First primary school

[badfurday]

I’ve just moved to west sussex from south London. I’m just starting to apply for school for my daughter who is due to start September 2018.
There is only one school in our catchment area, but the form specified I put down 3 choices. There is one other school in the village which I have added as choice 2, but really not sure what to put in for option 3? Do I need to add a school that’s further away (3 miles) and hope I get into my 1st choice?

It's helpful to know whether children living where you do got in to the school last year - is it actually a catchment area or just a last distance admitted?
Always use all your choices though.

The way admissions work, you'll always get your highest choice possible. If children from where you are, get to your preferred school then you'll get number 1 anyway. However, it's good to specify as many schools as poss - if anything goes wrong (e.g. sudden shrinkage of admission area), at least you'll get your number 3 rather than being sent somewhere completely random.

Thanks all.
So even if I only have one school in my catchment area listed, put down an extra 2 that are local.

Yes. Most people will only be in the catchment for one school, or possibly a religious one as well.
You won’t necessarily get in to your catchment school- priority goes to catchment siblings usually rather than “new” families. However you should be able to get the statistics as to how many got in vs how many put it as their first choice.
Round here you have to put SIX choices but if you put catchment school as first choice you’re likely to get it as no schools particularly oversubscribed round here.

Just to be clear, in some areas catchments are mapped out and stay the same, mainly.
In others, the distance to school is measured and those closest are given priority. Distance for admissions varies year to year but it is sometimes called a catchment. So please be clear which it is.

Basically, put down any schools that you'd be happy with in order of your genuine preference.