Worcestershire Admissions

[dippingmytoeinagain]

I understand that the cut off date for accepting middle school places was almost 2 weeks ago...if that is the case, how soon might it be reasonable to hear if any places have come available. I asked the authority the question and they were very vague. Any info or experience would be welcome! Thank you.

So the scenario is that you have applied to a middle school, not got a preferred place and are now on the waiting list?

You are hoping that someone will not accept their place and thus you will be offered it?

If that is the case, I presume, as with all admissions, it will depend where you are on the waiting list. If you are 7th, then that requires 6 people to turn offered places down ...

AND there is the issue of late applicants who might 'jump' you in the queue due to being higher up the oversubscription criteria - so you can be 7th in the waiting list on offers day, but 9th a month later, if 2 children move into the area and live closer to the middle school in question.

So the admissions dept is quite right in making it sound vague - it is a slightly 'how long is a piece of string' question. If you are first on the waiting list, there is some movement most years AND nobody moves in closer to the school, it may be quickly, as it only requires 1 person to turn down their place. However, in other scenarios it may be months, or never... (though since infant size regs don't apply, appealing is more straightforward as it is a balance of prejudice case)

Thank you for the replies - yes teacher that's right. I was expecting that at a given date, the authority would know how many offered places had not been accepted and would start working the way down the waiting list. I think I am maybe being a bit impatient, there is so much hanging on getting what is our first choice school, I'd just like for the waiting and uncertainty to be over.

Dipping, it genuinely doesn't work like that. If a place becomes available, it must be offered to the persion at the top of the waiting list at the point when it becomes available (within reason). There isn't a point at which all vacancies are 'collected up' and redistributed (well, I have heard of 'second round' admissions in some counties, but I don't think they formally exist in admissions legislation, nor in practice in most places)

I see. I suppose I misunderstood that as the authority gave a date by which the offered places had to be accepted otherwise the place would be lost, I thought that on the back of that, they would know how many places were then available to be offered to people on the waiting list. Thank you for your help, much appreciated.

Dipping, my understanding (someone like admissions would know better, as i may be misrepresenting it somewhat) is that in the first couple of weeks after offers are made, it is considered reasonable to 'bundle up' refusals for a while and offer the released places in blocks, because otherwise the admisnistration of a large number of places would become chaotic. However after that point, it is on a 'one out, next place on the waiting list offered' basis - basically so that no-one is disadvantaged by being 'queuejumped' during a 'bundling up / waiting' period. so e.g. if I am fuirst on the waiting list, and a place becomes available , it is mine - even if the person who moves into the area a day later would have the place if the place had become available a day later.

Thanks teacher - yes that makes sense. I am hoping that the if Worcestershire does this 'bundling' then they are still doing so and have yet to release the places. I think I will give them a call next week to see if there is any movement in the waiting list position. Thanks again

I think asking 'has there been any movement on the waiting list, and when do you generally see waiting lists move most' might get you a more informatiove - if still vague - response than 'when do the places released by refusals become available'.

Agree with teacherwith2kids.

the authority gave a date by which the offered places had to be accepted otherwise the place would be lost

The cut off date isn't quite what it seems. If someone hasn't replied by the cut off date the authority is required to write to them again and give them another chance to accept the place. The can only withdraw the offer if the parents still fail to respond.