Waiting lists and accepted places

[bluegiraffe]

Hi - thought i'd post a quick question prior to trying to get through to our Admissions 'hotline' tomorrow ...

My DD has been offered a place at 2nd preference school - we are very happy with the offer and will accept ... but, as our 1st and 2nd choice were pretty much joint 1st choice really, we are still pondering whether we should go on the waiting list for 1st choice (mainly as it has better pre/after school care options, that suit our current working statuses ...)

but ... I am a bit concerned that if they are able to then offer us a place at our 1st choice school, they will automatically give our accepted place (at 2nd choice) away to someone else and then tell us we have a place at 1st choice, WITHOUT checking with us if this is definitely what we want??

the wording in the handbook we were given isn't very clear ... but seems to read that they will do exactly as above ..

I really just need to know where exactly on a waiting list we'd be for 1st choice .. but we have to accept a place and state if we want to be on waiting list on the same form at the same time, so need to be sure doing right thing for both issues ..

sorry for waffling! and I will try and get to speak to admissions tomorrow, but just wondered if anyone has experienced same?

thanks!!

I understand (from the council's advice and from what more knowledgeable MNers have posted) that they can't take away your existing place until you have accepted a new one, and they don't automatically assume you want the new one until you confirm it with them when they inform you. Some people have said that you might not get told quickly enough of the new place that has come up unless you keep phoning, although this might just be for some councils. Does that help?

If you don't mind telling us, which council in question is this........then other MNers who live in that area might be able to tell you if they have had that same experience.

Southofthethames is spot on. They cannot take away the offer for the place at your second choice school just because they are now able to offer you a place at your first choice school. If they do (and I wouldn't put it past some councils!) I would expect an appeal panel to have no problems in giving you your place back.

Hi thanks for your responses. I managed to speak to admissions today and they have clarified that if we went on the waiting list for 1st choice and a place came up they would telephone me first to ask if we wanted the place or not (but only give us max 24hours to decide!!). They won't give our accepted already place away without us telling them that we want the new offer. Phew!

They obviously can't tell us where we are on waiting list yet though, until they've had all acceptance slips back (ours included!!)

so we just need to decide if we want to go through the stress of going on the waiting list and maybe having to make another (very quick this time!) decision - maybe it's better to not know how close we may/may not have been to our first choice when we're happy with our 2nd ...?

Thanks again all! :-)

Hi just a question to clear my mind. i called our LEA today and they said that we are number 83 on our prefered school. really wanted that school because they also offer good pre and after school club that i really need. ( Last year at UNI). can we just give up and prepare our ds for the allocated school, or there is hope ?

that is what i was thinking and there is no plan to put another class as it is a really small school with only one class for each year. with this rate, we will need a miracle

noko,
being realistic at 83 on the waiting list for a school with 30 places, there is no chance that you are going to get an offer of a place as in effect 82 people have to change their mind over the decision to want that school.

i know that we miss it this year. it's just frustating that the school near to your home cannot offered you a place.

just called the LEA and i know it might not happen but my son moved from 83th to 20th of the waiting list