Waiting Lists?

[VisitorTheDog]

We were offered our second choice school which I don't feel great about. How do waiting lists work, do you accept an offer and still go on the first schools waiting list? Or do you have to not accept to get on a list, and can anyone go on a waiting list?

There's no information on the admissions website regaring this so I don't know where to start!

Thanks :)

Sorry, not very clearly worded!

I haven't ever done this but have always bern told it is vital that you accept what you are offered because the LA have no obligation to offer you another place if you refuse what you are offered. So accept the offer, then go on the waiting list for the first school. Sorry you didn't get the place.

Thank you, really helpful :)

And you can be offered really last minute like the day before term starts. For eg someone pulls out/moves house/decides to go private. They will also tell you what position you are on the waiting list. Even though this can change it will give you some idea.

My daughter's been on a waiting list for 7 months.

She has a sibling now starting Reception this autumn at the school, we live one street away, there are only 3 others on the list, and we live in a very transient rentals area ... in an unassuming east Midlands market town.

They won't tell you which position on the list you are, because that will mean disclosing nformation such as the other children's location, sibling status or special educational needs status. But if you press them hard enough they will confirm how many are waiting.

When we moved here however, I had no idea we'd moved next to the most s ought after and only Ofsted 'Outsanding' graded infant school in the town. People even send their children there from neighbouring towns and villages.

Nor did I know anything about In Year Admission and how it's virtually impossible to transfer a child from Reception - Year 3 because spaces are limited to 30 per class.

I hope you have better luck than me.

snowme I've never heard of anywhere that wont tell you your position on the waiting list. Of course I wouldn't expect them to give you any info about the other children on the list. Have you checked that they are correct in refusing to give you this info? Someone on here is bound to know if you started a thread...

Snowme that is awful! Has the school told you if your child will now get more of a priority as they have a sibling at the school?

I think this whole thing about not telling you where you are on waiting list is new this year. My neighbour was at number one on the waiting list, but still lost out three times. A family might move into the area and be able to get a sibling into one year, but not the other, so go to the top of the list because of sibling priority, or it might be a child in the armed forces, or they may be in care or have special needs. She got a place in year 1 though so please do stick with it.

Is it true that you have to ask to be in the waiting list? Or are you automatically placed in the waiting list?

Thank you.

Hi tiggytape, I received today the confirmation on the school admissions website. They will send a letter by post later.

In the electronic site, they said, "If the school offered is not your first preference your child's name will be placed on the waiting list(s) for your higher preference schools. If you DO NOT wish to be on the waiting list please tick this box."

Does it mean that I am automatically placed in the waiting list and do not need to do anything?

I just want to make sure as I am very stressful at the moment.

Thank you.

Snowme, are you in Derbyshire? If so, I was able to find out our position on a waiting list yesterday from the council.

I think you are automatically added to the waiting list in this county, but in year applications may be different.