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Original poster

So disappointed - can anyone explain to me exactly how offers work?

56 replies

Coraldress · 01/03/2019 07:44

I stayed up until midnight to login and find out about ds school place. I'm really disappointed, he has been offered his second choice, school B, a school which has just been rated inadequate.

School A, his first choice, is next door to his primary and is where all of his friends will be going.

What should my next steps be? I've already found out that a couple of people have been offered school A as their second choice. I was under the impression that the LA approached schools with first choices before offering it to those who have it as second choice, but perhaps I've misunderstood. We don't have catchment areas round here, it goes on distance.

I will appeal, but I understand that you must have pretty exceptional circumstances to win an appeal.

Can anyone please offer me any advice?

OP posts:
CloserIAm2Fine · 01/03/2019 08:00

Whether there’s a need to appeal will depend on how much movement there is on waiting lists (areas where lots of people go private or where lots move in and out of the area will have more movement, but others will have much less) and where you are on the waiting list.

Original poster
Coraldress · 01/03/2019 07:59

Georgie, if for example I hadn't listed school B as a preference, and only put school A, would that have made a difference.

My worry was that they would have allocated another school entirely.

OP posts:
Original poster
Coraldress · 01/03/2019 07:56

So it sounds as though we wouldn't have been offered school A regardless?

We had no choice but to put School B as our second choice because it was the only other choice.

I guess I need to see if I can find out where we are on the waiting list? Why do you say there's no need to appeal rebel?

OP posts:
IceRebel · 01/03/2019 07:51

Accept the place at school B, and get on the waiting list for school A.

There is no need to appeal.

CloserIAm2Fine · 01/03/2019 07:50

Where you’ve ranked the school has no bearing on where you come on their list. Everyone who has named the school in any of their choices is ranked according to the admissions criteria. The top however many are given places. The ranking comes in to play for those who are eligible for multiple places, in that case you get the highest preference that you’re eligible for (so are taken off the lists of the others, so more become eligible and that continues til everyone has one offer)

There’s some brilliant appeals experts on here who will hopefully be around shortly to offer advice on the appeal, good luck!

GeorgieTheGorgeousGoat · 01/03/2019 07:49

Yes you’ve misunderstood unfortunately and this is why it’s so important to understand the process before applying.

Basically you are giving your preference. If you are eligible for more than one school, you are telling admissions which one you would prefer. It’s not a ‘choice’.

Unfortunately you weren’t eligible for the first school above the others so it would not have mattered where you listed it.

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