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Primary education

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Original poster

So nervous for primary school offer!

249 replies

Pinkgrass · 12/04/2023 19:08

Just wanting to feel less alone, I am losing sleep with worry about the primary school my DD will get a place at! We live 0.9 miles from our first choice school however they always have 2/3x the applicants than they offer places so I'm so worried we will just miss out by not living next door 😫

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Original poster
Pinkgrass · 12/04/2023 19:08

5 days to go!!

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AlltheFs · 12/04/2023 19:12

Oh good luck! We have another year yet but I’m already sweating it

I want to see who got in to our preferred school this year to give me an idea. We live really close but it only has 8 places (whole school is less than 60) . Next nearest is 3 miles so it makes a huge difference to us (we can go down to one car if we get this school).

Merlin16 · 12/04/2023 19:13

Do you live in the catchment? Hoping my daughter ends up at the same school as her brother...fingers crossed

Namechange13101 · 12/04/2023 19:20

Same here…would be happy with number 2 choice, but think DD would do better at first choice, we would have got a place at first choice in all of the last 5 years even though it’s slightly further than our choice 2 school but still super nervous 😬

Original poster
Pinkgrass · 12/04/2023 19:30

Merlin16 · 12/04/2023 19:13

Do you live in the catchment? Hoping my daughter ends up at the same school as her brother...fingers crossed

We are just on the edge of it! They offer 60 places in total but last year had 140 applicants 😫 its the only outstanding school in the area so its just luck wether or not we live one of the closest

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Original poster
Pinkgrass · 12/04/2023 19:31

Namechange13101 · 12/04/2023 19:20

Same here…would be happy with number 2 choice, but think DD would do better at first choice, we would have got a place at first choice in all of the last 5 years even though it’s slightly further than our choice 2 school but still super nervous 😬

Yes same we would have got a place last year too!! But the years previously we wouldn't have! Sooooo nervous

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Seriously79 · 12/04/2023 19:31

I've been told it's a very low birth year, and I've got everything crossed x

GiltEdges · 12/04/2023 19:33

It's a low birth year, so your chances are probably good compared to previous years.

LIZS · 12/04/2023 19:34

The 140 will not all necessarily have listed it first.

Original poster
Pinkgrass · 12/04/2023 20:31

Oh I assumed the 140 meant first choice applications? That makes me feel better then if it includes second and third choices! Thank you

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MynameisJune · 12/04/2023 20:34

Nervously waiting here too, her sister already attends but we’re out of catchment.

babeemaybeee · 12/04/2023 20:40

I am also starting to feel quite nervous. We are in London so had to put down six schools and I'd be happy with one of the top four on the list (the other two would be ok) but our first choice is by far the most convenient for school runs. For me it's the worry of getting a school we don't want, especially one that isn't on the list, rather than whether we get the number one choice. Does anyone know how the waiting system list works?

babeemaybeee · 12/04/2023 20:41

MynameisJune · 12/04/2023 20:34

Nervously waiting here too, her sister already attends but we’re out of catchment.

I thought siblings automatically got a place?

Original poster
Pinkgrass · 12/04/2023 20:51

babeemaybeee · 12/04/2023 20:41

I thought siblings automatically got a place?

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Siblings get first refusal at our first choice school but hoping there aren't 60 siblings waiting for a place 😬
Do you think 0.9 miles would usually be close enough?

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Sandrine1982 · 12/04/2023 20:54

Nervous here too. Roll on Monday!

proppy · 12/04/2023 20:56

Where are you OP? many primaries are seeing falling rolls.

babeemaybeee · 12/04/2023 21:01

It's highly unlikely all 60 places will go to siblings, surely even if half of the places went to siblings that would be considered a lot. Re distance I'm not sure as it depends if where you live. Where I am it's a fairly densely populated city so 0.9 is on the bigger side for catchment area for an over subscribed school but in a less densely populated area I guess it wouldn't be big at all.

strawberryblue · 12/04/2023 21:02

Just a heads up my offer email literally came through at midnight!

Aturnipforthebooks · 12/04/2023 21:03

babeemaybeee · 12/04/2023 21:01

It's highly unlikely all 60 places will go to siblings, surely even if half of the places went to siblings that would be considered a lot. Re distance I'm not sure as it depends if where you live. Where I am it's a fairly densely populated city so 0.9 is on the bigger side for catchment area for an over subscribed school but in a less densely populated area I guess it wouldn't be big at all.

Last year, 42 of 60 places went to siblings at our first choice school.

babeemaybeee · 12/04/2023 21:06

@Aturnipforthebooks that's a huge amount! It must have been a year with an unusually high number of siblings?

Aturnipforthebooks · 12/04/2023 21:10

babeemaybeee · 12/04/2023 21:06

@Aturnipforthebooks that's a huge amount! It must have been a year with an unusually high number of siblings?

It was very high last year, but there were more than 30 the year before.

Original poster
Pinkgrass · 12/04/2023 21:10

I am in West Yorkshire

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Pjmasksonrepeat · 12/04/2023 21:11

Thanks for starting a thread OP- I was considering starting one as it's nice to chat with those that understand!

We are just out of catchment for our preferred school although it's our nearest. It's a low birth year but we've had so many new builds go up and no new schools so most are oversubscribed here.

Good luck everyone.

HappyJellyBaby · 12/04/2023 21:11

Yes us too. Three choices and done by distance. First choice is usually 3-5 miles out we are 4 miles away. Second choice 2 miles we are 3 (wasted application really but counting on those falling rolls). Third choice 3.1 miles we are 2.9. Closest schools vary between a bit rubbish and highly undesirable, but all significantly undersubscribed in recent years so we know we have flexibility if we don't get any of the three.

Lots of Londoners with kids moved here in lockdown so weird things are going on with admissions not explained by the birth rate.

Waiting list varies by area I think, we have to ring the LA. Apparently ours moved quite a lot up to September over the last few years.

I'll be up at midnight for the email.

Original poster
Pinkgrass · 12/04/2023 21:12

We live in a quietish town, mostly older people not a lot of young families around. The problem is its the only outstanding rated school within miles and miles so sees a lot of applicants thats what is making me anxious to know there is most likely way more applicants than places to offer so its mostly a distance game with priority going to siblings first

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