we got in on waiting list! Hurray!

[krisskross]

Hello everyone
some of you will remember my numerous posts about missing a place for reception at our chosen school by 16 metres!! and then losing our appeal ( which mumsnetters gave us lots of help with!),

but- great news!!! just before end of term we got a place via the waiting list. we were no. 3, went up to no 1 end of june, and then last week got a place, just in time to visit again and meet his teacher and see his class room. its such a lovely school, its down the road and we are so happy. thanks to all who listened and gave advice. xxx

really great news!

There's still hope for those on waiting lists - I'm due to give up my space at an oversubscribed 'outstanding' village school in a couple of weeks - I've just got to wait until we exchange. I wish i could do it now, as I know there is a waiting list, but I can't risk doing it until I know our sale is definitely going to happen.

great news :)

Thats great krisskross, that gives me hope!!

notsomanicnow - We are first on one waiting list and 2nd on another, both 'outstanding' village schools. In one one familiy are not sure if they are staying in another county or not, where they moved temporarily and in the other school three families who accepted places have not been heard of since (the school suspects that they have moved or chosen other schools)
How does it it work out in your situation, looking at it from your side? presumably you have also accepted a place where you are hopefully moving to?

I gave up a place at an over-subscribed school two weeks ago due to a house move. I wrote to admissions to decline the place, and then telephoned the school themselves to let them know (when they left me a message regarding uniform that made me realise admissions hadn't told them).

Congratulations Kriss Kross - I'm now on lots of lists in my new area so it is good to hear.

Katydive - we've earmarked a school where we are moving to that still has spaces, but the residency rules mean we can't apply until we exchange, so the current school we're holding is all we've got! (we could have applied to the 'new' school via our existing LEA, but as soon as you accept the school in the new area you lose the place at the existing school, which is something we couldn't have risked).

Our current school isn't aware that we are not planning to go - we've attended the parents evening, returned all the forms etc (although didn't attend the children's induction session). As soon as we exchange I will tell the LEA and the school.

PM me if you happen to be in West Yorks - my village has got two 'outstanding' schools so there is a chance we could be talking about the same place!

notsomanicnow, are you moving outside of England/Wales? As far as I know, and it was mentioned in here just a couple of days ago, if the school has places it doesn't matter where you live, you can apply there.

You can do what you suggest GateGipsy but you still have to do it through your local LEA, so if I did that, they would naturally take away my local place if I accept an offer at a distant school. Which is something I can't risk because who knows if this sale will definitely go through?!

Congratulations!!! We are 3 on our waiting list- shall i keep phoning them? How often? Or just wait? What's the best strategy?

Yvonne99 - We are 1st on one and 1st/2nd on another, some would say the school can do nothing, and in most respects if it is not a VA school they are right. They have no idea of who or what the waiting list is like, only your LEA can confirm where you are on lists etc.
However, I rang a couple of really good local states a bit down the road that I hadn't considered (my friend was savvy by putting her name down earlier and was offered a place a couple of weeks ago) One was unhelpful but the other told me about three families who have not beeen heard of since accepeting a place. It has it's advantages speaking to the school as the LEA did not know this (they don't need to) but are investigating the families and one of them has already declined the place. Otherwise, the LEA would have only been informed when the child/children is a no-show. Even then our LEA has told us it is normally two terms before they can remove the place, ridiculous!
So I would say phone the school to see if there is anyone who has not been in contact, then phone the LEA every so often to find out your place on the list. Or sit it out, the LEA will always go to the list if a place is available, they will not give it out to someone, just who happens to ring up that morning.