1 day late primary admission- please help

[sundowners]

Hi all, please dont flame me- believe me I am feeling guilty as hell, foolish, stupid you name it - enough already. So I had stupidly put the date on my phone as a reminder as Friday 15th 2021- not 15th 2020- which was obviously yesterday. I have missed the deadline for primary place for DD by 1 day. Obviously went straight online and applied.
Her DS attends the school- currently Year 1, we also live very close by- its our closest school.

I don't THINK massively oversubscribed- as certainly in his year so many parents were offered it despite being their 2nd or 3rd choice, but then loved it so much have stayed. However results are great especially compared to some of the other local primary's that were oversubscribed but fallen in result tables so no longer full. So I am very very worried...


Council admissions website states : "between 16 January - 10 February 2020- If there is a genuine reason for late application or changes to your application – for example a change of address or circumstances - supported by written details and evidence, we will treat your application as on time only if the details reach us by 10 February 2020.

After 10 February 2020

All applications received after 10 February 2020 will be treated as late applications and only considered after all on-time applications have been processed. It is likely that there will be no vacancies at the school(s) you applied for, as these will have been allocated to those applying on time. However, if there are vacancies we will co-ordinate offers of places to these schools, based on each school's admission criteria. If there are no vacancies your child may be placed on the waiting list for the school(s) you have applied for.".

I have emailed the admissions team with a grovelling email stating there is no exceptional circumstance other than sheer stupidly at putting a reminder for the wrong year in my phone and realising a day too late. I have apologised, made lots of references to be mortified and accepting this isn't an exceptional case just one of utter stupidity, but asking as DDs brother attends (he is also SEN -not she if that makes any difference) we please be considered.

What do you think our chances are please? Thanks.

[cabbageking]

You have done all you can do.
Sorry it will be a long wait for you now.

[Mintchocchipicecream]

It will be treated as a late application. School admissions is a very strict process.

[Lougle]

Honestly, I don't think that will count as a genuine reason within the context of admissions. If they accept that you were one day late, what about the person who gets reminded on day 2, 3, 4 and so on. Where do they draw the line? Sadly, they drew the line on yesterday's date and only genuine reasons such as house moves, which can only be notified after completion, count.

[Wnikat]

Call them too. Our admissions team didn’t really get back to emails but were good on the phone. I really think it’ll be fine so long as you speak to them this week.

[Babymamamama]

How frustrating. For secondary .....maybe apply at the beginning of the time window rather than on the final day anyway. Hope it works out for you.

[Lougle]

Having said that, admissions did let me change my preferences after the closing date because our most local school was first choice until we had a complete breakdown of trust with them. As we had pulled DD2 out of the school, it was impossible for DD3 to attend there and luckily for us, admissions agreed, so changed our preferences to the school that we had put second choice as first choice.

[sundowners]

Thanks all, will try calling tomorrow too.

[sundowners]

Fell like utter shit. Just one cock up after another.

[sundowners]

According to the Telegraph's calculator, last year it had 63 1st choice applications, and offered 60 places... Sorry just rambling to myself now.

[ChicCroissant]

If you look on the Council's website for admission day statistics, it may show how many applications they received - our Council does but not all do. I can see how many applications they received in total (all preferences combined) and how many first preferences there were. Also, if you have the admissions book from the Council (often online as well) it may state in there if it was oversubscribed.

[SendCoffeeASAP]

I just spoke to my friend about this who works for our local council (North East) admissions office, she said it very much depends on who picks up your application, but for what it's worth, she'd just put it through as normal . Good luck, I hope all works out ok! Don't beat yourself up too much, things happen. Your kids are fine, you are fine, she will get a place somewhere. It just is what it is now, it's a mistake and you are not a failure by any means because of it. (Maybe just double check any other dates in your phone just in case and try to do things ASAP in future!)

[Aroundtheworldin80moves]

Even if she doesn't get a place on allocation day, she's highly likely to be first in the waiting list as a sibling, and there's usually movement between then and September.

[Hugepeppapigfan]

@Lougle
Changing the preferences is allowed as your application to each school was on time.

[Mintchocchipicecream]

@SendCoffeeASAP
That’s awful and shouldn’t happen. If someone else is denied a place because a late application has been let through like this then the council would be open to legal challenge.

[Reginabambina]

That’s really horrible. I hope it turns out ok for you in the end

[prh47bridge]

Changing the preferences is allowed as your application to each school was on time

No it isn't - at least, not universally. It is up to the LA whether or not to allow this.

[Iknewyouwerewaitingforme]

Mintchocchipicecream but the wording from authority website OP posted gives a short 3 weeks almost buffer zone to still consider and accept late but not seriously
late applications. The wording “good reason” is pretty open to interpretation, and not saying only in a few exemplary cases. If it’s written quite vaguely like that and an application 1 day late in this space is still accepted, especially in case of (especially a SEN) sibling being at school, close to proximity to school what grounds would they have to appeal really.

[sundowners]

SendCoffeeASAP I literally cried reading this. Thanks for being kind.

Feel physically sick.

To anyone with any idea on this:
So we are a late admission.
Do schools offer to all 1st preference applications/those who meet the most criteria only then consider late applications? Are late applications even when they fit the top criteria of schools still get pushed right to the back as only offered a place after all applications submitted in time, even those who aren't in catchment or put as 2nd or 3rd choice etc are made offers? Would just like to understand how it works. Thanks.

[Aroundtheworldin80moves]

My understanding (admissions expert may correct me)

1. Those who list a school in any position are ranked by admissions criteria. Top X number are offered place
   
2. if a place can be offered at more than one school, they keep top offer, others are disregarded, and any vacancies are offered to next people on list
   
3. this keeps happening until everyone has one offer only
   
4. anyone with no offers is offered nearest available space
   
5. late applications offered spaces
   
   But after Offers day, whether you are late or not is disregarded, and waiting list is held in order of admissions criteria.

[legoninjago1]

No experience to share but wanted to send you
Really hope it all works out and this becomes a distant memory for you.

[LochJessMonster]

Why would you leave it to the last day to do? That's crazy. What if your internet had been down, or you had had an unexpected event.

[legoninjago1]

Could you not call the admissions people to have your questions answered btw?

[ChicCroissant]

You'd really need to speak to your Council, OP. The information from last year's round of admissions may be available on their website/the admissions information booklet.

[Seaandsand83]

I would definitely give them a call now

[Iknewyouwerewaitingforme]

Thanks all- I have called this morning and was told the Admissions team only work 2-5pm so will call them again this afternoon.