is it possible not to get a place in reception?

[CuttedUpGrape]

my DC are only litte but i've had a look at the schools in our area and every single one of them had about 4 times as many applications for reception as they offer actual places. now, i understand that people are applying for several schools, so the number of applications doesn't equal the number of children who will start school, but still i'm doubting very much that every child gets a place. but what happens if all the schools you've applied for turn you down? the fact that 90% of schools here are faith schools and we're not churchgoers doesn't help either.

did any of you ever end up with a 5 year old who didn't get a place?

They have to give every child a place. It may not be in any of the schools you applied for but a place has to be provided.

If you don't get a place at any of the schools you applied for the LA has to come up with a place somewhere else. Some LAs are better at this than others and you may need to nag them but you will have a place before the start of the autumn term.

the council have to give you a place somewhere but not necessarily at the beginning of the year. unless you are very far away from all feasible schools you should be OK. Most schools prioritise on siblings then distance (with a few exceptions) and all schools have to publish and stick to admissions criteria listing how they select so you should be able to find out which schools you have a chance of getting in to.

If none of your preferred schools is able to give your child a place then the LEA has to find a school for you. It may not the nearest, it may not the best and I heard about issues that a place wouldn't come up for September but for January (Summer born, so they delayed).

A lot of schools in our borough had to establish bulge classes where the school takes on an additional class. Some schools were permanently changed from 2 to 3 entry forms or Infant and Juniors converted to a primary to create more places.

People apply for 3 or 6 schools depending on where they live, so you'd expect most schools to get 3x the number of applications as places.

I live in south Lambeth where the child population is exploding faster than schools can be built, so I know a few people who didn't get offered a place in the initial round, but then bulge classes were created and places provided before September.

Manchester ran out of places in 2012 but LEAs have all been busy adding classes and extending classrooms to try and keep up with demand. You will get a school place. You may well get the one you want, but the odds of that vary hugely by area etc. Haveca good read and google on your LEA situation

that's interesting, thanks! i didn't know about the bulge classes. good job my eldest won't start school until 2016 and apparently schools are being built around here at the mo.