Advice on primary school not offered any 5 preferences

[Natgeorge]

Help and advice needed i got my childs school place and burst into tears as all of my preferences we're not offered i choose 5 in a 2.5 mile radius. They gave me a school i didnt even choose and will never send my child to this school as its one of the worst in the country. I have done a reallocation form can anyone give me any positive feedback please on what else i can do?

Get yourself onto the waiting list for every single school you could possibly even consider accepting, even if it is only marginally better than the one you were offered. Even if it's just as awful but at least closer to home.

Do not turn down the place you have been offered. Accept it. Accepting it does not harm your chances of success in getting another place elsewhere.

Hold your nerve. There's always some movement on waiting lists before September. The closer you get to September the better the chances are as most people higher on the waiting list than you will not want to make a last minute change of plans and so a place that opens up can end up going to #6 on the list as #1-#5 turn it down. Places will be offered to people on the waiting list during the first 3-6 weeks of term as schools gradually establish which "no show" pupils have actually left the area altogether, so if you can keep your nursery childcare arrangements in place for September you can take advantage of a late-emerging option.

What EluphNaugeMeop says is brilliant advice.
You need to discover you place on all the lists.
It could be that you are near the top.
There is movement on waiting lists between now and September, and a move on one list will trigger moves on other lists in local schools.
Places are generally not offered until a fortnight after National Offer Day.
Good luck.

Ok thanks I'm new to all this as its my 1st child and didnt know how it all worked but i did pick quite alot of schools that we're not highly sought after. My first choice is 0.9 miles away. Do i need to ring and find out where i am on these lists or do i automatically get added?

It depends. In my area it varies as to whether you need to contact the schools directly to be added to the waiting list or whether it is done automatically (briefly it seems to be the case here that schools under the local authority you are added automatically but not schools such as academies but this isn't exclusive my first choice was an academy and we have been automatically added) - however check the individual school and eadmission site for info.

Ok thanks for all your great advice its put my mind at ease

2.5 miles is a long way for primary? Look at all your close ones as you'll get on the waiting lists higher up if you live close etc