Admissions/Waiting List Query

[SlumdogMummy]

We did not get our 1st choice school. We have enquired with LA and we were 30 meters from the last place offered.

I have found out today that someone is trying to get on the waiting list due to SEN, is that possible at this point or would they be appealing instead?

I would appreciate any advice.

They can go on the waiting list and appeal. Depending on the admissions criteria they may go above you on the list.

Also if they have a statement naming the school they automatically get a place I believe.

Thank you for your quick replies. Like others, I guess I'm so sick of waiting!

Do you actually know what point you are on the waiting list?

We were 20 m for the last place offered, were at no. 7 on the waiting list and it only budged by a couple of places.

OTOH I know people who've been far lower on the lists and got in to schools with more movement.

I suppose what I am saying is that the distance itself doesn't mean much.

Hi , i am looking for some advice please . My son has been offered a place at our first ( and only ) choice of primary school for him . It's our local catholic school and he is due to start sep ! Obviously we were very happy. However in the last week we have decided we need to relocate to another part of the area. I have researched the catholic primary schools in the area we intend to live in and there is only one i would send my son to . Will he have any chance of being offered a place at a school at this late stage in the admissions process ? I have been told by the school that he would be considered priority on their waiting list because we are practising catholics but this doesn't really tell me much as i don't know how many children fall into the priority cat on the list before him ?? The whole relocation rests on his chance of getting into this one school , am i kidding myself he has a chance or should i just not even bother to go on the waiting list ?? This is such a huge choice , when would i know where he is on a list ? Also if i apply for him to go on the waiting list would his place at the school he has got into retract their offer ? Any advice from someone who has a very clear understanding of how this all works would be most appreciated

You can go on the waiting list without rejecting your other place. If practising catholic is a high category and there are no distance/parish criteria then you will be high on the list from your current address. I think it's unusual for there to be no distance criteria though.

Assuming the tie breaker for the practising catholic is distance ask the school how far the furthest allocated place was, that will give you an idea as to how close you need to move, or can you use your current address if it's not too far.

There aren't any guarantees a place would become available though, and if class sizes are 30 you'd stand very little chance at appeal.

It all comes down to how popular the school is and the exact admission criteria. The practicing catholic criteria frequently has the need for set levels of attendance at specified churches. If so you are unlikely to meet that criteria and therefore could be well down the admission criteria order.
It is also clear that the admission at present would be based eventually on distance to current house. If the school is over subscribed the probability is that you will be the applicant that lives furthest away. So even if you filled the faith category you would be the last of the waiting list in that category. That could mean you are first (as the only person meeting that criteria) or 21st. You need to establish from the school,as the admission authority, how many people are on the waiting list. If it is a long list then my guess would be that you will struggle to get the offer of a place. If there are only 5 on the waiting list then if you ask for a place at the school you could easily be top of the waiting list.
However there is never a guarantee of a place coming up, I know of schools where there has been no pupil movement in 3 years, so it is a real gamble. Betting a house move on the basis of a place becoming available off the waiting list sounds like very bad odds to me.

Thank you for your replies. If the move goes ahead it will take us from east essex to south essex , therefore a new school for my son would be a must. I wonder , do slightly older children who move to a new area stand a better chance of being offered a place in a first choice primary school ? Would delaying the move by one year give him better odds ? I can feel my dream of relocating fast slipping away from me with the realisation that i can't risk giving up a good catholic school place when no equal replacement is guaranteed!

No. The waiting list would still be ordered by the school's admission criteria irrespective of what year group you're waiting for, so you'd still be relying on someone leaving. Would you consider a nonCatholic school?

Junior schools don't have the same infant class restriction, but I don't think that's what you mean - there's no better chance in year 1 than in reception.

Thank you all for your advice and knowledge on this subject , it has been very helpful to me . I guess i should stop looking on right move now : ( . Titchy i don't think i could consider a non catholic school , not because i think they are less-than ( there is another primary school in the same area i intended to move to that has an outstanding report from ofsted and wonderful facilities ) it came in slightly above the catholic school i would have wanted . However it is very important to me that my son has a catholic education because it's the only experience i have . I only joined mumsnet today and i'm very glad i did - no doubt i would have still been waiting for essex council to respond to my questions long after september ; )