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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Original poster

What triggers in-year offers from waiting lists?

26 replies

smogwod · 27/06/2012 13:05

My DD is 2nd on the waiting list for a school, to go into y2 in September. I've heard, from the school, that they know of 2 planned leavers - yay! One has already been offered a place at another local school and another is moving out of area. Does anyone know at what point the LA are able to offer those places to the waiting list please?

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clinkclink · 27/06/2012 13:12

I think it is when the parents confirm to the school that their dc is leaving, which often they don't do until the last minute.

But do get on to your LEA. Mine had a policy of not offering the place mid-term to a child already in a school - but they would offer it to a child moving into the area. This basically meant that you could be top of the waiting list when a place came up, not get it, and then be pipped at the post if someone moved closer to the school than you before the end of the term. So you may need to argue your case strongly!

tiggytape · 27/06/2012 13:27

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Rosebud05 · 27/06/2012 14:53

Make sure they know that you want the place NOW and not for September.

prh47bridge · 27/06/2012 15:56

Actually that makes no difference. The place must be offered to whoever is at the top of the waiting list as soon as it becomes available. If they delay and the OP loses out as a result she would have a very good case for appeal.

Rosebud05 · 27/06/2012 19:46

Yes she would, but better to avoid her needs being misunderstood by a LA, which can happen.

Original poster

smogwod · 27/06/2012 20:00

Thanks all. I think (what with me hassling them at least once a week!) that the LA know that I want the place asap. I've asked the school head to let me know as soon as she's notified of the leavers, and I wouldn't be surprised if she asked the parents to notify her too, so I can get straight on it.

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Saracen · 27/06/2012 23:09

Just BTW, in order to be sure that there are going to be places, you'd need to know that there weren't excepted children taking the class size over 30.

For example if an extra child had been admitted because of a successful appeal, bringing the class size to 31, then when one child leaves that doesn't create a vacancy. I expect the school would have thought of telling you if that were the case.

Original poster

smogwod · 28/06/2012 19:21

Just a little update - I heard today from the head that dd is to be offered a place, hooray!! Thanks to all for answering all my questions

OP posts:

clinkclink · 28/06/2012 19:46

That's great - congratulations

admission · 28/06/2012 23:54

Smogwod well done I hope, shame the head teacher is doing it all wrong. They are not allowed to offer the place, only the LA is currently allowed to offer the place based on the data that they have, not the school. The head teacher does not know what other parents may have formally requested places of the LA.
First thing tomorrow I would be on the phone to the LA confirming that you request a place at the school with immediate effect in year1.
Sorry to be a pessimist but that is the law, not the head teacher can do what they like. Having said that if anything does go wrong, you have a pretty good case of maladministration by the head teacher, in giving you a clear impression that a place would be offered.

christinecagney · 29/06/2012 00:07

Admissions: I'm a HT and in my LA schools handle all in year admissions, so I would be offering places not the LA ( though in practice we do ring the LA first just to check there there isn't any info we are missing)

christinecagney · 29/06/2012 00:13

Just to add I access the central LA database too, and use all the standard LA letters, but it's definitely a letter from me on my school letterhead that offers the place.

prh47bridge · 29/06/2012 00:44

Christine - If you are in England and are genuinely acting as you say, I'm afraid you are breaking the law and so is your LA. The Admissions Code (a statutory document, which means it has the force of law) is clear that in year admissions must be handled by the LA under their co-ordinated admission scheme. Paragraph 3.15 states that offers must be sent by the LA and that schools must not contact parents about the outcome of their applications until these offers have been received.

This is going to change in September 2013 but right now the LA must handle all in year admissions and only the LA is allowed to make offers.

notsomanicnow · 29/06/2012 08:01

We're an in-year transfer and the written offer has been from the school, not the LEA. I have heard nothing from the LEA and the school told me it is unlikely I would. I think I will call the LEA to make sure though having read this.

