Mid-year admission to Year 1 in Greeneich - Help!

[Trebletrouble]

Hi,

I'm in need of advise as we are deciding whether to move back to a house we own (currently rented) in Greenwhich, London. We currently live in Australia and the move is complicated by school issues!!
Our children will be 5 (needs a Year 1 place although hasn't actually started school in Aus yet..), 4 (needs a Reception place in 2013, and a baby.
I'm aware of the general process to get a school place from the council, my question is how long it should take if we return in early December this year? I want to get the school onto our preference list for the 4 year old's reception application, which would be due on 15th January.
Does anyone have experience dealing with Greenwich Council and any of the local primaries?
My second question is what's the best way to find out about the size of wait lists at particular schools, where we would be placed based on the location of our house (is very close to a school), where we would be placed in the list based on the fact that my son would be 'out of school'.vShould a school office have this information? The Council weren't able to answer when I phoned them!
Any help gratefully received, this is a big decision to know what's best to do for our kids and I don't want to end up in a worse situation than we're facing in Australia!!
Thanks

...sorry to be confusing, it's the Year 1 place that i'm concerned with and would be needed in December this year!

Please could you clarify your DCs age?

If elder is currently 4, then you would be looking for an in-year admission to reception this December, plus an application for a reception place for your younger DC (currently 3) in the regular admissions round (deadline mid-Jan 2013j for admission September 13. Is that right?

Being "out of school" isn't a factor.

You should be able to find out entrance criteria and 'greatest distance admitted' for children under each of those criteria from the school or LA. Right now, waiting lists for in year reception places will be under review as they see which children actually turn up where they are expected, and families of those who do not are chased to confirm intentions for the place. As soon as vacancies are confirmed, it will be offered to whoever is head of waiting list. Children are placed on the waiting list in accordance with how well they it the entry criteria - how long you've been on the list is not a factor.

The most likely school for your middle child will be the one close to your house, unless it has religious criteria or a lot of siblings. I would find out furthest distance admitted over the last few years for that school and whether your house is within that distance. Check the sibling criteria for that school too.

If siblings have priority your eldest would move up the list for this school once his sister starts, but by then your eldest would be in year 2 and it's still dependent on anyone leaving to get a place.

You need to check how sibling priority applies. Fo some, it only applies to younger siblings of those already in the school (ie if DC1 had place, DC2 receives priority) not to older siblings of those lower down (DC2 having place may or may not give priority to DC1). That's something to check in the admissions criteria. And of course only matters if DC1 gets a place at a school that you would be happy to send DC2 to too.

Good point Edith I forgot the older siblings don't qualify everywhere.

OP is it a choice between coming back now or staying overseas for a lot longer?

It depends which school you are nearest to - some Greenwich primaries are totally over subscribed and others will have spaces. You really need to ring Greenwich Council again (they are not very helpful imo) and the school itself (although they may not know the waiting list situation). Post the school you are interested in and you may get some local knowledge!

Thanks that's useful information, my eldest turned 5 in April so into Year 1. The nearest school would be Sherington Primary. We would be within the nearest offer distance as we actually had a reception place offered for DS1 in 2011 but turned it down when we moved down under. I think I'll call round the schools next week to get an idea of what the waitlists are like.

The Australian school year starts at the end of January so I'm wanting to move before DS1 starts the 'kindy' year and confuse him by moving just when he gets settled. Also we have to pay to go to state schools here which is another issue grrr.