Admissions 2012 - Waiting list query (theoretical) - Want 2nd place not 1st place choice!

[curiousparent]

We are yet to receive the allocations (23 April) but we may just scrape through and receive what we put as first choice on our application.

However, since our application went in, we no longer wish to go to that school but would prefer our 2nd choice.

If we do not get 1st choice then that will be a joy as we will be very likely to get 2nd choice but if we do get given first choice can we still go on waiting list for our 2nd choice?

Also, how are waiting lists operated in these circumstances? Both our 1st and 2nd choice schools are voluntary aided and therefore for our 2nd choice school we probably would have been within the PAN of spaces allocated but if we get allocated our 1st choice then obviously a place that we may otherwise have got will go to someone lower down the list.

In our circumstances we are a faith application (criteria 6) and our 2nd choice school usually has sufficient places for all faith places and then some on distance (criteria 7). If we were to go on the waiting list because we are allocated our first choice school does anyone know how the waiting list is operated? Is it the same as the criteria for admissions (so in our case would we still be considered on faith place - criteria 6 prior to someone out of catchment but who lived closer who is in criteria 7?).

Thanks if you have read this - and well done if you understood it! :)

The first thing you should do on the 23rd April is confirm acceptance of whatever place you are offered, as your fall back position. If you then want to change your preference you can ask for a place at the other school. Be sure to have confirmed the place that you are offered before doing anything or you could end up with nothing.
Assuming that your 2nd preference school is full after the initial allocations then you will go on the waiting list for the school. The waiting list is in admission criteria order, so you would still be considered as a faith candidate and therefore presumably fairly high up the admission criteria order.
Some LAs have difficulty with the concept that parents can change their minds, so may well query the idea of wanting a place at your 2nd preference school, when you have a place at your first preference and you just need to insist on being on the waiting list for the school. You never know from your description it could be that they are not full in which case you would be given the place immediately.
Only when you have a firm offer for the 2nd preference from the LA should you relinquish the 1st preference place and thus start a cascade of available places that others will accept.

I'm no expert so someone who knows more may correct me but I believe those who put your 2nd choice school down as first choice will be higher up the waiting list than you.

However, - don't despair. Once the allocation results are out, if you are going to your original 1st choice school, ring your 2nd choice school (now your preferred school) and find out where you are on the waiting list once places are allocated.

No point bothering them now - as they won't know themselves.

Fingers crossed it all works out.

Admission many thanks for your response, I did intend to accept whatever we are offered and then go from there (you never know we may be lucky and get our 2nd choice!). If not, I will find out where we are on the list, and as you say because it still operates as per admissions criteria we are likely to be high up, and then hope that we get a place as like ourselves others may change their mind. In fact when we viewed the school the headmaster did say that things do tend to change after date as people change their minds etc. so that is quite hopeful.

Past thank you also for your response. I would be interesed in seeing if it is correct that someone else who put it as first choice would be further up the list than us because we put it as 2nd - I thought that regardless of whether you put the place as 1st, 2nd, 3rd etc if you are next to meet the criteria you are the next on the list. However, I am prepared to be corrected by those who know more!

Thanks schools that is how I thought it worked too.

I must be one of the only people waiting for results who isn't hoping for 1st choice

Schoolsnightmare (only because it is relevant to a reply I made on another thread) - do ALL areas of the country now operate the equal preference system? And do ALL now have the system that a child can only be given 1 place? I thought that was the case but I'm no expert...

SchoolsNightmare is right. The equal preference system is compulsory throughout England. And all LAs are required to operate a co-ordinated admissions scheme which means that each applicant should only receive one offer which should be at the highest preference school with places available.

Thanks! Have copied and pasted your reply to the relevant thread. It's not clear whether that thread referes to another part of the UK, though.

The equal preference scheme is in place for all of england, so in theory you could live i liverpool and ask for a school place in manchester but your chances of success are obviously slim. You always apply to the LA where you reside, no matter where you want a place.

Hi Curiousparent - have you decided to apply for a catchment school now or is it just a less busy out of catchment? I know you faced a similar situation to me with your first choice! - is that the reason for the change of heart (which is completely understandable!)?

Only 16 sleepless nights to go....[busmile]

are you lancashire like me as we are 23rd!

Hi sunny it is a less busy out of catchment and to be honest right up until the very last minute (we delivered our application by hand on the last day) we honestly didn't know which to put first. I ended up putting first choice as the one attached to the pre-school he attends but I think that deep down we felt that the (2nd choice) school was more suited to DS and because we think that it is likely that we could end up with a similar situation to yours with DD starting elsewhere in 3 years otherwise. Apparently for this years intake there are only 4 places that aren't siblings and so even if we scraped through (which is unlikely as there are sure to be applicants in catchment who aren't a sibling) I think this could get worse over the next fewyears.

The 16 sleepless nights feels forever right now!

BTW we are Hereford & Worcester.

I changed my mind by wanting 2nd choice (secondary school). Got our 1st choice on 1 March - went on the waitinglist for 2nd choice school within the following week. Our LA sent the list of names to the school on 16 March as school is VA. I phoned up the school directly and was told that my dd was 1st on waiting list - if we had put 2nd school 1st, she would have been accepted. An offer was made last week. i did however, accept 1st school on 1 march

Thanks Angel. I think my situation (apart from it being primary and not secondary) is exactly as yours, in that I think if we get 1st choice and go on waiting list we will PROBABLY be very near the top and that if it had been 1st choice we probably would have got it anyway. Of course it's all only a 'what if' at the moment -we may be lucky and get 2nd!

If I am reading your post correctly you accepted your 1st choice anyway (which I intend to accept whichever we get) and then you have subsequently accepted the 2nd choice offer you got? If so, congratulations :)

Yes - i accepted my 1st choice and was prepared to be happy with it. However, dd really wanted 2nd so thought no harm in going on waiting list - I didn't tell her though. I didn't even tell her when i knew we were 1st on list but waited for confirmation. By the time it came through she had got used to 1st choice but really wanted 2nd. Schools are so similar that thought I will go with her choice on this one. Bridge and admissions advised me not to do anything before result came through, i.e. do not try to swap now. I hope you get the choice you want 1st time round and if not 2nd.

nope I only put one choice down, and now, for complex reasons do not want DC to go there.

I am going to grovel and beg on my knees plead with my HV to write a letter supporting the move as despite it being for good reason, we just go into a pot with everyone else.

I have provisionally accepted school 1 as I dont want DC to end up school less.

sorry namechanger not sure of what your response refers to?

Glad it worked out ok for you Angel hope it does for us - one way or another :)

Ah sorry was posting in AIBU unreasonable, so my reading was AIBU to want our second choice school

So nope you arent being unreasonable - I am after a second choice school.

• ignore me!!!!

Oh I see now :)

Hope you get the school you now want instead :)

Namechanger - do you know where your dd is on the waiting list?

Hi guys

Just bumping this cause we're in the same position - choose three schools, got first choice, but now think we prefer second one, the fools :) This is in Oxfordshire. So pls pls would really appreciate confirmation - so it's best to accept first offer, and then click on 'waiting list' for number two? or 'appeal and waiting list' any advice (and gentle beration) much appreciated!

Accept 1st choice, and go on wait list for choice 2 Lucy.
Definitely do that - whether it's worth appealing as well will depend on your individual circs and is a question for experts.

thankyou dilys :-) do you know if this should be done right away, if it would help doing it sooner rather than later? offers were made today but don't want to hang around if that will cause probs. BUT DH does want to discuss and we haven't entirely made up minds (God we are nightmares!!!)