Waiting lists... need some reassurance

[AllMiceMustDie]

DS is due to start reception in September with a place at the school where he attended nursery.... however, this school was not high on our list of preferences and we have some misgivings about it. It's about 2 miles away (we live in London) and I don't feel like it is particularly well managed and neither does it have a strong/inclusive community. He'll be "ok" there but "ok" doesn't feel good enough.

So he's on the waiting list for six other schools, some closer some similar distance. Having recently called Council his place has slipped on even our very closest school so now he's sitting at 10/12/13 on three waiting lists and between 30 and 40 on the others.

There's lots of movement in the local population - but whilst this means places might become available, it also means that new kids coming into the area may push him down the waiting list.

With September approaching DH and I feeling pretty worried about it though DS is fine. We're even considering a soon to open free school which shows we panicking.... I need some reassurance - has anyone else been at number 10 on a waiting list and ever got a place?

Sounds like you'll get a place at some point. I'd just start him where he is and move him when you get a place. He won't bag an eyelid. It's only reception so not a huge deal

I think that whilst it is quite possible that a place will come up in another preferred school, that you need now in mid- August to be being very positive about the school where you have a place. DS has been to nursery at the school and your anxiety /concerns need to be put to one side so that DS does not pick up on them, so he gets the start in school that he deserves

Thanks both. We probably just need to hold our nerve.

DS pretty unaware of our worries - he's looking forward to starting and talking about it lots. He doesn't start till quite late in September so perhaps there'll be some movement before then....

I was 5th, 21st and 18th on waiting lists throughout the whole of reception year and was offered nothing. The council said there had been hardly any movement this year in our borough. Not really sure why, in theory it is a high movement area and had been before.

We moved elsewhere at the end of August last year and were offered a place immediately at a lovely school as we were No1 on the list although we were pretty close distance wise. We were No1 on the list at another school which was even closer and a place came up in March (didn't take it as first school was our preference and I didn't realise we were still on the list). We were also offered a place at a No3 wait list school in the last week of term, so 8 months after joining the list. We moved from No2 to No8 on a school further away which I found out when I called up to tell them to take my name off.

I think it's very hard to predict TBH. I found it useful to call the schools up and speak very nicely to the admissions people. They often know of families that are on the move well before the council does. Our school is VA and I had started at the school before the council even knew someone had left as they run their own admissions.

The lists might move a bit in September and then might settle down but do check if you have to reapply in January to stay on the lists. In our area the list is cleared in December to refresh everything as lots of people decide not to move and it means only those who are still genuinely keen to move are in the system. Good luck

We got a place from 42nd on list three weeks into the Autumn term.

4 places came up at once which helped, and all the schools in the local area are Outstanding so lots of those above us were more than happy with the allocation they got.

We were also in London and in an area of very high mobility.

Remember that you have to opt into the waiting list after the 31st August. Until then, everyone who didn't get their first choice will be on a waiting list for every school above the one that they did, so they are often rather more dismal looking than the reality.

Good luck!

I think you will find that the waiting lists are kept until December 31st and it's after then that you need to opt in.