Primary School Application

[Sipperskipper]

I’m not due to apply for DDs school place until next year, but trying to work out what to do for the best.

DD is at a preschool in the grounds of a school that I love - as part of the preschool we spend a lot of time in the school and I know it would be the perfect fit for DD. However we are not in catchment, and live 3.5 miles away. It’s an oversubscribed school, but on low birth years etc out of catchment children have got places.

Our nearest primary is a short walk away and is fine - but I don’t love it like the other one.

The schools slightly further out from us don’t have very good reputations, as well as OFSTED reports.

My question is, if I put my nearest (fine) school down as second choice, will I be more likely to get one of the other (not so good) schools than if I put it as my first choice? No details about this in either the LA policy or school admissions policies.

Put your preferences in your genuine order.

All schools in all regions of England must follow the Admissione Code (which has force of law) and which stipulates that admissione authorities are not allowed to pay any attention to position of the form.

Your preferences are there for if you qualify for more than one school, and then it is used to give you the one you list highest

The order of the schools you put doesn't matter AT ALL. Put your favourite school first, use all of your choices.

The schools never see the order you put them in. You get a Yes or No decision for each school and then the LA allocate the highest preference school that is a Yes.

It has no impact. You should put the schools in your true order of preference and if you are eligible for more than one school, then you will be offered the higher preference one. It’s that simple.

So in your shoes, I'd list

• long shot school I love
• like well enough nearby school
• 'banker' - in this case least unpalatable (historically undersubscribed?) that is at least on a convenient journey

This is so helpful, thanks so much for your prompt responses! It’s such a way off but I just wanted an idea - great to know I can put our first choice first (even if we have a minimal chance of getting it!)

Thanks again.