In-year admissions and waiting list advice needed

[threeisthemagicnumber]

We have been away travelling for a year and we're moving back into our old house over the Summer. We've just applied for an in-year admission to DD1's old school (she's effctively missed one academic year). We've been in touch with the Head who's told us that she knows of one child who will be leaving but thinks it's likely to be 2 or 3. The school is at the end of the road so, under the admissions criteria, we're likely only to be trumped by any siblings in catchment waiting for places.

Had a very odd conversation with the LEA today. They have said there are (officially) no spaces at the school so they will give us a space at the nearest school which currently has a space. We plan to decline this place and continue HE until a place comes up at the school we want. All fine -or so I thought.

However, a woman I spoke to today said that by offering us a school place they have done their duty and are under no further obligation to help us. I asked if we could go on the waiting list for our preffered school and she repeated the same thing. I asked for clarification about whether she was saying that we would not be allowed to join the list and she said we would but that we would 'be at the bottom of the list' and normal admissions criteria wouldn't apply because we'd declined a space at another school.

I'm waiting for a call back from her boss but surely this can't be right? This wasn't our understaning (or the Heads) before we went away. Any advice would be very helpful.

That sounds odd.

It is true that by offering you a school place, the LEA has fulfilled its obligation and doesn't have to keep offering places until you accept one.

Nonetheless, you can join the waiting list for any schools that you would be willing to accept. Waiting lists should be held in admissions priority order. Being a former pupil at your preferred school won't give you any priority, but living close to it should (as you say) put you quite near the top of the waiting list, behind any siblings or children who live closer than you do. You shouldn't be 'punished' for refusing a place by being put at the bottom of the waiting list, just as late applicants don't go to the back of the queue but take their place according to admissions priority order.

Thanks PanelChair. There was an implication that we would be 'punished' whilst I assumed we could wait it out on the list until a place came up.

I'm pretty sure if we're on the list we'll get one of the places that inevitably comes up at this school every year (city school with a very transient population) and that DD will have a place in September.

I'll wait to see what the other person at the LEA says but I'm glad I haven't completely misunderstood the rules.

There is clearly something not right here and I suspect that you might be talking at cross purposes with the person from the LA. I suspect they are talking about entry into reception year in september and that you are talking about another year group. They are also appear to be talking a load of rubbish but that is probably beside the point.
It could well be that thee are no spaces officially because whilst the head may know that some are leaving until the parents officially tell the school that they are leaving they are still on role.
What is clear is that if the school is officially full then the LA do have to offer you a school but that they also have to allow you to appeal for the school that you want. If you do that in writing then whilst there will not be any official waiting list, it puts your name in front of the LA as somebody who wants a palce at the school. When a place does free up then you are ready and willing to accept the place that is vacant!