How do primary school choices work?

[Alayalaya]

Let’s say I don’t get my first choice school. Do I have less chance of getting into my second choice school compared to someone who put that school as their first choice?

No. They should all be dealt with individually. Your child in theory could getvinto all 3, but you'll be given the highest school on your list. Thatvis how our local authority do it, it should all be detailed in their policy document

Here you go.
primaryschoolcatchment.co.uk/admissions/how-do-school-preferences-work/

First thing to realise you don’t have a choice you have a preference and the chances of you getting the school you prefer is based purely on their admissions criteria and where you fall within that. A few things that will make sod all difference
Applying early
Only putting down 1 school
Having childcare based around a certain school (eg your mum lives next to it)
Logistics in general

The order of choice is just about your preference - so that they know which school you would rather be in if you were lucky enough to be allocated a place in all of them.

The schools won't know what order you have put them in and it has no bearing on how likely you are to be offered a place there.

The schools do not and can not know if they were your first, second, third, etc. choice. Your application is evaluated for every school you apply to. If you are successful in getting a place at more than one school, you will be offered your top choice.

Thanks! Another question if you don’t mind - how do I find out how good an academy is? My local school was rated Good by Ofsted in 2008 but it was converted to an academy in 2012 so there are no more Ofsted ratings since then.

Also would you avoid a school with mixed year groups in a single class?

Agree with all answers above to your first question.

In terms of finding out "how good" an academy is, you don't really get that information from an OFSTED inspection anyway. What you do is talk to local people, and get a 'feel' for what they say (keeping in mind there is always someone with an unfair grudge against the school). You talk to as many people in terms of "what do you really like about the school" and "What annoys you" and you total up all the responses. Keep in mind that what appeals to some parents isn't what appeals to others........ some want masses of homework, some want none, so will have opposing views about that one tiny thing.....
Then you look at your child....... if your child has additional needs, then pushing them to the most academic school might not be right for them, but for a high % of MNers, it would be a must. If you need wraparound care, then that matters a lot but if you don't, it won't.
I would always take OFSTED with a huge pinch of salt anyway.
Try and visit a school, see what the 'feel' is.
Try and establish if it has a high staff turnover.

Re mixed year groups, again, it depends. It might mean they have low numbers. Some people like a "small nurturing school", others feel there might be fewer opportunities. Or it might mean they've been forced to take bulge classes - in which case is there enough room in all the shared facilities (playground... PE time in the hall.... time in the hall to eat lunch....etc)
As with all school preferences, you have to look at the whole picture and see which is the best "whole package" out of what you realistically have available to you.
For me, I'd say distance from home is a really important factor.

Interesting! Do secondary admissions work the same way?

Always check the admission criteria for each school and usually you can find out how many children were admitted under which criteria from the local authority. Some primaries and secondaries have catchment areas.

Some secondaries take from specific feeder schools first hence checking each school's specific admission policy. Although secondary feels like a million miles off, you may wish to consider this especially if there are feeder schools.

Definitely try to talk to parents who have children at the school. Dh was parked up just looking at a primary school mid morning and a car pulled up with 2 parents and a child, one took the child in, Dh spoke to the man in the car. He said it is a good school but if you want amazing then X school is the one to get into catchment for. We were relocating so had no idea about the local area and that man was not wrong.

But no, a school does not know for you personally if they were your first or 3rd choice.

It depends on where your child falls in the school year, in relation to mixed year classes. I had a summer born struggler who died on their arse in a mixed year class where they were one of the youngest of a 2 year cohort. September / autumn born children can struggle when they're in the lower half of the cohort, when they find they're not the oldest any more and work doesn't necessarily come as easy, or can cruise if they're the oldest of a 2 year group. We also found that the teacher struggled to differentiate work across such a large age range. You'll know how your child would fair in that situation, but I'd avoid for mine (both summer born).

My local school was rated Good by Ofsted in 2008 but it was converted to an academy in 2012 so there are no more Ofsted ratings since then.

Academies are inspected by Ofsted too. Was it Outstanding not Good? Outstanding schools were not inspected until this year - Ofsted are now working through them as well as the other schools due for inspection. Even allowing for academy conversion, a Good school not inspected since 2012 is well overdue.