Help with schools!

[GBPeru]

Hi everyone. We have just moved back to the UK after five years away and are finding the re-entry a bit challenging, particularly with respect to schools. Although we got our son into a great primary in year 5 (St Thomas), our daughter (year 3) is in a school on the other side of town from us (Northmead). Although we like the school well enough, it is really putting a lot of pressure on us dealing with two schools and two school runs. Do we have any options to get our daughter into a school closer to home, or do we just have to sit patiently on the waiting lists until something moves? She is currently on the waiting list at St Thomas, Boxgrove and Bushy Hill (we live in Merrow). We are starting to get desperate! Any advice?

As she is in year 3 you could appeal. If you go on the general education board the gurus will give you advice about the grounds to appeal.
Off the top of my head I would put: A Catholic school (if you are), close to home and assimilating with local friends, then anything else St Thomas's offers over Northmead (eg. clubs which are relevant etc.). You can then appeal for the other two, although you can't then use the religion card.
In year 3 and up schools can have more than 30 pupils in a class, so appealing is worth while. The grounds are to show that your DD is more disadvantaged by not being given a place than the other pupils are disadvantaged by one more pupil in the class.
At least they are all good schools.