Primary application - only live near to one school

[maggie75]

Hi there

Im sure its a problem that many face - we are very close (but maybe not close enough) to a (good) primary. If DD gets in Ill be thrilled. However - what do we put on the rest of the form??! Next nearest school is 1 mile away - and all the schools here have around a 0.3 - 0.5 (if you are lucky) catchment area. I presume that if we dont get the nearest one we'll just be thrown into one of the under achieving ones noone wants to go to on the other side of town? Do you get put on waiting lists for the others? Even though on a waiting list i doubt we'd have a chance - we are just too far away.

Amy advice welcome. thanks.

You should automatically go on the waiting list for any school that you named as a higher preference than the one you are offered, but it is worth checking as LAs don't always get that right.

I would recommend using one of your choices for a school which you would find acceptable and where you have a good chance of getting in (which probably means it is unpopular). That should avoid you getting offered a place at a school you would find completely unacceptable. For the other choices I would name whichever schools you would prefer even if you don't think you will get in.

thanks - the problem is that we are 0.3 from one school. Then 1 mile plus from all the others. The 0.3 school will be first and ideal choice. There just arent any others that we would have a chance getting into - acceptable or not!

Might it be worth putting down an unpopular/unacceptable but close school? That way if you don't get into your first choice, you won't have to go miles away.

Dd1 got into a v popular school, 0.3 miles was limit in her year but half of that is woodland. Since then three children have left from her 1 form entry, one new child was 0.8 miles away, so it may be possible to move her at a later date. Do look around the less popular schools, better one you like a bit than one you really hate.

Custardcake - thanks. That's what I've decided to do.