Waiting lists for reception :-(

[Sobloodyworried123]

Honestly is there actually any movement on these lists?
Have been offered a school im very unhappy with, bad ofsted report and safety issues but have to accept it decline it by 30th.
We are number 1, 4 and 8 on the top 3 preferences, is this likely to come into play by January? Or am I mad for even thinking it might?
Added pressure of younger sons application needing to be completed by jan 15th so it's not as if I can trial and error things

"as they won't let you in until they have offered you a place so very hard to rule schools out on that basis."

Now that schools are back and reception classes are settling in, you may well be able to visit more schools - worth checking?

"To me that is a bit ambiguous - "not accepted" may not be quite the same as "declined""

I would absolutely agree. You want a very clear statement that says:
"If you decline the place offered to you at x school, then we accept that it is still our responsibility to find your child a school place in January when they are of compulsory school age, as if the place at school x had never been offered."

I would send a version of this statement - outlining clearly your situation - and ask for them to confirm, in writing, that this is what they agree to do, before you proceed.

I agree that "not accepted" is not the same as "declined", but if another child moves into the area and applies for that school the LA will need to have a decision from you. I can't remember if you have deferred or are just thinking about it. I think the best thing to do would be to defer, start him in Jan if no waiting list place comes up, see where he is on 14th Jan and apply for that school for your younger child.

Even at number 1 on the waiting list you may find no movement, or another child comes above you for some reason by the time a space is available.

In ds' year(2form entry) no space became available until summer term in year one... And that went to a new arrival in the area. The person who was top of the waiting list in year R did not get a space at infants.

You need a back up plan.

Thanks for the replies.
I agree, I will get that confirmed in writing before I decide what to do.
As it stands I haven't accepted or declined it and won't be doing either until I have viewed the school on Friday.
I understand they need to know but I didn't understand why they questioned my amount of waiting lists because of this offer if the waiting lists are unnafected whether I accept or not if you see what I mean.
The whole " before we add you onto any lists please can you advise us if you shall be accepting " was strange
We are number 1 from our local school, 300 metres from it so I would hope we wouldn't move down but of course it's possible and of course it's also possible all 60 children remain at the school.
Honestly if it were the teaching that was in question I would be far less concern but it's the safety.

OP, were you allowed 6 choices on the original form? If so you currently have 6 - 1 offer and 5 waiting list places. Maybe they meant you had to drop the offer or off other waiting lists to add two different schools?

And of course it's reasonable for them to ask you to decide now whether to accept and defer or decline, because there may be a waiting list behind you for your offered place.

You are focusing on the safety issue as you perceive it but I think your real problem is the distance and practicality. If ds2 had a local school place how would you manage to get ds1 there on time. Iirc You already declined one due to the cost of the commute in time and cost and frankly this option is not so different. Don't tell LA that the safety and Ofsted is the reason , others have been and will be satisfied with that school. What would you need to see on your visit to stop you turning it down?

I have no idea what I would need to see as realistically it is too far.
I'm just worried I will get nothing else I guess so trying to do the best in a very bad situation but struggling to see what that is.
If I focus on the distance I could end up with nothing come January and that really worries me but so does te prospect of being tied to this school for 8 years worth of school runs.
I knew it wasn't going to be easy but I honestly didn't realise just how hard, maybe I'm a complete bloody idiot.
That's a good point actually about siblings, I didn't actually think of that I just thought 300 metres and number 1 on the list might be worth fighting for.

Thanks, that's exactly what I have been doing hence me adding more to the waiting lists as certain schools indicated a bit of movement.
Can the LEA not provide me with schools with current spaces at the moment or is that pointless as even though there's a space there could be 100 on the waiting list?
Just impossible to call all schools within 5 miles and put them on my list as I'm limited to 8 which I've already filled

OP, a school wouldn't simultaneously have a waiting list and have spaces, unless pausing to hear back from someone on the list who'd been offered a space.

If you find a school with a space you can apply and drop another school from your list, I would think.

Hhave you only looked at scc schools do far, what about the neighbouring London boroughs ? If there is a waiting list surely there won't be vacant places atm. If a school runs its own admissions the LA won't necessarily know either way. Iiwy I'd decline and review if nowhere has come up by December but it really depends how desperate you are to have a place sooner.

Good idea I shall do that.
I will also ring the council again tomorrow and ask if there are any other places they're aware of within 5 miles, one May have popped up in the last week that I would be happier with and then it saves all the hassle of even looking at a school and deffering

I had very similar experience.

In 2014 applied for reception v place middle child.

Did not get eldest school as council won't give sibling link to those outside apr we live just over a mile.

Dident get any of 3 preferences including nearest infants.

Council said I could only be on waitlist v for r I could only bank 3 so accept one and on waitlist for 2.

I dident like allocated school was distance from home eldest school we knew no one and wasent great.

I turned it down knowing I was taking risk.

We do nursery school using free 15hours and home educated.

I honestly expected get something by xmas that went.

If course then had apply again youngest by jan 2014 and everywhere I put down has no sibling link.

Put similar preference to middle child only 2nd preference different hut long shot as in another county and we live I loan the border also school1 and school 3 sits on county border so kids other county got space as they nearer.

Council changed catchment area school 3 making it harder kids from.other county get in its 75 intake so this time youngest got 3rd pre fence nearest infants in april.

Council said nit until he starts does middle child get up to no 1 on waitlist and sibling link.

Just by chance she got offered reception year at infants 4weeks before school ended so did 4weeks reception and had a year 1 space.

We accepted local infants fir son but defered.

He's been offered reception space 2 half weeks into term as 1 child failed show up and another one left he was lucky as we lost both appeal s.

But middle child moved down to no 2 on waitlist as family new area moved closer.
No one has left her year loads have left year above.

its so frustrating ans nightmare doing 2 different schools and despite 2 at primary middle one has no sibling priority

Did you make any decision yet?