Can anyone advise about how waiting lists work?

[alittleteapot]

Hello, I've posted here before as we have been trying to move and - as I have to apply for a school for dd by Jan 15th - have failed to do so in time for the reception application deadline. So, we are likely to be at the mercy of waiting lists.

We are in inner London, north, and I'm interested to know the following:

Can you stay on as many school waiting lists as you want for as long as you want?

Do admissions from the waiting list tend to be within a smaller, similar or larger catchment area than the standard annual admissions process?

There is a chance we'll move soon and I know some authorities will accept late applications in extenuating circs but am I best to apply now from where we currently live or hold off - can I amend the application late if for example we move to the other side of the borough?

I'll talk to the admissions office again now but also grateful for any mumsnet wisdom on this.

Thanks very much.

Don't think you can go on a waiting list until places have been allocated to those who have applied by closing date. Places on the list are then ordered by the usual criteria so until you move you may well be palced at the bottom. Check if there is procedure for applications to be made in the interim in case you move locally before that date. You can usually apply from out of area but if places are competitive and catchment/distance is a criteria it may not actually get you anywhere.

Just spoke to the admissions office and she said if we were moving within borough i couldn't apply late (that doesn't count as extenuating circumstances) but that we would be measured from this address until offers and then after offers if we had moved I could then go on waiting list for schools and that waiting list admissions were often from further distances than initial intake. She also said there's quite a lot of movememnt between offers and september. as my dd is not 5 till the end of the academic year i legally can keep her in nursery for a longer time which maybe will save me having to move her twice. tis all a bit of a nightmare but will sort iself out i'm sure.

still interested to hear any individual tales as it all seems v much at the discretion of the admissions office.

You are not necessarily at the mercy of waiting lists yet.

You should get your application in on time using your current address. You should then change the address as soon as you are able to do so - check your council's rules but most will accept a new address once you've exchanged contracts.

Check the admissions booklet (which should be on the council's website). It should give a cut off date beyond which any move will result in you being treated as a late application. It may be only a couple of weeks after Jan 15th but it could be longer than that. If you can't find it, tell us which borough you are moving to and I will see if I can find out for you.

As LIZS says, waiting lists don't come into operation until places have been allocated and offers made. You can stay on the waiting list for as many schools as you want for as long as you want. The waiting list is ordered using the same criteria as for normal admissions. They cannot put you at the back of the waiting list just because you apply late. If you move next door to your preferred school you are therefore likely to go straight to the head of the waiting list.

Cross posted.

I suspect that the advice you have been given is incomplete. Your council should accept your change of address as soon as you have exchanged contracts, although some councils may have different requirements. There should be a cut off date (later than Jan 15th) before which you can change your address without penalty.

If you tell us which council is involved I will see if I can find out for you. If you don't want to post that information publicly you can send me a message, either by clicking on "message poster" to the right of my name or be emailing me at [email protected]. Post something here to let me know if you email me as I only check that email address occasionally.

Thanks very much. It's Islington. She said that if we were moving within borough we didn't fit the criteria for the extenuating circumstances allowing a late app. But she said it was worth writing a letter with our application, which suggests they can sometimes help.
The house we're currently interested in is on the border with Haringey so I should give them a ring as well though i've read on here they're not as helpful.
It's pretty much impossible we'd exchange within a month even if we had an offer accepted today but i've heard that if you have a solicitor's letter that can help bridge things till exchange...

Having checked, I am surprised at Islington's policy. If you move into Islington from elsewhere in London and have applied to your original council by 15th January, Islington will accept your application as on time up to 18th February - your application to Islington will simply replace your original application within the system. However, Islington do not appear to give similar leeway to applicants moving within the borough. As far as I can see they stick to your original address. That seems odd to me, giving parents moving into Islington an advantage over parents moving within Islington. If you think there is any chance that you will exchange by 18th February you should ask Islington to confirm what will happen in writing and keep their response somewhere safe.

I have not come across councils that accept a solicitor's letter to bridge things until exchange but that isn't to say it doesn't happen. Again, ask Islington for advice.

Unless the house is actually in Haringey, Haringey's views are irrelevant. You will apply to Islington even if you are applying for schools in Haringey. However, if you apply to Islington now, move to a house in Haringey and then apply to Haringey by 18th February, your application to Haringey will be treated as on time.

I hope this makes sense.

Thanks very much for your help, I really appreciate it. Our existing flat is actually closer to the "desirable" Islington schools though probably not close enough to get in from here. I'm now hanging onto the fact that she can stay at her wonderful nursery a bit longer if need be so i can get this sorted with a happy outcome.

prh47bridge hope you don't mind me asking but you seem such an expert. Do you know what Haringey's policy on late applicants is? seen a lovely house but when you ring the council you only get to speak to a customer service officer and not the actual admissions office. All he would say is the deadline is Jan 15th.

No problem alittleteapot.

They operate a similar policy to Islington. If you submit an application to Islington this week you can submit an application to Haringey up to 17th February and still be treated as on time.

If you move into Haringey after that deadline or without having applied to Islington on time you will be treated as a late applicant.

Oh wondrful, thanks a lot! And if we bought a house that needed work would we have to be living there by feb 17th or is there leeway if it is clearly to be your long term family home?

I would strongly recommend living there even if you are camping out in the garden until the work is finished! LAs tend to take the view that it isn't clearly your long term family home until you are actually living in it.

If there is a real problem with living in it you could try asking Haringey. If they do give you some leeway make sure you get it in writing. But the safest thing is to move in if at all possible.

ok - thanks again!