Primary School Applications - last minute panic!

[silverbean]

We are in the process of primary school applications for my son (should that be dd? sorry I'm a bit new to this!) and need to decide how to rank our primary school choices.

I'm wondering if the order that we rank the schools in will have any impact on future appeals or waiting lists. Will the schools ever get to know where we ranked them if we have to go through the appeals process at a later date? I'm asking because if we don't get into any of our choices we are more likely to appeal for our second choice as we are in the catchment area for that school.

Thanks for any advice on this.

son = ds
how you rank the schools is purely for the purposes of the authority telling the first school that you want a place there for your child. Check out the allocation criteria for each school if you want to clarify.
If there isn't a place available at your #1, because you live further away / they have thirty younger brothers and sisters (?!!) or children of a certain faith, for example (I jest, mostly) then your app goes to the second choice, taking equal priority with any other applicants who have applied there as first, second or third choice.
The thing that might swing it the way you want (tho it does depend enormously on the particular school) is what you put in the supporting statement. My advice would be not to even consider leaving it blank. Tell them briefly how you want blabla school because of childcare/grandparents or relatives who collect him/ [additional] educational need /faith reasons / afterschool club provision or whatever. Just be matter of fact, but be clear how it affects childcare and other children in the family, if it does. OTOH if none of that matters, and they all start and finish at the same times, then it's obv up to you. Presumably you have your reasons for choosing your order?
Finally, no they don't 'hold it against you' if that's what you mean, that you have put a school second or third. It makes sense to go for one that you have a better chance of a successful application. Check out whether they are all oversubscribed, as that may also give you more information. Good luck!

Your son is your DS (dear son). DD would be your daughter.

The order in which you rank schools will have no effect on appeals or waiting lists.

In most cases you can only win an appeal for a place in Reception if you can show that a mistake has been made. However, if the school runs classes of less than 30 throughout infants you have a better chance of success.