Reception dilemma!

[SunsetOnTheHorizon]

Brace yourselves!

Dd aged 4 (july born) will be starting reception this week. She secured a place in the school where we used to live. (School1 1)

Fast forward to the present and I have another dd in the school 2 (very local to me) that has started and dd2 (4year old) is currently on the waiting list (number2).

The dilemma goes like this.... do I send her to the school 1 where she has a guaranteed place, or do I wait until the school 2 has completed thier intake to see whether they do have a space for her?

The new school will be completing intake of all new children by the end of next week. Dd starts Wednesday at school 1.

Dd is a completely shy little girl. My main issue is settling her into school 1 only to be told by school 2 they have a place for her?

Or do I just hold off and wait for two weeks?

Bumpity bump

What if school 2 don’t have a place for her and it takes years to move up the list? I would keep her in school 1 until you have a place for her.

Send her to 1 and wait for 2.

You can ask where she is on the waiting list. Ring school 2 and find out.

The thing about the waiting list is it really is a sort of 'how long's a piece of string?' type of wait. But school 2 should be able to give you a bit of steer or vague idea of waiting time. I've moved both DCs 1 and 2 in primary. Don't fret too much about the transition.

School 2 has said she is number 2 in the list.

So that placement will come up quickly but that still could mean a few months. If the reception class at school 2 is currently full, the wait for that space could go on until year 1, year 2, etc. Or a space may open up in two weeks. The problem is, you just don’t know. It all depends on movement within the class.

I’d still put her in school 1 (this will really help her get used to the school day). Number 2 on the list is encouraging, so hang onto that. But at the same time, her a available place could come up months from now, as opposed to weeks.

Sorry. I sort of repeated myself in that last post.

All you can do is wait. Frustrating, I know. But number 2 on the list is great.

I would begin with school 1. The way waiting lists work could mean another child applies for school 2 and bumps your child down the list (if they meet criteria such as SEN or closer to school, for example).
If it puts your mind at rest, my friend's DD began at one school and switched to ours just before Christmas. Her DD settled in really well and it's as if she's been there from the start.

Dd spent a year in the number 1 space on a waiting list so I'd start your dd at the offered school.

Start at school 1. If you don't get a place at School 2, she might be there for a long time and it would be better for her to be included in all the settling in activities.
I've known people at #2 on waiting lists who never got a place. Remember waiting lists move down as well as up.

I didnt realise kids could move down aswell as up. That's interesting to know. Thank you.

@Vanguardsix that is reassuring to know. And you are right it is frustrating as school 2 is a delightful walk from our home and school 1 is major PITA with the early morning traffic!

Hanging on in there that she is offered something soon...

Send her to school 1.
You can't tell the waiting list will move.
With my dc#3 in his year the waiting list only moved in year 2 (1 place) and the child who got the place had only moved to the area about a month previously.
With dc#1 and dc#2 there were about half a dozen plus moved in and out.

School 1. It took 2 years for 2 places to become available in my daughters year (and you may go down the list if someone moves closer to the school than you)

I have started to send her to school 1 where she is happily settling in.

Anyone know of there is a quicker way of finding out the reception class numbers without sounding desperate. To get an idea if they are under or over subscribed...?

School 2 is saying wait 2 weeks, but all this sitting on the fence is starting to grate on me.

It sounds like they really can't give you answer. They don't know what's going to happen. There might be parents on the waiting list for schools just like you and they don't known if their children will be staying or going to free up a place. I wouldn't get your hopes up for moving too quickly and would just since concentrate on getting your DD settled. Worry about moving her when the time comes.

My son is at number 4 on the waiting for our catchment school - he's now in year 6! I only leave him on it out of curiosity. Over the years he's been as high as 2 and as low as 10.

If I were you OP (and I was!) I'd let your child start at school 1 and see how it goes. Alternatively, as she is summer born you could defer for a term and see what happens between now and Christmas. Personally I'd rather my child started reception so that she can make some friends and enjoy herself - it's got to be better than kicking her heels at home for 3 months.

My son changed school at the end of yr1 and still meets up with friends from his original school.