Bunnyjo · 29/06/2012 10:22

DD was an in-year transfer as we moved house late last summer. Even though it was before she started school, as it was late August, it was classed as a a transfer and not late application. We knew we were moving and had been to visit the local schools (all village schools with small PAN) and I had already built up a good rapport with the HT of the school we preferred.

I applied through the LA and and received my letter through the LA, but the HT did phone me, as soon as she had spoken to the LA, to say that DD would be getting an offer and that she was delighted DD would be starting there.

It might not have been the correct thing to do, according to the admissions code, but the LA had actually made errors during the process (we were actually told there was no place available for DD at one point, this is despite the reception class being 3 under PAN!) and I was also going into hospital for emergency surgery that evening, all of which the HT knew, and she wanted to ease some of the worries we had.

Anyhoos, back to the OP and congratulations, you must be so relieved!

notsomanicnow · 29/06/2012 10:30

we're an 'in-year' transfer to start reception too Bunnyjo.

Actually, thinking about it, my application was direct to the school as well (using a 'quick form application' - which the school send on to the LEA - as the school was >5 under PAN) so maybe that was why the confirmation of place came from the school? Anyway, I will check with LEA because DS has already attended his settling in sessions and got the uniform so I don't want any surprises come September!

Congrats OP!

Original poster

smogwod · 29/06/2012 23:37

Just to be clear, the head hasn't actually offered us the place, just told us that the LEA will be. So not entirely convinced it'll happen yet but definitely much more hopeful, need to see it in writing though before I completely relax.

Hope it all works out for everyone else!

OP posts:

admission · 30/06/2012 15:57

smogwood, the issue is that the headteacher has given you an understanding or expectation that you will be offered a place, which under the school admissions code 2009/10 paragraph 1.36 they are not allowed to do. If you came to appeal and could prove this happened then the panel would have no alternative to offer you a place. There a good few legal precedents for this happening, so you are on pretty safe ground for expecting an offer of a place.

Christine, PRH has answered for me (thank you) and your LA is definitely in the wrong if school head teachers are making the offer. However given that in september 2013 it reverts back to the school making the offer, there would little point in the LA changing now.

Original poster

smogwod · 02/07/2012 15:36

Another update on my update - received the offer letter from the LEA this afternoon. Phew, what a relief!

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emotionalfool · 05/07/2012 09:36

We just moved into new place 1 wk ago and on waiting list for 4 schools - 2 of them 2nd position.. And we got a school 1 mile away and not as good as the nearer 4 schools. I also called up the schools after reading ur msg.. but they said they are not aware of anyone moving .. so disappointed and fingers crossed..

Original poster

smogwod · 05/07/2012 20:37

Make an appointment to go and see the heads of the 4 schools you're interested in to try and get them on your side. And keep pestering the LA as to where you are on the lists. What year is/are your dc in?

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emotionalfool · 08/07/2012 10:22

Thanks for replying ... she is in year 1 now ... but do u think they will be ready to see the parents whose children are on waiting list? I have called LA last week . Im ready to do anything now... actually feeling bad when having to cross 6 schools before driving her to the 7th .... i do understand its nobody's fault...

Original poster

smogwod · 08/07/2012 21:42

Definitely can't do any harm to ask, I'd start with the ones she's 2nd on the list for. It's amazing how much good a sympathetic ear rather than the stock answers from the LA can do. Will keep fingers crossed for you, generally it's over the summer that any moves happen so hopefully you'll be lucky.

OP posts:

prh47bridge · 08/07/2012 23:44

Going to see the head can't do any harm but you need to understand that it won't help you get a place. The head cannot alter your position on the waiting list.

emotionalfool · 10/07/2012 18:47

well I guess so much changes happen in 1 week, the school she was 2nd now she is 6th and the school she was 3rd she is 9th. And the school she was 6th now she is 2nd ... and remains 2nd on the 4th school( but no one leaving as of now ) Sorry for the long post.. I just hope something turns out before the holidays..

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