Reception Sept 2015 application provess

[ML1980]

Hi, I know it is a few months off but just wondering if anyone has any tips about applying for reception places espeically in Hertfordshire (we live in Berkhamsted). We are new to the area so pretty clueless!!!

I have been told a couple of the reception classes in local Schools will be full for Sept 2015 with siblings of pupils already at the School... therefore is it worth putting these Schools as the first choice in the hope you are more likely to get your second/ third choice... or is it a waste of a slot putting down a School where is little chance of a space...Most of the Schools I think are pretty good and I will go and have a look at them... I am just vurious about the process!
If anyone has any experience of this I would love to hear!
Many thanks,

i don't think putting a full school as your first choice gives you any more chance of getting into your second or 3rd choice over other people who have put that school so may be a waste of a choice if you know you def won't get in. eg. if you choose 3 schools that were likely to be full of siblings then it is likely you wouldn't get any of the choices rather than it giving you more of a chance

Make sure that at least one slot goes to a school you are almost definitely absolutely certain to get into (i.e. your catchment school or one general undersubscribed). Even if you hate it. A nearby school you hate is better than a far away school you hate.

If you hate your fall-back school then try have at least one realistic one that you hopefully will get, not complete outside chances.

List schools in your order of actual preference. No point putting your favourite 3rd, as they may give you your first or second.

You need to check the admissions criteria for the school you want. Many people assume a sibling link but not all schools have them.

Then look at the data for last year. The admissions team should publish how many children were admitted under each criterion. They should also be able to tell you how far away from the school the last child admitted lives. This information should give you an idea of how likely it is that your child will get a place.

Nobody will be able to say yet that all places will be taken by siblings. The application process hasn't finished.

Also your order of preference has no impact on the likelihood of you being offered a place.

If you qualify for a place then you get offered that place. Unless you qualify for more than one place which is when they look at your order preference.

Look at all the schools, particularly your closest. Put them in order of preference, but make sure you put at least one that you have a real chance of getting into (usually your closest, unless you qualify under another criteria). Distance is usually the key, unless it is a church school.

That is really helpful- thank you so much x

I want to put three schools we are out of catchment for (neighbouring town, where DS goes to nursery). Catchment school is v undersubscribed and had 35 applicants for 60 places, so I don't want to waste a space on the form putting it down. I would think if I don't get a place at one of the three I would definitely have a place in catchment as there have been spaces every year - does this seem right? I would also do just about anything to avoid him going there!

Brian you need to look unset which criteria children are admitted under in previous years. It may be that you would be successful or you may have no chance if they are very oversubscribed. If you don't like your catchment school you should look for a school you like that you have a chance of getting into as your back up.

If you don't get any of your the choices the admissions team will most likely place you in the nearest school with places.

Brian: If all your preferences are full up before they reach where you are on the list, then you will be offered a place at the nearest school for which you qualify for a place, after all the preferences have been dealt with.

So if your local school is truly undersubscribed, that will probably be the one. But if for any reason that school is filled by those who have applied for it (perhaps it's improving, or more distant schools are turning down applications and people have put that school in last place as their 'banker'), then you cannot be offered a place. You would then be offered somewhere else, probably a school you like no better, and possibly with a much more inconvenient school journey.

Sorry about typos

Go on hertfordshires website - they post lots of information about admittance criteria for the last few years. While it's not guaranteed if you fall within a catchment you get in due to variations in siblings it may help guide your choices. There's also some information about % first choice allocations by parish.

Seriously research the data and visit schools. Look at the odds of getting a place in each. Ask the ave no of siblings etc - some years at our school its 2/3 or 60 places. Looked after and SEN go first (normally about 5) that leaves 25 distance places etc Faith schools add faith criteria into the mix. Some areas have catchments and some don't ...
Brian - you can put where you like but if the population boom means you don't qualify for you choices and your local unpopular school is full you will end up with what ever is left ... Could be miles away

You need this Herts admissions link.

As MrsChocolateBrownie says, Herts puts lots of info on the schools part of the county council site. You can see previous years' admissions info, distance of last child admitted, number of children admitted under each category etc.

First thing I can advise is to do your research:

Visit the nearby schools and see which you feel would best fit your DC and family situation. Rank them in order of preference

Then see whether you would have been offered a place at each of the schools based on previous years. Most LAs publish the schools admission data for the previous year; this may include the category and furthest distance offered, but if it doesn't then a call to the LA admission dept. would clarify that. Please note, previous years' admission distances and categories are not a guarantee. This can vary widely due to many reasons; e.g. bulge classes, siblings and even Ofsted reports.

Finally, go back to your list and, personally, I would apply to the following schools (in my LA we select 3 preferences):

1. Your ABSOLUTE favourite.
2. A school that you would be very happy to send your DC and one, based on previous years' admissions data, that you would likely receive an offer for.
3. A school that, based on previous years' admissions data, you are pretty much guaranteed to receive an offer from. This school is likely to be your nearest or catchment school.

It may well be a school that your lowest preference is a school you wouldn't ordinarily be happy with. However, if all your preferences are schools that you are very unlikely to get an offer from, then you will end up being offered the nearest undersubscribed school, which could be miles away.