Primary School Waitlist Movement for Reception

[Roxyoc]

Dear Parents - My daughter got allocated her 3rd primary school preference which was a bit of a shock. We missed out on the the first school preference as it had 41 siblings this year and the 2nd choice school went down from 3 form to 2 form so only 60 places. We missed out on both schools by about 200 meters.
My daughter is currently number 7 on the waitlist for our first preference school which is a 3 form entry. She is currently number 3 on our second preference school which is a 2 form entry. What are the odds of her getting a place by Septmber based on people's experience of movement in reception place waitlist. We live in Richmond, South West London. Thanks in advance for any insights or past experience you can share.

Movement varies a great deal from area to area. Your best bet might be to ask the schools how much movement they typically see.
Once it gets closer, some people above you on the waiting list may decline the place if one gets offered - if they're reasonably happy with the second choice and their child has already been for an induction visit, got uniform, etc, then they may stick with it. That will be even more the case in September.

We were seventh on the waiting list for a two form entry primary after offer day and we got a place at the beginning of September. Obviously it can vary year by year but I’d say keep the faith. Good luck!

Ask the school for the April and September data for the past few years - ie the last distance admitted in April, and how that same data looked for September the same year at the start of the school year. That should give you a picture of the movement seen in recent past years.

we live in Kingston and have children age 18 to 8. I’m not sure where your choices were or what your criteria are, but ofsted and Sats don’t really tell you anything. A mediocre school can spring into action and make themselves look amazing for an ofsted report, I have seen this in the borough a couple of times. Sats results are also misleading because the schools hothouse y6 to get the top marks, because it reflects on the school ranking rather than the children. The problem with that is that when the children are set targets based on Sats results at secondary school, they are no longer being hothouses and quite often can’t keep up, and start to feel like they’re failing.
When you are looking for a primary place, my experience tells me, go for the most nurturing, with love and support, your child will achieve what they are going to achieve.!go for a visit and see the place in action and see how your child feels when they are there.
my favourite school in the entire world, I have tried about 20 schools during the time our four children have been in education, private and state, is Meadlands Primary in Ham.
i have never been to a school where every teacher knows every child so well, they are so cared for and loved and celebrated. I can tell you more about it if you are interested, but I feel that the school is a hidden gem, they are busy being fabulous with the kids and surviving these dark times for education and funding, not obsessing about rankings and ofsted.

Thanks to everyone that replied to my post. My daughter has moved to number 2 on the waitlist for our 2nd preference which is 2 form entry and also to number 2 on the waitlist for our 1st prefence which is 3 form entry. I am hoping we get an offer by Sepember. If not, would it be very unsettling to start her at the school offered and then move her should a place comes up at the higher prefence school. Might be jumping the gun and never get a waitlist place but I am hopeful now.