School applications for siblings - how many schools do I put down?

[litdog]

Our daughter goes to a brilliant state primary in Hammersmith and Fulham, and I have just been given the application form for our son, due to start next September.

At our DD's primary, siblings get priority, so our son should get in. However it's not a given - we don't live in the primary catchment area, nor do we attend the church that the school serves. The school is very sought-after, with four applications per place last year. I think DD got in because I hounded the school, visiting all the time, plus I worded the application form very carefully indeed.

So when applying for our son, obv we will put our daughter's school as first choice. But should we put a second and third choice (as we did for DD), or would that harm our cause?

Or if we only put our daughter's school as first choice, say he doesn't get in, would they then throw us to the wolves of the decidedly dodgy school just down the road from us?

Anyone got any advice as to how many choices you put down?

TIA!

The school probably has an admissions policy which is more complex than siblings have priority. If it's a church school then this is probably something like:
1 - children with a statement naming the school
2 - children in local authority care with the school as top prederence
3 - siblings, attending the church, and in catchment
4 - siblings attending the church
5 - others attending the church
6 - siblings in catchment
7 - others in catchment
8 - siblings out of catchment
9 - anyone else
all of these ranked in order of distance.

So you might well be fairly well down the list.

I think you'd be gambling not to put more than one - especially as I don't think the schools actually get to see where else you've applied to, or not as the case may be.

School admissions are handled by the la. The school has no involvement. The la will not know that you badgered the school. There are criteria and you will have best me these- it was your careful form filling that won the day.

If you only put 1 and youbare not successfulnthey will offer you a place at the nearest school that has places

what's the sibling policy - is it sibs first? and last year did all sibs get a place?

if so I wouldn't worry.

Apologies- some church schools do handle admissions. The la And the school both have a list they collaborate to ensure that placescare offered against the criteria. If you had to do 2 forms that would be the case . For many church schools it is the la form only.

Around here they specifically say that you should put in second and third options and you will not have any better chance by just putting one (or putting the same one three times).

Thanks all. Yes, siblings get priority, but only after looked after children, and something else (forgotten, but it's not us).

George - good qu re: did all siblings get a place last year. I don't know. Will ask the more experienced mums in the playground.

Guess I will put choices two and three, too, then, to maximise chances of him not ending up in nightmare school down the road...

Thanks all again!