Waiting list for reception

[Mummyk13]

my daughter has attended my nursery since she was 3 months old attending all through Covid/lockdown and has made the most amazing bonds with her peers over the passed 3 and half years
I have worked at the nursery for 18 years working hours between 7-5:30 or 7:30-6
there is a primary school 0-4 miles on the door step of the nursery we live 1.8 miles 6 minute drive away
so we made 4 choice’sout of 6 for school application in January none of the schools have wrap around care like the school next to my work so we couldn’t make any other work

we fond out on Tuesday she did not get her 1st choice of school problem now all her friends are going to her 1st choice and she is the only one who hasn’t got her first choice

problem two one of the mums at the nursery was collecting her from me at the nursery to drop her and same collecting after and dropping her to me after school obviously now she can’t as she won’t be going to same school as her friend

I emailed our first option school on Wednesday morning explaining all this and how upset my daughter is and what I could do
the school actually called me they where so nice she said she had to call me as her heart was breaking reading the email and she wanted to put my mind at rest that this is just the first list and it changes a lot in first week she said there are only 15 children on the waiting list and my daughter isn’t at the bottom of it she said she dose not want to give me faulse hope but she said she thinks I’ll def get a place 🤞
she can’t tell me where I am
on the list untill May 1st she said she would call
me back once I can be told

question is what are the chances we will get a call for a space we have appealed but read that you never win reception appeals
but if there was no hope would the school had gone out there way the day after offer day to call me

Well, firstly, some people do win appeals.

However, "not getting the school I wanted" is not a reason for your appeal to be upheld.

The length of time a child has been at a Nursery is nothing to do with schools admission.

None of us can tell how likely it is that the waiting list will move far enough for your dc to get a place. The movement is very different in different schools.

Thanks
it’s not really about how long she attended nursery but the friendship groups she has made this has had a massive emotional effect on her even the nursery observation this week are reflecting this which I’ll add to my appeal.

thanks just got to hope what the school told me is true 🤞
the intake this year was low as a low birth year so guess not a lot of people in my situation

Is it an ICS appeal (infant class size) those are very hard to win but if it doesn't fall under those rules there is a bit more wriggle room. How large is the entry and how many classes?

The school receptionist called you and said you would definitely get a place?? If that actually happened she was one wrong to do so and two completely incorrect to make promises she can't keep. There is absolutely no guarantee your child will get a place even if you're the top of the waiting list.

yh the next day they called

its a 90 place 3 classes

There is absolutely no guarantee your child will get a place even if you're the top of the waiting list.

I agree.

OP, are you sure the receptionist said you would definitely get a place, or is that just how you interpreted what she was saying because you're desperate to get a place there?

Your daughter isn't at the bottom of the list but even if she was at the top she might not be offered a place. Others might move into the area and jump ahead of her. The reality is no one can say if she will get a place or not, even the receptionist. You might be offered a place before September, but equally you might never be offered a place.

Don't waste your time with appeals, focus on the school you have been offered. If a place becomes available at your 1st choice that's great, but in the meantime work out a plan for childcare for the school she's currently going to be starting at because it's likely that will be her school in September.

A friend got a place at a 15 pupil intake school during the summer holidays before Reception so it does happen and is more likely to happen in a big school. The not knowing is difficult though as there is no guarantee. It doesn't sound like you really understand the admission process and this has all been a bit of a shock to you.

Hey no that is what she said I was in office and had two other people who heard the conversation also she said it’s only a 15 place waiting list and that in itself is low I am also go through this with my son senior school but hold no hope for it as I am 128/330 on that waiting list 😂

it’s just so stressful

It's impossible to know for sure but there is always some churn from waiting lists especially as with an intake of 90 there's likely to be some family that needs to move out of the area etc.

What month was your DD born? You can keep her on the roll at nursery until she gets a place at your 1st choice school, until the point where she reaches compulsory school age which might be a couple of terms later than September. This might be a useful tactic because it's not uncommon that a school doesn't know it's going to have a spare place until the first week of term when a pupil doesn't turn up. They will then spend at least 2 weeks trying to get confirmation that the pupil won't be attending before they release the place. At that point the people ahead of you on the waiting list may turn down the place offered because they don't want the disruption of changing schools once term has started, so you get the place. However it's also a very risky strategy as you could end up with DD reaching compulsory school age with this not happening.

So you live 1.8 miles from the school? That's a fair distance and depending on the criteria of the school you could be quite far down the list and you can go down as well as up. My niece got a place from the waiting list just before she started reception but equally I know someone who's been waiting nearly 2 years now and still no place.

Friends come and go, especially at a young age - they might not have been in the same class anyway and I've found all the kids are on completely different schedules once the extra curricular activities kick in. It's obviously disappointing but I'd get sorting wraparound for your new school and focus on that.

