Help! We want second choice of school

[AnaMRT]

I’m looking for some advice please. My DD attends a school that’s further away from where we live. When I was pregnant and applying for schools for my middle son I panicked about how I would do the school run and wanted to transfer her to the school that’s closer to us. Therefore I put down the school near us as first choice and the school my daughter attends as the second choice. Since then I have found out how bad the school next to us is (we moved here not long ago) and have changed my mind. I just found out my son got in my first choice school which is the school next to us. Do I accept and ask to be put down on the waiting list for the second choice school where my daughter attends? Or do I turn it down then hope to get my second choice? Any advice will be greatly appreciated!

You should accept the place then ask to go on the waiting list

If you turn it down they don't have to offer an alternative school

I would accept what’s given and then go on the waiting list, you may shoot right up to the list as a sibling priority

Yes, accept, and then go on the waiting list. I would imagine you will be pretty high up as siblings is normally a high up criteria, which you should be able to check on the school website.

Don't turn the offer you have down, it won't affect your waiting list position at all and risks you being school less in Sept if you don't happen to get a spot.

Accept the place you've been offered, or you may end up with no place at all - if you turn one down they're not obliged to find you another.

You can ask to go on the waiting list for your second choice school. You may find you are relatively near the top of it, depending on where any "sibling rule" comes in the criteria, which may mean you get offered a place in due course; there are often changes as people relocate, decide to go private, appeal for a school they preferred, etc. How much change there is does vary from area to area; if you ask the school they may be able to give you an idea of how much the waiting list usually moves.

You may also want to do some more research about the nearer school - beware just taking the word of one or two disgruntled parents, or reading too much into results which might reflect the intake more than the quality of the teaching. It might indeed be terrible, but it might not be!

Thanks ladies! I appreciate the replies! Do contact my daughters school directly and ask them to be put on their waiting list?

@AnaMRT

Thanks ladies! I appreciate the replies! Do contact my daughters school directly and ask them to be put on their waiting list?

No, contact the LA, as they will still be co-ordinating at the moment.

Okay thank you so much!