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Primary education

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Original poster

Anyone else anxious about tomorrow's primary school admissions email in London?

182 replies

Alicexo · 15/04/2026 14:50

Is anyone else a nervous wreck for the primary school admissions email to come out tomorrow, 16th April 2026? I’ve been a mess all day!!! Has anyone applied for schools in London?

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DestituteDesperate · 16/04/2026 19:49

Copy and paste:

For schools that you ranked as a higher preference, and where that school has not been able to offer a place, your child’s name will automatically be placed on the waiting list for that school, unless you tell us you do not wish to stay on the waiting list.
WAITING LISTS WILL OPEN – Friday, April 17, 2026
You can find out your child’s waiting list position by logging into…

DestituteDesperate · 16/04/2026 19:46

SE13Mummy · 16/04/2026 18:32

Waiting lists won't be created until people have accepted or rejected their allocated place. Some people will have decided to take up a place at an independent school, others will be in the process of moving house, some parents of summerborns will have had a rethink about their just 4-yr-old starting this September etc etc. Once those decisions have been formalised is when waiting list positions will be known. It's not usually for at least a couple of weeks.

Very few primary schools round here have official catchment areas. New housing developments, high numbers of siblings and all sorts of other things can have an impact on how quickly a primary school fills up. A number of primaries have reduced their intake because of falling rolls so that is likely to have a knock-on effect across the boroughs.

My email clearly states the waitlist is tomorrow and you can access it via my portal for council tax in my borough or I can call or email.

yes, the waitlist will move massively but they’re already aware of numbers for waitlist based on how many people didn’t get their first choice.

SE13Mummy · 16/04/2026 18:32

Waiting lists won't be created until people have accepted or rejected their allocated place. Some people will have decided to take up a place at an independent school, others will be in the process of moving house, some parents of summerborns will have had a rethink about their just 4-yr-old starting this September etc etc. Once those decisions have been formalised is when waiting list positions will be known. It's not usually for at least a couple of weeks.

Very few primary schools round here have official catchment areas. New housing developments, high numbers of siblings and all sorts of other things can have an impact on how quickly a primary school fills up. A number of primaries have reduced their intake because of falling rolls so that is likely to have a knock-on effect across the boroughs.

DestituteDesperate · 16/04/2026 18:32

beachbum85 · 16/04/2026 18:13

Congratulations to all those who got their first choice!

We're in London and got our 5th... Obviously pretty disappointed 😑 does anyone know how to find out what position on the waiting list we are for the schools further up our list? Thanks!

Call up your local authority tomorrow or email, I’d think a call might be better based on the fifth preference being allocated.

im ringing up just to see where I am on the waiting list for the first choice - partly because my son seems distraught.

someone mentioned that there’s lots of movement between now and September especially around London.

good luck

DestituteDesperate · 16/04/2026 18:30

helpme402 · 16/04/2026 18:07

we got our second choice which i'm quite shocked about as we aren't actually in the catchment area for it (very small catchment area). I assumed we'd get first or third choice. Disappointed we didn't get our first choice. I'm going to try putting my son on the waitlist but not sure how it works. It's a faith based school so i doubt people will give up their spots as you have to fill in extra forms etc. :(

I got our second, closer to home and on pure attainment level it’s actually our borough’s first ranked primary school. I’m happy but my son isn’t as his friends all got into the first choice.

beachbum85 · 16/04/2026 18:13

Congratulations to all those who got their first choice!

We're in London and got our 5th... Obviously pretty disappointed 😑 does anyone know how to find out what position on the waiting list we are for the schools further up our list? Thanks!

LoudPeachScroller · 16/04/2026 18:11

Alicexo · 16/04/2026 17:37

Oh gosh really? I’m at the standard too and got the one that’s closest to us. Are you unhappy with the one you got?

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Yeah, disappointed. Hope we can move up the waiting list. Apparently there's a lot of movement in May. Hope you're happy with what you got

helpme402 · 16/04/2026 18:07

we got our second choice which i'm quite shocked about as we aren't actually in the catchment area for it (very small catchment area). I assumed we'd get first or third choice. Disappointed we didn't get our first choice. I'm going to try putting my son on the waitlist but not sure how it works. It's a faith based school so i doubt people will give up their spots as you have to fill in extra forms etc. :(

Rosecoffeecup · 16/04/2026 17:56

LoudPeachScroller · 16/04/2026 17:17

I live in Blackheath Standard. We got our 4th choice. Choices 2 and 3 are nearer to us than the 4th! I’m a bit confused

Edited

You may not have qualified in a higher category/closest applicant for 2 and 3 e.g. if lots of siblings, LAC etc then any remaining distance places may not have gone far

Original poster
Alicexo · 16/04/2026 17:37

MamaTeeTee1 · 16/04/2026 17:25

We got our first choice! So relived now, I was stress baking and drinking wine from 3 😂

Yaaaay! Drink that wine Mama!!

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Original poster
Alicexo · 16/04/2026 17:37

LoudPeachScroller · 16/04/2026 17:30

Actually, choices 1, 2 and 3 are all nearer than the 4th we got

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Oh gosh really? I’m at the standard too and got the one that’s closest to us. Are you unhappy with the one you got?

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LoudPeachScroller · 16/04/2026 17:30

LoudPeachScroller · 16/04/2026 17:17

I live in Blackheath Standard. We got our 4th choice. Choices 2 and 3 are nearer to us than the 4th! I’m a bit confused

Edited

Actually, choices 1, 2 and 3 are all nearer than the 4th we got

MamaTeeTee1 · 16/04/2026 17:25

We got our first choice! So relived now, I was stress baking and drinking wine from 3 😂

PrettyFox · 16/04/2026 17:20

First choice here too!!

Diamondsword · 16/04/2026 17:19

So pleased for everyone!

LoudPeachScroller · 16/04/2026 17:17

I live in Blackheath Standard. We got our 4th choice. Choices 2 and 3 are nearer to us than the 4th! I’m a bit confused

Ndc123 · 16/04/2026 17:16

First choice! Can’t believe I’ve a baby starting big school.

DestituteDesperate · 16/04/2026 17:15

Just logged in and got my second choice the one I actually wanted.

Original poster
Alicexo · 16/04/2026 17:15

SarahLH92 · 16/04/2026 17:13

Anyone else feeling emotional now they've seen it and got the choice u wanted? Think its all feeling so real now that they r growing up and I think even more emotional for me cos she attends the nursery I work at and from September she will no longer be in the same building as me anymore 💔😭

I’m in tears!! It’s such an emotional rollercoaster! Our babies are going to school!

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SarahLH92 · 16/04/2026 17:13

Anyone else feeling emotional now they've seen it and got the choice u wanted? Think its all feeling so real now that they r growing up and I think even more emotional for me cos she attends the nursery I work at and from September she will no longer be in the same building as me anymore 💔😭

Original poster
Alicexo · 16/04/2026 17:13

Woohoo! First choice! I’m so happy. Thank you to all of you who kept me occupied today! So happy for you all xx

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A3049 · 16/04/2026 17:09

We got first choice! I'm so happy! ❤️

tealandteal · 16/04/2026 17:08

So sorry that some of you are still waiting! I hope you get what you want. Ours were available at 9am (South West) and although we are only in catchment for one school, which is under subscribed and we have a child there already, I was still nervous! We did get into the first choice

blueberrymatcha · 16/04/2026 17:08

We got our first choice! I literally dropped to my knees and gave a prayer of thanks!

SarahLH92 · 16/04/2026 17:06

She got her first choice 😁 x