I'm really surprised she said it as she has no control over who gets a place. She said doesn't want to offer false hope, but saying to you that your DD will definitely get a place is doing just that.

Although 15 doesn't sound like many it could change, and even if there's some movement you need to remember your DD can go down the waiting list as well as up. You might get lucky and be offered a place, but I really would recommend trying to sort out childcare and make plans with the belief that the school offered will be where she is starting in September.

I was talking to a dad on the train when we were applying. He didn't get his child into the school next to our nursery. He was just out of catchment.
He appealed and the opening statement for the school was "the school is over subscribed. The class is full there is no spaces for your child and there's nothing you can say that would change it". As you can imagine their appeal was unsuccessful however 2 days before term started a family annouced that they were moving and they were the top for the list and got a place. They were surprised and over joyed. I have heard a few other unsuccessful attempts from people on the wait list trying to get into this school

Thank you for that

on our local community page Harold wood there’s been a lot of people saying they got offer 1st choice as a lot of parents either moved looked after children moved on or parents choose to go down the private root

hopeful with what the school have said to me and the low birth rate for 2020 and reception waiting list so low we have some sort of chances 🤞

89.9% of receprion applicants in borough got there first choice this year
just so gutting we missed out 💔

The best part is the school we actually got we are 2.3 miles away from so it’s actually further than our first choice 🤦‍♀️

ah so it would be an ICS appeal which is very difficult to win unless there is evidence of mis-application of criteria or a 'perverse' decision. I think it was misjudged of the receptionist to tell you that you're likely to get a place. Do you know what the furthest distance offered was this year to get a sense of where 1.8miles may place you.

In the meantime, what can you do to make offered school work - do you have a partner and could they do school drop off etc. Are there childminders near the offered school?

My partner works abroad 9/10 times
and his working hours very he finds out his shift at 4pm the day before normally starting at 5/6am if in the country
we have letters from both our jobs stating our shift patterns for the appeal

there are no spaces in our area it’s impossible to get a childminder/ nursery space due to all this govment funding I feel so stuck 😢

What’s your ground of appeal?

Emotional/social impact on daughter
attended nursery since 3 months old she has A sense of belonging within this group this is vital for her mental health. When children’s needs for a safe, secure environment are met, they feel they belong and are fully included. As a result, of this they experience fewer behavioural issues and can develop positive relationships and learn if daughter is taken away from this not only could this have a massive impact on her sense of belonging as she is already demonstrating this by becoming very emotional at the thought of been taken away from her peers through crying and asking questions to both us and her teachers at nursery as to why she can’t stay with her friends why is she not aloud to go to school with them is she not a good girl this could also impact her behavior,learning and making new friendship at offered school
As a setting surly you should address barriers such as stereotyping and bias behaviour
All children are entitled to a high-quality education that promotes high standards, is appropriate to their needs, and helps them to achieve their best possible outcomes and fulfil their potential.
All children should have the opportunity to experience a challenging and enjoyable programme of learning and development
Regardless of there postcode

You're absolutely right about your reasoning there, but it's nothing that will win an ICS appeal. From memory it would be if the admissions panel have made a mistake, and your child would certainly have got a place if this mistake hadn't been made. And maybe a few other criteria, but nothing that you have mentioned unfortunately.

Keep your fingers crossed for the waiting list!

@Mummyk13 I mean this kindly but you need to forget about the ICS appeal, nothing you have written will help you to win an appeal.

I understand it's upsetting that you didn't get the school you wanted, but as other have said this isn't grounds for appeal. Friendships change and plenty of children go to a different school from their nursery friends.

Thank you
x

With three form entry and a waiting list of 15, I'd be pretty confident that you will get in. I know how it is, you don't know until you know etc but there is bound to be movement in that group that will free up space etc. Not everyone on the waiting list will still want a space and not everyone allocated a space will take it, so movement is something I would feel confident in. Know the stress though. It's hard going but stick it out ❤️

Thank you 😊
I just feel so helpless at the moment

I know this doesn't help the practicality side of it but I just want to reassure you about the friends. My DD went to the same nursery from 13 months until she started school this year (she's in Reception). No-one from her nursery goes to her school. She has settled beautifully and has a lovely group of friends there. She does still talk about her friends and keyworkers from nursery but only in a happy memories way, not upset at all.

I'll be honest that we had some tears over the summer before she started school when she realised she wouldn't see her friends again but we promised a couple of playdates (which we delivered on, and she was lucky enough to be invited to a birthday party from one of her nursery friends a few weeks into term) but any requests for that had dropped off by October half-term.

I honestly think I was more upset overall than she was.

Unless there is a social/medical needs category on the admissions criteria which you can evidence with hcp and nursery support an appeal will not be upheld if it is based on Infant Class Size. Try not to project your disappointment onto your dd and if possible broaden her friendship group. With a 90 intake you may yet be accepted via waiting list.