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Original poster

What happens if we decline offer of top choice school

30 replies

Cook4Meals · 31/10/2021 22:05

Two hours to go before submission deadline and we're still debating order of schools. My way of thinking is that if we place one school over the other and decline 1st choice when offer comes through on 1 March, we will automatically drop to 2nd choice, won't we? This would give us plenty more time to decide when the time finally comes to choose between the two schools. However, could someone please confirm that this is what happens? I have a nagging feeling that if we do this, we'll end up losing out on both our top choice schools and risk being allocated a random school in the end.

OP posts:
MustDust · 31/10/2021 22:09

No, that is definitely not what happens in my area and most others from what I can gather. You order your preference and get offered the first of your choices you meet criteria for (against all other applicants). The other 2 choices then effectively disappear. If you then decline first place you need to find a school which does have space which around here would be the bottom of the table school. Have you read the admissions info for your area?

RedskyThisNight · 31/10/2021 22:09

No, this is not what happens. You get allocated one school.

If you choose to decline that offer, you will be left looking for a place that is left after everyone else has been allocated theirs. And chances are there won't be a place at your second choice school. There may be no viable places at all, and the LEA would not be obliged to find you one as you'd turned down the offered place. This would be a very high risk strategy.

Just choose which school you prefer What's going to happen between now and March that will change your mind?

Angel2702 · 31/10/2021 22:08

No if you refuse the school you are given you will be allocated a school that has places not necessarily one of your choices.

Cookerhood · 31/10/2021 22:08

No you won't. You could be left with no school at all as the local authority has done their bit offering you a school. If you are offered a lower school you go on the waiting lists for higher ones, but if you get your first choice that is it. You may be able to go on waiting lists but there is no guarantee you would get a place, and you would have lost the other one if you turn it down.

spudjulia · 31/10/2021 22:08

I'm not an expert, work in schools but not admissions, and I'm also doing application for my child.

But I think there's a chance that you could be offered 1st choice, then if you refuse it, the 2nd choice school could be full. The 2nd choice is if you can't get into your first choice rather than for if you change your mind. So they won't keep a 'spare' place in your 2nd choice school open for you if they've offered you your first choice.

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