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Original poster

DD didn't get into any of our school preferences - any options?

86 replies

HannahTone · 03/03/2022 11:05

We live in an area with really low performing schools, so after having checked the preferences list and admission criteria, we put the further schools as our top 3 choices because we really did not want DD to end up into one of the school nearby, as we heard lots of nasty rumours about them, but then added them in the last 3 choices just so if nothing else, she does get accepted into the more reasonable ones near our house.

However, on offer day, we got rejected out of all our preferences and DD got put into one of the most low performing schools which are even further away than the nearby school I put in number 4.

Now, I just contacted the council and the lady was really rude and just told me to wait till 21st March when the waiting lists will be out and that she will be put on waiting lists for all 6 schools, but given higher preference for the first school. I'm not even sure she knew what she was talking about tbh, but realistically I dont think she'll get the 1st school choice, so I was thinking of getting her to higher preference to the more reasonable school near to us, but I dont know if I can do that?

Has anyone been in a similar situation, do you think I could do that, or does that seem like an impossible thing to do? Please help a struggling mum!

OP posts:
Original poster
HannahTone · 03/03/2022 12:25

@clary
we've checked the distance from home, and our fourth choice is 0.7 miles away, whereas the one we got offered to comes up to 0.6 miles, so maybe that was it?

All the other schools are further away which we didn't list, adding to the fact that most of them we did not find to be good schools, even when visiting them, so that was among the reasons for not putting them on the list.

I'm not sure if there would be a mistake, but most of DD's classmates did get accepted into 4th choice and they live in the same area as us, so I don't know how they calculated it. On top of that, one of DD's best mates and our neighbour got into a school that's 1.2 miles away, which I really don't get how that happened.

OP posts:
ChildOfFriday · 03/03/2022 12:21

@HannahTone If she is on all the waiting lists then contacting the schools won't help unfortunately- there is no 'higher priority' and they will be held in the order of the admissions criteria. Of course, make sure there has been no mistake and that she is in the correct criteria/correct distance has been measured, etc, but I think you have been misled by the lady you spoke to about this higher priority thing. If she is on all the lists for the schools you would consider, that's all you can do in terms of waiting lists. The other option is to appeal, but others can give much better advice on that.

Original poster
HannahTone · 03/03/2022 12:16

@PsychologyMum100
Thank you so much, it is really helpful! It really does feel like I'm rocking the boat alone.

I have just been contacting schools directly and asking them what to do and if they can put DD on their waiting lists, and so far I think she is automatically been put into all our preferred choices, but just contactign to get her higher in the place and do whatever we can.

I honestly was not aware it'd be this chaotic, but I really think there should be regulations on Ofsted rating as basis for school preference, because how else are we going to see whether the school is a well or low performing school? And even then, like you said, we didn't even get the school that was 5 mins away from us, which boggles my mind.

But, hopefully we can get it through the waiting lists!! I honestly dont want to appeal either, as it would just add more to my stress, and I dont think we have a strong case either.

Thank you for your help!!

OP posts:
PanelChair · 03/03/2022 12:12

First of all, check that there hasn't been an error that has cost your child a place in any of your preferred schools (such as miscalculating the distance between home and school).

Then, make sure you are on the waiting list for any school that you'd be willing to accept (some LEAs limit the number of lists you can join, others allow any number). Waiting lists are held in the same order as the oversubscription criteria, so it's important to be sure that the school/LEA has placed you in the right admissions category and got the distance right, but there's no bonus (as far as the waiting list is concerned) for having made a school your first preference. It all depends on the oversubscription criteria - not your order of preference - so if the person at the LEA told you otherwise they are mistaken.

At this time of year, always make sure you are speaking to someone from the school admissions team. We hear too many stories of people on the main switchboard etc handing out well-intentioned but wrong advice.

PsychologyMum100 · 03/03/2022 12:08

Also, ask your current primary school for support. They must have had parents in the past who were in similar situations. My primary school has been amazingly supportive, they are running appeals workshops over the next few weeks and have a transitions officer who is there to answer questions or offer advice.

clary · 03/03/2022 12:07

@ozanj that's not true. You can express express a preference for any school you like, while accepting that you may not get in (distance is usually the key criterion for secondary). Friends and issues with allergies are neither here nor there as a rule in application terms tbh, bit things like orchestras, sports teams or subjects not provided at other schools may help an appeal.

Op is your fourth choice your closest/catchment school? Or is there a closer one you didn't list? If the former is the case then a mistake may have been made and I would probe further. Lots of expertise on this board too.

ChildOfFriday · 03/03/2022 12:05

@HannahTone Really sorry to hear this. I hope the waiting lists move for you soon. I don't think the lady you spoke to knew what she was talking about. Waiting lists are held strictly in terms of admission criteria, and the order you originally listed them on in the form will have no bearing whatsoever. If she meant that you get priority on a waiting list for putting a school first on your form originally, then she is wrong. There is no such thing as 'higher priority', just the order of the admissions criteria.

PsychologyMum100 · 03/03/2022 12:01

Hi there HannahTone,

I completely understand your predicament and fully empathise as I’m much in the same position. We were offered 4th place of choice which is quite far for my son to travel too. I was really shocked we didn’t get any of the first 3. We lives 0.3 miles from our first choice, literally a 5 minute walk and still didn’t get in.

Like you, I’m not sure what to do at the moment as some people say appeal, others say don’t as my grounds won’t be strong enough. Waiting lists don’t come out till 22nd so don’t know what the likelihood is of him moving into a higher preference offer.

We will of course accept what we have been offered so we don’t lose it, but not sure what else to do as the next step.

I did call the individual schools, some were really helpful and were able to tell me his position, others advised on how much movement there has been in the past with the waiting list. So maybe try this?

Council are just robots for what’s on the website. They regurgitate and don’t really offer realistic advice for anxious parents.

Apologies if my comment hasn’t been helpful, but I wanted you to know you’re not alone!

Original poster
HannahTone · 03/03/2022 11:55

@MaizeAmaze

If you look at the data for the past few years, would child at your address have expected to get into one of your last 3 choices? What about DDs classmates, where are they all going? ie do you think there might have been a mistake?

Hope you get some answers soon.

We probably did aim a bit higher, given that the top 3 schools are a bit far.

But we did put in the nearby school as our 4th choice and she didn't even get accepted onto that, so I dont know if there might have been a mistake there? DD's classmates are all going to the 4th choice and that's why she's really disappointed, but we really don't know what to do now. Can we do in year admissions to the 4th chocie school?
From my call earlier this morning, the council said to not do anything atm as schools won't accept it, but I'm thinking of giving them a call anyway.

Also, how do you look at the previous years' data?

Thank you!!

OP posts:
Ozanj · 03/03/2022 11:52

Social and medical reasons are the only things that count when you apply for schools that aren’t in your catchment area. You should only be choosing further away schools if you can justify it eg her existing friends / relatives go there or if she has a deathly allergy to something common & the new school is on the doorstep to an A&E.

Also, lower performing schools tend to have more current ratings and so may be performing at a higher level than so called Outstanding schools who haven’t had an Ofsted rating in 10 years. This needs to be kept firmly in mind especially considering Ofsted’s recent crackdown on outstanding schools.

MaizeAmaze · 03/03/2022 11:46

If you look at the data for the past few years, would child at your address have expected to get into one of your last 3 choices?
What about DDs classmates, where are they all going?
ie do you think there might have been a mistake?

Hope you get some answers soon.