question about primary school admissions

[meladeso]

Total novice here, so please excuse if this is daft

Just don't know how best to approach this for our DC1 starting primary next September

School A we should get into easily, and for a while has been our first choice. All good.

School B we visited two weeks ago and has really given us something to think about. We loved it, but probably have about a 10% chance of getting in (catchment).

Therefore, if we were to put B down as our first choice, and A as our second, do we run the risk of not only not getting in to B, but jeopardising our chances of getting a place at A?

Does that make sense?

No if you don't qualify for a place at b you'd be considered for a just as if it were your first preference.

It doesn't jeopardise your chance of getting a place at A.

You have the same chance of getting into each school. If you meet the admissions criteria for your 1st choice you will get a place. If you don't meet the criteria they look at your 2nd option. If you meet the criteria for that school you get a place, if you don't they move onto your next choice.

Choose the school you want your child to go to not a school because its the closest or smallest unless that is a specific requirement for you that you cannot work around. Your child will be at the school for 7 years make sure its the one that your child can do the best at and thrive and be happy at.

Put your 1st choice as the school you most want your child to go to. They will look at your 1st choice and try to allocate you a place at that school if possible.

As others have said, you should put the schools in your genuine order of preference. You will not lose out on a place at school A just because you put it second. They are not allowed to take whether it is your first or second choice into account when deciding who qualifies for a place at the school. Your order of preference only comes into play if you qualify for a place at more than one school. If that happens you get a place at the highest preference for which you qualify, so if you qualify for places at your 2nd and 1st preferences you will be offered your 1st preference.

Brilliant thanks all, that's so helpful. Right will get applying