School Applications

[BreakHerOffAKitKat]

Wasn't really sure what section to post this in but thought parenting was close enough!

I am just about to start the school application for my DD to start in September 2020.

Does anyone have any experience on order of preference and what is best to do?

We would love DD to go to School A however we are one road out of the catchment area but their admissions policy does state they accept a small percentage of out of catchment children, This is the preferred school as it is the feeder school to the best upper school in the area (thinking way ahead here but moving is unlikely to be an option any time)

We are in catchment for School B which is an equally good school and just up the road from our house but for the reasons above, School A would be first choice.

We have School C as 3rd choice - not especially excited about this school but it is decent and preferable to the other options in the area.

If we were to put School A as our first choice but don't get accepted, would this put us lower down the list for School B as option 2 and potentially miss out on a place here?

Are we better off just going with School B as option 1 as it is pretty much a certainty that she would get in there (I would assume!)

Is it better to use all 3 preference options or should we just choose the 2 most preferable in the hopes that we would get one of them?

Sorry for the questions - it's all very confusing for a novice!

If we were to choose

Use all your options if you can (we didn't as we are rural and there was basically only four schools within a 20mile radius).
Put your first choice first.
Then the rest in order of preference.
Don't limit yourself to just the two favourite choices. If you don't get into either of these there is a chance you'll end up with a random allocation that you don't want as you hadn't put in a third.
If you don't get into your first choice school then it won't affect your placing for schools b (and c).
If you get your second choice you can be wait listed for your first choice whilst still accepting your second choice .

Putting school A first will not disadvantage you in getting a place at School B should a place not be available at school A.

Better to use all your choices. A not very good school close to homeis better than being allocated a not very good school miles away.

Thank you both for replying - I'll go A, B then C and keep my fingers crossed!!

If you want further advice go over to Primary Education.