She didn't get in any :( When we applied (we suddenly had to move this week) we actually lived at the end of the road where our second choice is - the bus parks outside our house!
Oh well, no room to appeal - the criteria were fairly applied, but DD1 just wasn't at the top - no special needs, no older siblings, and not religous (although tbh I wasn't overly keen on a faith school, but it was closest, and I believe more in going to the closest school, and DH wanted the faith school, so it went on as second as a compromise)
So, we wait. We added her on to the waiting list for a fourth school, and that is all four that we can walk to (and I'm actually quite keen on HE anyway - school was very reluctantly applied for).
Thing is, it's not like we're tripping over four year olds, there are four schools nearby, and none of them were at capacity last year - where did all the four year olds come from?
It is very sad that there are school buses in these situations, and kids being driven. That means that the kids are going past perfectly good schools on the way.
I just wish I knew - if someone told me she can only start in year one, I could start sorting stuff out, finding out options, and explain to her.
Doesn't somebody somewhere know how many four year olds are in an area? Surely it shouldn't come as a shock? We're not trying to do anything odd- just send our child to the nearest state primary (preferably a non faith one - or as near as you get in our system, but we're pretty sure we have given her the foundations to cope with anything)