Help please - waiting lists

[Lovelylovelycake]

Despite living well in the catchment areas of two schools (one community and one VA), we unbelievably didn't get our first, second or third choice. My DC has been allocated to the one and only sink school in town (not by any means our closest) and the reports are so bad, I cannot and will not my DC there.
I am new to this whole system and am not familiar with waiting lists. I am aware that other people in the area are being told by the LocAth that you can only go onto the waiting lists for the three schools you applied for. Is this normal? I can't find this anywhere in their admission policy.
Does it sound right?

Anyone?

I'm no expert and can inly offer info on my experience last year.
I live in Surrey. Last year I was given the option of being on a waiting list for a local school that I had not listed but the advisor told me I would be number 28 and therefore basically had no chance of a place. I'd ring the LA first thing tomorrow and ask what your options are whilst also finding out where you are on all of the waiting lists on your preferred choices.
I understand fully how it is all consuming and wish you every luck in getting the outcome you are hoping for.

Someone who knows more than me will be along in a minute but I believe that you can be on as many waiting lists as you wish. You should in theory automatically be put on the waiting lists for schools that were higher up your preferences, but you should check with the LA to check that you are on the list.

The waiting lists will be determined when people have accepted/declined their offers in a couple of weeks and you can go from there.

Hope that you get something sorted.

If the LA is telling people they can only go on the waiting lists for the schools you apply for they are wrong. You are entitled to go on the waiting list for as many schools as you want regardless of whether or not you put them down as one of your preferences. Don't take no for an answer.

I confirm what PRH has said there is no limit on the number of waiting lists you can go on and you can in theory apply to go on any or every waiting list in any LA in england, if you felt so inclined.

One can only assume that you have not been allocated any of your choices because of the number of applications for the school who were higher up the admission criteria order than you were. I am assuming that you missed out on distance criteria for the community school and you should check that the quoted distance does seem to be realistic as a first step. The alternative is that you were classed as a late applicant and therefore were at the bottom of the list.

I would also look at other schools which may be nearer than the allocated school to see whether there is another school that would be more appropriate, whilst at the same time being on the waiting list and maybe appealing for the 3 schools that you preferred.

So glad I read this tread because I have also been told twice now by admissions that I can only go on three waiting lists, they don't have to be for the schools I orignially applied for though. I have to email them on the 19th if I want to swap a school on my list for another. There are at least another three schools I would consider in the area therefore would like a chance to go on their waiting lists. If admissions are informing people that they are only allowed to go on three waiting lists what can we do?

I was also informed that I am only allowed to go on the waiting lists of the schools that I was unsuccessful in gaining a place at.
As I was offered my third choice I am not allowed to go on the waiting list of the 4th or 5th places or any other schools.

I get really fed up with councils that do this. They are breaking the law. Don't take no for an answer. If they refuse to put you on the waiting lists you want refer the matter to the Local Government Ombudsman as it is a clear case of maladministration.

Thank you prh47bridge this is really helpful.

I have contacted my local council today and asked to speak to a supervisor she was adamant that I will not be allowed to go on more than three waiting lists.
She said I was only able to go on the waiting lists for my preference schools and if I was very far up the list they might let me swap one of them! Contacted the LGO and await their response.

Kaekae,
what LA are we talking about here? It is always useful to know which LAs are making up the rules as they go along!

Epsom and Ewell.

prh47bridge - could you explain just a little bit more about what you're saying please?

I've been given the impression by my council that by going on a waiting list I am essentially expressing a preference for a school. Their argument is that according to their admissions scheme, I am only allowed to express a preference for 3 schools for dd. Therefore, if being on a waiting list is essentially expressing a preference, I am only allowed to be on 3 waiting lists.

Is this correct? If not, could you explain to me as you understand it, why not so that I can try to get my head around it and understand it myself so that I can go back to the council and challenge what they've said please?!

I'm obviously mad about what they're saying and want to have a right go at them but don't quite understand how they could be breaking the law!

No it is not correct. Your council are confusing different aspects of the admission code.
All LAs now have to have a form for admissions that has a minimum of three spaces for you to indicate preferences. That is a minimum not a maximum, so London has 6 preference slots.
When it comes to waiting lists and to appeals you can go on any waiting list and appeal for any school. You can only appeal for a school once in a school year unless there has been significant change in the circumstances.
The problem is that LAs will do what they want to do and the only real alternative is to go to the Schools Adjudicator. They have responsibility for any issues relating to admission criteria and the admission process. If it goes to an appeal and they quote the same things at you, then you could then go to the Local Government Ombudsman, who is responsible for issues relating to appeal panels when you believe there has been maladministration.

Admission beat me to it! I agree completely.

Admissions and prh74 - thanks so much.

However, my head is still not completely understanding and I am useless to try and argue something unless I understand it myself.

If you'll forgive me breaking it down (don't want to seem to completely idiotic!)

-To go on a waiting list for a school, I am basically saying that I would be interested in a place at that school for dd, right?

• In everything my LA runs (eg both applying new reception places and applying for a place in the middle of a school year) we are only allowed 3 preferences. Preferences indicate that I would be interested in a place at those 3 schools, right?

So how then is it that I can only indicate 3 schools that I would be interested in for the first instance, but then after the offers are made, indicate that actually I'd be interested in a load more by going on more than 3 waiting lists.

This is the argument that the LA presented me with. In my head their argument against me is logical, and I don't see how I can argue it back to them. In my heart, I want to argue it to give dd the best possible chance at a good school!

Is there any legislation/rules/codes that I can use to back my argument up, just in case you explain it to me and I make a hash of translating it back to the Authority?

Rah,
Good question, had to scratch my head a bit about this.
It all goes back to the School Standards and Framework Act 1998, which has subsequently been updated in 2002 and 2008. Section 86 is about parental preferences and gives you the right to express any preference that you wish to. In the admissions code 2010, paragraph 3.7a it confirms that a minimum of three preferences must be available on the common application form. No maximum, just a minimum. Also in the admissions code, para 2.41 it says that Local Authorities must be clear that parents have a statutory right to express a preference for any school they choose. So that to me is proof that parents can express any number of preferences they want.

Section 94(1) of the SSTA 1998 says that parents have an appeal right of any decision made by a LA on behalf of the GB refusing the child admission to the school. By virtue of the ability to expres a preference for any school you therefore have a right to an appeal for any school for which you have been refused a place.

In your LA the basic mistake the LA is making, though I suspect they really know they are making an illegal interpretation of the law, is that they are only allowing you three preferences, when that is simply not the law.

You can go onto any waiting list for any school that is unable to offer a place, you have to formally request those schools though.just put something in writing and request the appeal forms. You can only appeal once in the same academic year unless there has been a substantial change in circumstances. Good luck