Page 2 | Changed my mind.

Ella978 · 2023-04-12T06:57:02+00:00

Good Morning, I wondered if anyone had any experience or insight regarding my situation. my daughter is due to start primary school in September. I applied for her places on time. A few weeks ago I changed my mind ( my fault I know) I now want her to go to the school her older sibling goes to rather than the closet. I contacted admissions and they said it was too late and nothing they could do and I would have to try again after offer day. I have repeated emailed asking how ti go about this and what is the best way to contact them, however I have still had no response. I have seen online there’s an option for a late application, would I be best filling in one for those for him, or just waiting for offer day and then contacting then again and hoping someone responds to me this time? I have no experience with this. Thank you

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TeenDivided · 12/04/2023 09:02

Ella978 · 12/04/2023 08:57

I did actually put the school I want her at as my third choice at the time. I’m not sure if that’ll go in my favour or not.
move emailed the head telling him I wasn’t able to change my preferences (he was the one who suggested I tried that) and I will email admissions once more, asking if they’ll clarify how I go about getting him on a waiting list after school places have been offered. Thank you

There isn't any 'go in your favour'. It is pure algorithm.
You don't get a place because you really want it.

Personally I wouldn't waste everyone's time in appealing unless you have reasons that meet the ICS appeal criteria which are very stringent. (A different matter if not ICS).

Original poster

Ella978 · 12/04/2023 09:06

Thank you! I wouldn’t have appealed at all, changing my mind is certainly not a good enough reason in my opinion.
I just want to know who to contact after the offer is made, so that if there is still a space available for her still that I have the best chance of securing it for her before September.

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Original poster

Ella978 · 12/04/2023 09:07

I would just kick myself if I didn’t at least try!

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Original poster

Ella978 · 12/04/2023 12:12

Just received another unhelpful response from admissions after I emailed again asking the best way and who to make contact with to be placed on a waiting list after offer day. Basically saying refer back to the previous email we cannot change anything until after offer day, so still no info about what to do on Monday. Hopefully they’ll be more helpful once an offer has been received.

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KirkST · 12/04/2023 12:43

The most respected poster on these admission threads is prh47bridge who advised as such above. Follow the advice.

TeenDivided · 12/04/2023 12:45

If you are lucky you may find you got allocated 3rd place school anyway.

Original poster

Ella978 · 12/04/2023 12:52

KirkST · 12/04/2023 12:43

The most respected poster on these admission threads is prh47bridge who advised as such above. Follow the advice.

Yes, that’s exactly what I am going to do.
I just wanted them to clarify with me who I am to contact, after the offer whether it’s them via the email address I have, if there’s another email I should use, if it’s best to call them. Or whether I’m best contacting the school. I did not ask to change my preferences, as I am aware that’s not an option. However they don’t seem to want to tell me who I am to contact currently, so I’ll just have to wait and see on Monday.

yes 3rd place allocation would be amazing, can’t see it happening though as my first place choice was our catchment area school and isn’t oversubscribed. Will keep hopeful! Many thanks all.

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Lougle · 12/04/2023 12:57

Ella978 · 12/04/2023 08:57

I did actually put the school I want her at as my third choice at the time. I’m not sure if that’ll go in my favour or not.
move emailed the head telling him I wasn’t able to change my preferences (he was the one who suggested I tried that) and I will email admissions once more, asking if they’ll clarify how I go about getting him on a waiting list after school places have been offered. Thank you

The second and third place preferences will be irrelevant if you get given your first place.

Original poster

Ella978 · 12/04/2023 13:02

Yes I know 😥and I can’t see why a place wouldn’t be offered there, as it’s our catchment area, they all ready go to the nursery and it’s not usually oversubscribed.
Im just hoping come Monday or soon after I can finally get on a waiting list for the school I am hoping for, so I’ll at least feel like I have done all I can do.

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DrHousecuredme · 12/04/2023 13:26

Ella978 · 12/04/2023 12:12

Just received another unhelpful response from admissions after I emailed again asking the best way and who to make contact with to be placed on a waiting list after offer day. Basically saying refer back to the previous email we cannot change anything until after offer day, so still no info about what to do on Monday. Hopefully they’ll be more helpful once an offer has been received.

Well yes they will be unhelpful with you because as they and several posters on here have carefully explained, there is nothing anybody can do now until the places are offered.
Then you follow the instructions given about what to do if you're unhappy with your school choice.

Please stop hassling people who can't change this for you now. I do get that it's stressful but as pp have explained, it's not up to any one person to decide where your child goes it's an algorithm. So you won't get bumped up the list because you've phoned more and sent more emails than others.

