Primary application change after deadline

[KonkeyDonk]

After asking about importance of school runs on Education boards I'm having a wobble regarding our first school choice. It's a drive away whereas I have not a bad school within walking distance. Should we get our first choice on the offer day, can we still change it providing the other school has spaces? Is it best to accept the offer and then call our second choice school to ask to go there instead? Many thanks for any advice.

You can request to go on the waiting list of any school you didn't get, yes - and yes always accept the offer you are given, as if you turn it down and don't get a space from the waiting lists, you could find yourself schoolless in september!

The LA will probably co-ordinate waiting lists at least to start with, so best to call them first.

It is worth remembering that it is a low birth year in terms of school admissions so you may be okay. I keep having a wobble over our first choice school.

How far away is the school? Is it cyclable?

My DC school is a drive. It's not an issue

I'm terrified of parking and traffic, after checking it on google maps! It's not very far but cycling would be dangerous because of the traffic. I guess we don't know if we got our first choice yet anyway so it might not be an issue.

Could you park further away and have a half drive / half walk sort of thing?

Did you not check the driving situation before putting it down as your first choice?

@Babyvenusplant

Could you park further away and have a half drive / half walk sort of thing?

Possibly.

@toomuchlaundry

Did you not check the driving situation before putting it down as your first choice?

I did but the recent thread about school runs is slightly concerning! Most of my friends drive to school so I didn't really give it a second thought. I think it's not the drive but the parking I'm getting concerned about.

DS’s school asked you to park further away and not right by the school.

Is this a rural or town school?

It's a town. 300 kids at school. There is a nearby pub that lets parents park but it's not that big!

What made you choose this school over the closer one?

We used to use the pub car park for DS’s school run. A local supermarket gives free parking permits for another school to cover school run time. Anything like that near the school?

I could park further away I suppose. My local school has reputation for bullying, plus parking is even worse with it being a large school, so it wouldn't be great if the weather is very bad. Fwiw I liked local school's head teacher a lot but heard much better opinions on the school that's further away.

Hi op, I used to live right next to my children school. We moved slightly further away and on rainy cold days I drive. I just park half way to avoid traffic. If I were you I'd stick to my first choice regardless of the parking situation as bullying would result in far worst. The headteacher might just be charming and the truth is if s/he isn't addressing the bullying adequately then the leadership isn't good. Unless of course s/he is new and just took over and making changes. Good luck

"Bit of a mixed area"? What does this mean, do you think naice middle class kids don't bully each other?!

I got bullied in a private school.

Sorry these are the words one of the parents used when talking about the school. I don't know much about the 'classes' as I'm not British so don't really get it. I also heard it described as having 'rough kids' but also 'great for friends', don't know if it just depends on luck year by year or bad handling of bullying by the school.

My son's school is a short drive away. It's fine. I had my reasons for choosing this school over others, so it's just something to put up with. The road directly opposite the school is a nightmare for parking. I've always parked a bit further away and enjoyed a 5 minute walk and chat with my son. The only thing that's worrying me slightly now, is the price of petrol. That might be something you want to consider now it's risen so atronomically.

I guess we'll be making a final decision in April. Petrol prices are definitely a factor, plus we only have one car so we'd be in trouble if it breaks or DH needs it (he works from home and can walk to work but you never know!). How does it look if I want to pick another school from my choices, providing they have spaces -I call the LA, they put me on a list and then what? Do I know immediately if DD is in or is there another round of applications?