Something came up in our appeal today, regarding the waiting list - opinions please!

[queenfromars]

When we were in there, the man from the admissions authority mentioned the waiting list had gone from 29 down to 28 as a place had come up and been filled. our son has been top of this list since day one, I only last checked at around 2pm the day before.
I was basically told that in the couple of hours after I rang, we had slipped down to number 2 just as a place had become available (the first movement since the list started in April) How unlucky for us? Maybe, but he then started explaining that he hadnt had definate confirmation from the parents who had deffered their place - how can they therefore offer this place to ANYONE?
It just doesnt sit right, that the first place that becomes available happens to be in literally the exact same hour timeframe that someone else suddenly appears at the top of the list. I know it's not impossible, but the chances of that happening are not big surely. And why would this place be offered so fast when admissions stated themselves that it had not been confirmed that this place was yet available?

Yes it does sound odd. I suppose someone below you on the list had been wrongly categorised (measured distance wrongly perhaps?) and that might have come to light (and had correct admin action applied) because they were paying attention to everything relating to that school that day.

It doesn't sound like a new arrival on the waiting list who went ahead of you, because that would have taken the list up to 30 and then back to 29.

Unless a parent has relinquished their place, they would be on very dodgy ground to reoffer it. A deferred place hasn't been relinquished, so that bit makes no sense.

Hmmm, he actually said someone had moved into the catchment ahead of us, so actually what you have said is true, the list would have gone up not down?

Although in the space of these 2-3 hours when the movement happened, the newcomer would have taken the number up to 30, then the deffered child removed would be back down to 29, and then the newcomer removed so back down to 28?

The person could have already been on the waiting list but by moving closer to the school than you live leapfrogged you to the no.1 spot.

I would ring the school and check if they have actually notified the cc of a vacancy or not.

Not sure if it's relevant but I understand that in our area a child with a statement automatically goes to the top of the list! We have children in our village waiting for a space at the village school, however they have just been trumped by a child out of area who is unhappy with their current school. Seems very unfair.

A child with a statement doesn't go to the top of the waiting list, if the statement names the school, the child would go in as number 31 in the class. However, statements are not given lightly, and much consideration is given as to which school would be best for them, and why.

The statement won't have been changed to name this school just because the parent was a bit unhappy. There will have been major failings for that child.

Could it be that children on the waiting list have come off because they have won appeals, or spaces for other schools? That would reduce the waiting list and then the admissions person assumed that was because they had got a space at the school.

The waiting lists are like shares: you can go down as well as up. If someone moves into the area closer than you, or if their sibling starts at the school, or they have exceptional circumstances (eg they're on witness protection program) or certain health issues in some areas, or a statement naming the school they will go to the top of the waiting list.

The statement does have to name the school, and it won't do that just because the parent wants that school. There has to be valid reasons why that is the best (and possibly only) school for the child's circumstance.
I think they would still have to appeal to be the 31st child entered, otherwise they'd just be top of the waiting list, but I may be corrected on that.

A deferred child wouldn't be on the waiting list at all. To defer your DC you have to accept the place, then defer the start date.

As OP knew her DC was at number 1 on the waiting list, it should have been her child that was admitted from the list once there was a known vacancy. If a different child was admitted from the waiting list (and that cannot be a statements child, for they simply don't go onto waiting lists) then that child must have been placed on the waiting list ahead of OP's.

I can see that the weird timings might happen, as the waiting list might be re-checked before making an offer from it.

Excepted pupils are?

(a)children whose statements of special educational needs specify that they should be educated at the school concerned, and who are admitted to the school outside a normal admission round;

So if the statement names the school and the application is made to the school after the normal admissions round, the statemented child is counted as an 'excepted pupil' which means that they are admitted into the class as pupil number 31. No appeal necessary. That class will then have 31 in it unless and until a child leaves the class. At that point it drops back down to the legal maximum of 30 and no child from the waiting list may be admitted. Only when it drops to 29 can a child from the waiting list be admitted.

All 3 appeals for the school were heard with mine. Actually the numbers dont add up. The waiting list would have gone up to 30 if someone went ahead of us, then if they were given that place it would have dropped back to 29.

It would only have gone to 30 if they were new on the list. If they were out of catchment but on the list, the number of children on the list wouldn't have changed when they moved up it. You should check that that's the case though.

Did you check how many people were on the list when you phoned the day before? Are you sure someone didn't take themselves off it so it went down to 28 then up to 29 and back down again?

Children in care jump o the top of the list, maybe either: a child on he list was taken into care and the LA informed as a space became available, or someone realised a child was in the wrong place on the list as they were or had been LAC.

From my only experience with waiting lists, it often isn't the quick someone declines a place - the top of the list is offered it, that it should be.

Tiggytape is right there is no use speculating over the actual numbers on the waiting list.
You know that at a certain time of the day, you were informed that you were number one on the waiting list. The next day you were number two on the list. That happens. What I suspect has occurred, is that somebody with a higher priority than you has just applied and is now first on the waiting list. The LA officer said that they were awaiting definite confirmation of the place being deferred, so the place does not currently exist, it will only exist when they get definite confirmation of the other family not needing the place. What I believe the LA Officer was doing was giving you a heads up that when the place does come free, you will unfortunately not be getting the place.

Having said that it is incredibly annoying and I think for your own piece of mind you need to formally ask the LA admission office, exactly when the place became available. If it was before the time that you were told that you were first on the waiting list then that place should have been yours. If it was after the other person applied it is their place.

Thanks for all your replies. I emailed admissions Wednesday afternoon, and again this morning, but as yet had no reply.

Ok, so they are not returning my calls or emails, not even to clarify my sons position on the waiting list.
It will be a week tomorrow since I tried to contact them, is there someone above admissions I can contact?

They will report to someone with the title Director of Children's Services or similar. If all else fails try the council's Chief Executive.

The place has not officially been declined, how can it be given to anyone - that was my actual point, thanks for your unhelpful reply :(

Thanks Prh47bridge :)

If you want help write to your MP, the Salvation Army or your mum. If you post in a forum you'll get comments.

Wow, how rude.

This forum has been a wealth of help in what has been an awful couple of months actually, there are still plenty of decent people left.

The replies you'll find are in keeping with each other.

I can't see any rude replies except yours learnandsay

Look a bit harder.

I read learnandsay's initial post as supportive, suggesting that what has happened to the OP's child is dodgy and throwing in what I thought was intended to be a humorous reference to Berlusconi. Am I missing something?