Original poster

Ella978 · 12/04/2023 13:36

I literally only asked them who I was to contact after the offer so I can be ready ahead of time, as I asked in my original email a month ago and was not responded to. I did not ask them to do anything, as I am fully aware there’s nothing that can be done. So one further email a month later - I wouldn’t exactly call that hassling them.

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viques · 17/04/2023 08:42

@Ella978

I hope you have got your offer of a place even if it isn’t the one you want.

Your first step should be to accept the place offered, this means that your child has a secured place for September, whatever happens. You can withdraw from this place at any time if you decided to home school, or had another offer later after being on a waiting list. Having a confirmed place does not stop you going on waiting lists for other schools.

Next step is to go on the waiting list for the preferred school. Be patient , remember that schools or the admission authority will be waiting for those offered places to confirm or deny them before they know how many places they have free, if any. Once you are on the waiting list then the same admission criteria apply, so even if you are at the top an application higher up the criteria will go ahead of you.

good luck

Original poster

Ella978 · 17/04/2023 14:23

Sooo….they did eventually respond and told me not to apply as a late applicant, but because the school I want was all ready on my list, that I should email them after I received my offer to tell them I would like to change my first preference. Which I have done.

The head teacher has also emailed saying we have 3 spaces, so be fast and apply as a late applicant. However after showing him what I had received from admissions, he said oh - I don’t think you need to then so fingers crossed.

so now I’m just waiting hearing back as to whether they are now letting me change my preferred option and he will get a place….it’s been a long wait all ready….and I doubt I’ll hear back today. Still keeping everything crossed.

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BendingSpoons · 17/04/2023 14:35

That's great news. 3 spaces and you have a sibling link, so you should get one. It will probably take a little while to sort out when Admissions are busy but fingers crossed not too long.

Original poster

Ella978 · 17/04/2023 15:15

I’m really hoping so! Keeping everything crossed. I’ll update either way. Thanks for all the info and advice 😊

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Original poster

Ella978 · 21/04/2023 09:35

We got a place!! So happy and emotional now 😊

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TeenDivided · 21/04/2023 09:37

Super.

Lougle · 21/04/2023 10:57

That's great. So glad for you.

DrHousecuredme · 21/04/2023 16:17

Ella978 · 21/04/2023 09:35

We got a place!! So happy and emotional now 😊

Glad it all worked out!

shinesparklesmile · 22/04/2023 16:21

@Ella978 thats great!

Nonstop24 · 19/01/2024 13:57

@Ella978 hi, sorry I know this is an old post. But I am going through the school admission process for reception this year and saw your post. I too am wondering if I should have put my second choice as first. My current second choice is actually the one in catchment area.
It looks like you got the place you wanted but before the waiting list opened? How did that work….was it because there were spaces after the first offers were made? Or did they put you in the first pool of offers(ie change your choices around)? Thanks

Original poster

Ella978 · 19/01/2024 16:07

There were spaces left, only 2….and as it was on my list all ready they allowed her to have one before they opened the waiting ☺️

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prh47bridge · 19/01/2024 16:16

Nonstop24 · 19/01/2024 13:57

@Ella978 hi, sorry I know this is an old post. But I am going through the school admission process for reception this year and saw your post. I too am wondering if I should have put my second choice as first. My current second choice is actually the one in catchment area.
It looks like you got the place you wanted but before the waiting list opened? How did that work….was it because there were spaces after the first offers were made? Or did they put you in the first pool of offers(ie change your choices around)? Thanks

Always put your choices in your correct order of preference. If you don't, you are damaging your chances of getting the school you want.

Let's say you really want school A but put school B as first choice and school A as second choice. If there is a place available at school B, you won't be offered school A. However, if you put school A first, if there is a place available it will be offered to you. If there isn't a place at school A, your chances of getting aa place at school B are not affected by the fact you made it your second choice. Contrary to what many people think, they don't prioritise people who name the school as first choice.

Scotcheggsontoast · 19/01/2024 19:35

Nonstop24 · 19/01/2024 13:57

@Ella978 hi, sorry I know this is an old post. But I am going through the school admission process for reception this year and saw your post. I too am wondering if I should have put my second choice as first. My current second choice is actually the one in catchment area.
It looks like you got the place you wanted but before the waiting list opened? How did that work….was it because there were spaces after the first offers were made? Or did they put you in the first pool of offers(ie change your choices around)? Thanks

Do you still prefer your first preference school? If so there's nothing to worry about, if you get a place there great, if you don't then you'll have as much chance getting into the second choice one as you would if you had put it first choice.

Scotcheggsontoast · 19/01/2024 19:36

The schools don't know which preference you put them down as and don't use that in deciding who to offer spaces to, it's the council who then use your list to work out which of your offered places to tell you about/ give you.