Primary Application Regret

[Bingandflop2019]

Hi as we approach allocation results day, you can tell from the title, I'm now regretting one of the choices on the application form! 🤦🏼‍♀️
Problem is, it's the FIRST choice I'm regretting.....!!!!

I'm not going to go into my reasons for why I'm regretting it (as I'll no doubt end up having to justify myself against some 'MN Jury' types!) I just very much do regret my choice for very valid reasons; despite choosing the school for what were at the time, to me, a number of great reasons. However, I was perhaps clouded by the fact that this was my previous Primary school and I loved it - thirty odd years ago....!

I know it doesn't make much sense, but let's just say I have since found out about several different issues which have put me right off!!

My only possible saving grace, is that we are actually not in the catchment area for the first choice school anyway and it is over-subscribed.

HOWEVER! Due to my daughter's SEN, I did write a paragraph on the application about how settled she is in that school's Pre-school which she already attends and that she may be very upset to move to another school... Which is true. (However in light of what I have since discovered, I would much prefer our 2nd, 3rd or 4th choice!) So despite not being in catchment and the school being over-subscribed, what I wrote on the application - and the fact that she already attends the school's Pre-School - I'm thinking MAY sway their decision in favour of this school?? 🤷🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️ Which of course, is no longer what I want!

Sorry, I know this seems like definite eye-rolling material. However if you knew what had changed my mind - most of you I'm sure would totally understand my reasons for changing my mind.

So my question is this - What can I do? Anything? I can't contact allocations, can I??

Thanks

You could try phoning the admissions office and asking them, worth a try as someone else may be disappointed to miss out on a place if you have got one.

Ok I'll give it a try then, thanks. I guess I just needed to hear from someone else that contacting them was an option! I'm new to all this!

I really do hope for my daughter to do so much better academically than I did and I know that it all starts with a good primary school!

Thanks again

The paragraph in support adds no weight to your application.

Furthermore I'm pretty sure schools aren't allowed to have pre school attendance as one of their entrance criteria so I doubt that will have pushed you up the admissions list either.

Looking at previous year's data would you have got in anyway?

Ring the council and explain and find out the process you need to go through. They won't do anything now until after allocations and it might mean you applying to go on waiting lists

It's easy to forget that the admissions office is staffed by real people and they can check details and answer questions, even if the admissions policies are set in stone. I had a host of questions about my eldest secondary application due to email problems and they were super kind and helpful at a very stressful time! Good luck.

Unless your daughter has an EHCP which specifically names the school, your supporting paragraph will have no weight with the admissions team. Which is a good thing in your case!

If you are out of catchment and It is over subscribed, you are unlikely to be allocated it. But the admissions team can’t do anything at this stage. All you can do is follow their procedures once you receive your offer. It would be worth looking on your council website now, the information on what to do if you are allocated a school you don’t want, should be on there.

So they can't remove my first choice then? I guess I've left it too late :(

It is too late to change your choices. If you insist on doing so you will be treated as a late applicant which means you are unlikely to get any of your choices.

As others have said, the thinks you wrote on your application will not have affected the admission process at all. They don't make subjective decisions based on things parents write. You can't sway them. Admissions are not decided like that at all.

Attending pre-school will only affect the process if the school has an admissions category for children who attend the pre-school. If there is no such category, the fact that your daughter attends the pre-school is irrelevant.

From what you have written it seems unlikely that you will be offered a place at this school. If you are, you can ask to go on the waiting list for other schools. You can also appeal for other schools but any appeal is likely to be difficult to win as most appeals for Reception are heard under infant class size rules, which basically means you can only win if a mistake has been made which deprived your daughter of a place.

Hi OP. I also changed my mind about our first choice during the applications process, was also consumed with regret. The whole thing was a complete self-imposed head wreck by me! I thought I should choose local ish catholic school (choice 1) but I realised I wanted her to go to local community school (choice 2).

I rang admissions and they were really helpful. Couldn’t change my choices but told me what to do. After I was accepted into choice 1, there was a two week window with which to go onto the waiting list for second. Waiting list for second dealt was with in usual order of priority.

I was offered a place at choice 2 a few days after the list came out, after others had rejected it as their first choice (because they had been offered a place they were on the waiting list for?). I then rejected the place at choice 1.

There is lots of movement on waiting lists two weeks after decision day so don’t lose hope!

It also sounds like you may get one of your other choices anyway. If there is one you particularly prefer that you don’t get, go on that waiting list. It helps if it is your catchment school obviously! Although my DD has friends just outside ours who were offered places a few weeks after the waiting lists came out.

There is some really good advice on this thread so go with it. I'd also add that pre-school attendance is not usually in the admissions over-subscription criteria and there was a ruling on a case taken to the Ombudsman that pre-school attendance should not be taken into account due to it not being compulsory and impinging on a parent's right to choose for their child prior to entry to Reception.

Even if you are offered your first preference, it may not be a problem to change. Good luck

Thanks everyone

Sorry, name change fail there!