Reception 2022/23 waiting lists

[Haylie515b]

Hi all, I'm just here looking for some reassurance ahead of Reception class offer day on 19th April 2022.

Basically I have already been told by our LA that they won't accept a step-sibling link (despite a 50/50 custody arrangement) and they won't accept our new address (which is in catchment area for our three chosen schools) on my daughter's application because we moved in on 02/03 which was two weeks after the deadline of 15/02 - I have resigned myself to this now, although there were a lot of tears and pleading on my part!

Given that my three choices were based on my new address but the LA are using my old address to allocate a school for my daughter, I am 100% confident she will not get into any of my chosen schools and will now be allocated the closest school to my old address with availability. We have lined up a place for her at an independent school close by as a last resort, however I am hoping she will be placed high on the waiting list (using our new address) given that my 1st choice is 0.4m from our new house and the other two schools are 0.3m from our new house.

So my question is - have any of you been through a situation where your child was placed on a waiting list and how did that go for you?

Our area is affluent with two local independent schools so I have my fingers crossed that there are children who are allocated an LA school on offer day but then end up accepting a place at an independent school, so a child on the waiting list will be able to take the place at the LA school.

Failing that she will be starting a private school and I will have to sell my soul to afford it!!

Thanks in advance.

It is a low birth year so you may be okay.

Have you looked at the admissions data for previous years to see if your top three choices were oversubscribed in previous years?

In my experience between offer day and the start of September there tends to be plenty of shuffling around and your present address will count for the waiting lists now.

very low birth year/lack of immigration
I have seen lists for 1 LA and some very surprising schools with spaces!

Hi thanks for your replies.

What makes you say it’s a low birth year?

@Haylie515b

Hi thanks for your replies.

What makes you say it’s a low birth year?

On the basis of when you child was born to be starting school this September. We’ve had lots of low birth years and the spaces for children haven’t been reduced, therefore, there is often fewer waiting lists.

I am not surprised they are insisting on using your old address. However, I am surprised they are refusing to give sibling priority based on a step-sibling. It depends exactly what their admission arrangements say, but you may have a very good case for appeal if you don't get a place at the school attended by the step-sibling.

@prh47bridge I argued that my step daughter lives with us half the week and even provided letters from her mother and my partner’s family confirming that, however the LA said that because her address reg at the GP and at school was her mum’s address that means that she is classed as living at her mum’s address ‘normally’ and not ours. Hence the sibling link couldn’t be applied in this case. I said it’s not like we are out of catchment and we trying to beat the system, we bought a house 0.4 miles away and the girls have been sisters since they were babies when my partner and I met we are just trying to ensure they go to the same school for their well-being and also ease of drop off/pick ups, however this was not good enough apparently.
I even spoke to a solicitor shortly after I found this out who said that infant class size appeals are very hard to win but to try and appeal anyway (which we will) but I think my strongest chance at the moment is the waiting list as my daughter should place quite high on all three due to distance, but who knows!

Without knowing which LA we are talking about it is impossible to say anything definitive. I can understand where they are coming from, but that doesn't mean they are right. If you would like to PM me with the name of the school and LA involved, I will be happy to give an opinion.