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

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

Primary education

Primary school places - no preferences awarded

44 replies

megtok · 19/04/2017 10:14

Hi,

we got the results back yesterday, and didn't get into any of the preferred schools. Got offered a school which I had never even heard about before, and is 4 miles away from home. Traveling to and fro will also be manic.
We are number 4 on the waiting list of our preferred school - what are the chances we will get into that one? its wimbledon chase primary.

Also..does accepting the school offered reduce our chances of a better second offer?

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blaeberry · 19/04/2017 10:19

The LA has to offer you one place, if you turn it down they don't have to offer another - so accept it.

BarbarianMum · 19/04/2017 10:22

Accepting the school makes no difference to your chances of receiving a better offer. If you don't accept it, though, you risk ending up with nothing.

No. 4 on a waiting list is pretty high and there is likely to be a lot of movement between now and September. I suggest you get yourself on the waiting list of any school you would consider and wait and see what shakes out. There is no limit to the number of waiting lists you can be on.

meditrina · 19/04/2017 10:23

Do not reject the offer you have, unless you have a private school place sorted or can home educate indefinitely.

The council has fulfilled its obligation by making you the offer. If you reject it, they do not make another one.

So you can either hold your offer and wait it out on the waiting lists for the schools you prefer. Or you can reject the offer and wait it out on the waiting lists for schools you prefer. That you rejected your offered place makes no difference whatsoever to whether/when you might get an offer from the waiting list (which are ranked by how well you fit the criteria).

If you reject the offer you have, and nothing comes up from the WLs, you will need to reapply in time for September, and you will be offered the nearest school with a vacancy. It might not be the currently offered one if that is now full.

Casz · 19/04/2017 10:36

Be aware that you can go down a waiting list as it's based on entry criteria not length of time on the list.

Accept the place you have been offered. If you're happy enough with this school, then forget the waiting lists and concentrate on preparing your child for going to that school as though it was your first preference so it's a positive experience.

PatriciaHolm · 19/04/2017 11:07

If the school is 4 miles away, you should be offered transport for your child; however, given where you are, this may be a bus pass, which just covers the child not you unfortunately.

Accepting has no impact on your chances on a waiting list, so do accept, unless you are prepared to home school/privately educate - if you reject the offer, you are dependent on waiting lists as the LEA has no obligation to find you another offer.

House34 · 19/04/2017 11:16

How do you find out how far you are on a waiting list. We didn't get our first choice and would love to know how far away from getting it we were.

megtok · 19/04/2017 11:20

House34 - there should be a link available on your council websites. Just use that and type in your application number and you'll find out where you are on the waiting list.

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PatriciaHolm · 19/04/2017 11:30

Most councils won't be that organised yet! (or indeed ever....)

You would need to call the admissions authority in most cases. Though they will be very busy right now of course!

Tomorrowillbeachicken · 19/04/2017 11:56

No 4 is a very strong chance tbh.

Tomorrowillbeachicken · 19/04/2017 11:58

I missed the part about declining. DO NOT DECLINE any offer. The council has ended their responsibility to you if you do that and decline or accept it won't make any difference to waiting list places.

Monkey2333 · 19/04/2017 13:42

Accept your current offer. I'd say you have a good chance if you're number 4 on the list. Some of those who have been offered Chase will go private or move away etc which frees up space. I'd agree that you should make sure you are on the waiting list for all other schools (Joseph Hood is only down the road from Wimbledon Chase & usually has space), Dundonald etc. Good luck!

megtok · 19/04/2017 13:55

Thank you everyone. Your feedback is really helpful as we decide what to do going forward. Much helpful :)

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tiggytape · 19/04/2017 14:08

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tiggytape · 19/04/2017 14:09

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Wimbledonian · 19/04/2017 14:14

WCPS has a 90 place entry and a hugely transient and international catchment, so your chances of getting in are high. I assume you are very close and in the priority admissions area? When I had DC there the waiting lists moved a lot between spring and the start of September.

megtok · 19/04/2017 14:47

Thanks. your insights are really helpful.

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cantkeepawayforever · 19/04/2017 14:54

Do bear in mind that you can move down a waiting list.

It may be that people who live closer (or qualify more highly in the admissions criteria) could move into the area or add themselves to the waiting list having been disappointed with their initial allocation. Thus 4th today could be 10th in a week's time - or even more frustratingly, you can get up to 1st and then be bumped down by a family moving into the area but closer to the school than you.

It can feel really unfair - that you applied to the school as your first choice, you are not on the waiting list out of choice, but someone can come along at any point who has a valid reason to be higher on the list than you and move ahead of you.

megtok · 19/04/2017 16:54

Think given the amount of stress...one should better just opt for a private school. The public system only works for certain few..and even then you are not guaranteed a decent secondary school. The stress this system gives to families is not worth it. Totally disappointed.

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AmberLin · 19/04/2017 17:00

it really is stressful. I spoke to our first and second choice schools today about getting rejected - all of their places were taken up by siblings. Seems unfair on new families to the area with only one child. We literally live 2 minutes away...

megtok · 19/04/2017 17:16

Yes..even I spoke to them today...they couldn't really help but hey at least we spoke. What options are you looking into now? Have you got your 3rd preference at least? Which locality are you looking into?

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AmberLin · 19/04/2017 17:21

private. We have a place already. It' is 3000 a term. No more holidays for us for the next few years I think!! We're up north, greater manchester. It's a bad situation here.

MaryPoppinsPenguins · 19/04/2017 17:24

A friend of mine was 1st on the waiting list for our school, and felt sure she would get her daughter in between April and September... but I didn't happen. She moved down to two and the new 1st place got in and there was no movement after that. Not meaning to be negative, just that sometimes it does happen.

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ShowOfHands · 19/04/2017 19:31

We were 2nd on the waiting list. Moved up to 1st, then down to 3rd and stayed there. No more movement. It depends on the school and area.

We had to move house in the end.

Mamabear12 · 19/04/2017 20:50

you just never know, i know someone 7th on the list for a intake of 30 and got in by the start of the school year.

megtok · 19/04/2017 21:01

absolutely...its like winning a lottery. cant believe this is what getting into a school is like. This system needs a haul. Its totally messed up.

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