is there any point in looking around more than one school if the one school is the only one you'll get a place?

[thepowerofvoodoo]

luckily, we live very, very close (think next door) to an outstanding (by ofsted) primary school and i've been around it, and it seems lovely and friendly and i was impressed. realistically, this is the only school we will get offered a place at as all schools in this area are very oversubscribed. i've been told to look at more than one but what is the point? we're only going to get offered the one we live about 20 metres from. am i missing something here? also, it says to put three on the application form, but again, what's the point as we will only get offered the one we live next to.

Yes, it's a good idea to look, for context and comparison - even if you don't really have any choice, it's good to know what is fairly universal and what is particular about that school. If you don't have time, it'll be fine, obv., but if it were me I would (and have).

If you liked the school you are going to end up with, I personally wouldn't. The worry (for me) would be that you'd end up focusing on all the things you liked more at the "other" school and would end up stressing about whether you could do anything about it.

I was in the same position, last year, I thought the school DS would get was "fine" (not great) - I carefully steered clear of comparing with other schools.

Same here. Choice didn't come into it so I didn't bother looking at other schools as I didn't want to like them better that the one I was stuck with.

For me, yes. It has helped me work out what I like about the school, and what I don't. And that's useful as I know that what I don't like does work in other very local schools with similar intakes so it might be worth pressurising for change.

I suppose there might be an outside chance of the school being full of siblings (or anyone else who may be an admissions priority) and your son may end up with a place at a different school. In that case it would be useful to have seen other local options so you know how happy you are with allocated school and also which schools you would like to go on the waiting list for.

We never bothered to look at other schools or put any others on the form as our village school is wonderful and also ofsted outstanding hiring the top of the results tables year after year. It is very oversubscribed but we live in the village (catchment area covers surrounding villages also) so no worry about getting a place, all catchment children always get in also we wouldn't have a hope in hell of a place In any other schoolmaster all great, oversubscribed and next closest school is over two miles away to boot!
When we applied for DD (pfb) we didn't even bother looking round the school as there just seemed little point and I would have felt silly taking up the heads time when DD would be going there regardless, we knew it was a good school and had heard only good things about it from word of mouth. We didn't put ant other schools down when we applied for ds who has just started today although all the MN talk of you must always use all your options did needlessly make me worry about that choice I ended up just thinkingthat if we didn't get a place (impossible as he is a sibling) they would give us a school and transportation so why worry!

Thanks for the replies. It's a two form entry and last year there were 20 siblings and 1 priority placement, so with 60 spaces I would think it very unlikely indeed we wouldn't get in. We are the closest house to the school, so would be top of the catchment category. I suppose there could be value in looking for things that look good in other schools to pressure for change in the future, but i'm far from an expert on education. I'm not even sure why I looked around at all, as it won't change where he's going. In the against all probabilities chance that we didn't get in, we certainly wouldn't get into any of the other 5 closest schools as they are all oversubscribed from their catchments, so would end up god knows where somcouldn't even guess at where he'd be sent!

When I chose a school for DS there was only one he'd get into so I only looked round that one and only put that one on the form.

I only visited one school and only put one school on my application form.

Like you, I live very near to (opposite) our local community school, which never fills all its places with catchment area children. Therefore, I knew there was no way DS would not get a place.

Unlike you, my DS could have gone to another school. We are C of E (attend regularly), and could have got into one of the numerous outstanding C of E primaries in the local area which give preference to church applications. I have the added complication that, as well as being a full-time (almost) working mum, I am also partially sighted, so can't drive.

Realistically, my local school was the only practical option for me (I can't drive) so I didn't bother looking at others. The school has a 'satisfactory' Ofsted, and there are many aspects I am less than happy about. My best solution to this was to become a parent governor, as I now feel I can have some influence (I hope) on DS' education.

I don't regret not applying to other schools. In our area there really is no 'choice' of school - you either get into the local one or you get allocated one with a bulge class or a really dodgy one. Most of the church schools are very good, but give priority on denominational grounds.

I don't know about looking around, as another person said it might make you less happy, I would put down other options though. It sounds as if you will definitely get a place, but sibling numbers can fluctuate wildly and in the unlikely scenario that your school was full AND one of your other options suddenly opened a bulge class (which might happen in an oversubscribed area), it would be better to be sent to a nearby outstanding school with a bulge class than a distant struggling school.

Bulge classes around here are usually announced after admissions rounds so you can't know where is likely to have one, however it is likely to be schools with more grounds or ones which have previously taken more.

Does sound though as if you can sit back and relax for thee admission rounds - as long as you remember to apply on time!

Yes I would. First I want to know if "My" school operates similar to other school.

And: if you don't put another school down and - for whatever strange reasons - your child doesn't get a place your LEA can send him everywhere where a place is available as you haven't given any other preferences.

We put down 6 schools 2 out of catchment but just in case. We knew we would get a place in one as like you we live on the doorstep. But: after visiting various schools we realised we like another one slightly better and gave it a try. After years of being out of catchment we suddenly were in and got a place. So, it is never wrong to try.

I only looked at one school (we are 2 mins away from it) so I knew we would get that school iyswim.

It was not over subscribed at the time (DS is now in yr3) but did put a couple of other schools on the list though.

When I did the application for DD (starting reception next week) I only put one school down as she is guaranteed a place as having a sibling attend already.

I would put down more choices on your application form for a first child. If siblings have priority and it is a small school, the closest distance to be offered a place can become very small.
You may be OK but you are risking being offered a place at the "worst" school in your area if you are not offered a place at your first preference school. This has happened to some people in my LEA in the last few years.