I be better off only listing the one school and what happens if you only list one and they don't get in?! ahhhhhh its so stressful!

OP posts:
Report
mrsmortis · 30/11/2016 16:33

Your preferences are just that, preferences. You will get a place at the highest school on you preference list for which you qualify for a place.

You should fill all of the preference slots that you have as if you don't get a place at one of the schools on your list you will be offered a place at the nearest school that has a place after everyone else's preferences have been taken into account.

I'm sure that one of the admissions experts will be along in a minute and say it much better than me.

Report
Mouthofmisery · 30/11/2016 16:34

If you only list one school and it isn't available then they will place you anywhere they annfit them in

Report
Cakescakescakes · 30/11/2016 16:43

Absolutely do not only put one school. Use all the preferences on your form.

Report
2boysnamedR · 30/11/2016 16:50

Agree - never ever put just one school down. If your only choice us oversubscribed you could possibly end up miles away in the school that no one wants.
I put all three of my closet schools down and I wasn't close enough for any of them so ds was placed in a school five miles that was so bad it was on its second closure in ten years.
If there is school nearby you and someone from
Miles away apply a they would get it and you would be placed where ever they had a place that no one else wanted.

Report
2boysnamedR · 30/11/2016 16:51

I only got him a place in another school via putting him on 20 waiting lists - I kid you not

Report
meditrina · 30/11/2016 16:51

No, they won't do that.

The order of your preferences only matters if you qualify for more than one school, in which case the LEA has to give you the one which you ranked the highest. They don't look at your lower choices, because it's process governed by strict rules and processes and you are simply given your highest preference.

So if you get your second choice school it's because you did not fit the entrance criteria for the first school as well as those who did receive an offer.

So you should rank the schools in the order of your genuine preference, and always include at least one school that you can be near-as-dammit sure of receiving an offer from (on the general grounds that a school that's a bit iffy but convenient is better than one that's just as iffy and 30mins in the wrong direction).

If you do not use your lower choices, and do not qualify for the first preference school the LEA will offer you a place at the nearest school with a vacancy. That might not be your catchment school if it is already full with pupils who listed it on their forms (even if out of catchment and you would have qualified ahead of them if you had put it down).

Report
Scattycaz · 30/11/2016 16:57

you've all been so helpful thanks so much for all your advice! I shall definitely be looking at all the ofsted reports and listing 4 schools as it sounds like some of you have had an horrendous time of it!!

OP posts:
Report
tiggytape · 30/11/2016 17:33

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

admission · 30/11/2016 21:55

Agree with what others have said. Think that whilst you need to put down the preferred school you need to prepare yourself and also child fro getting 2nd preference. The head teacher is being very kind and giving you the nod that you may well not get in. It could be that there are a lot of siblings and that they can see this is going to work against your application.

Report
smellyboot · 01/12/2016 17:17

however much you would love your son to get into that school, the HT has been kind to point out not to bank on it. He has no sibling link and you probably have moved too far away to now qualify.
Still put it first but check stats for last 2-3 years re distances / out of catchment children (depending how your LA does it). You may conclude yoiu have zero chance of getting in. e.g. if cut off is always around 0.4 miles and you now live a mile away.
If thats the case, start visiting new potential schools and dont rely just on ofsted reports...

Report
Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.