Help me decide please

[Goldchilled7up]

My son is currently 5th on the list for a very over subscribed popular school were he already attends the nursery class, although we're in London, apparently the mobility in this school is not very high. The person I spoke to at the LA told me that there shouldn't be much happening between now and September.

My current dilemma is if I should keep him at nursery until January and hope that by then he'll get a place or if that's a bad move if nothing happens and he'll have to move to another school at a different time from the other children, and make styling more difficult?

He will be 4 in July. A friend who's a reception teacher at another school told me that I can request for him to remain at nursery for longer, but I know that I'll have to fight it as I briefly told the school my intentions and they're not very happy about it.

Please help me decide what is the best option. I really want him to stay in this school.

[Goldchilled7up]

Styling?? I meant settling! Sorry autocorrect

[admission]

Assuming that you have accepted the place offered you can defer entry to that school. With a July birthday you could defer till after Easter but not sure that is a good idea to go that long.
Your problem is that it is up to the nursery whether they let you stay on there. If it is a nursery in the school you want a place at and they are not happy about that idea, you could easily end up with the even worst situation of no place in the nursery.
The admission office were naughty in suggesting that there will be no movement. They have no idea what might happen this year. They can say that historically that this is a school with little movement but not say you will not get a place.
Having said that if there is little movement and you are fifth on the waiting list presently then there is a fair chance that you will not get an offer of a place at the school.
I suggest that you hedge your bets. Make sure you stay on the waiting list for the school till the end of December 2013. Accept the place offered and then tell the school that you intend to defer entry till after Christmas as they are a July birth. Between now and September see what you can arrange with the nursery, without causing too much upset and see what happens on the waiting list.
If you are still 5th on the waiting list in August, then you have to accept reality and I would just start school where you have a place in September. If you can get a nursery place then maybe defer to January if there has been movement on the waiting list - it is surprising how often places become available on the 1st September when pupils just don't turn up. The bottom line is will there be any movement on the waiting list or not and I think you need to be first or second on the waiting list in August to believe that it is worth pursuing a place at your preferred school.

[Goldchilled7up]

Thank you so much admission. Your post is very helpful.

I did accept the offer just in case. Do you know how long we've got until we need to let the school know we wish to defer until January? Thanks

[admission]

You certainly need to do it this term.If you just do not turn up in September then they will assume that you do not want the place.
Rather than forget about it, I would send a polite letter to the school by email now, saying that you want the place but want to defer.

[Goldchilled7up]

But what if I tell them I want to defer and the current school doesn't agree to keep him in nursery or offer him a place at reception? Does it leave my son without any school until January or can I can I change my mind about deferring? Thanks again