Primary school waiting lists (Lewisham?)

[DarlingClementine85]

Hello! A question about waiting lists! We got our third choice of primary school last week and we're not so happy. I had meant to swap third and fourth schools but decided not to because the fourth place school is a longer walk (25 mins rather than 8 mins). Having got the results, I'm realising that I should have. I've contacted the council today and asked to have that choice reinstated and go on the waiting list. I'm also on the waiting list for first and second choice automatically. First and second choices are miles better than our allocated school.

I guess my question is, does anyone have any experience with school waiting lists, especially in the Lewisham / Bromley area? Do they move fast? We're bottom of the list apart from distance because no siblings etc etc but not sure of actual place until the end of May.

After a visit to our allocated school last week I'm increasingly uneasy about it (rough kids, witnessed aggression and bad language in the Reception class just on our short visit! no Ofsted report as it's now an academy, bad local reputation, don't know anyone who's kids go there. I knew this before I put the choice down but honestly thought we'd get first or second choice as we're well within the distance usually covered, at least in the last few years so they must have had so many more applications this year 😩) and I'm desperate to get our child into one of the other schools. I know I can't hurry up the waiting process but I'd love some hope if anyone has any?

How many metres are you from the first 2 schools?

Sorry pressed send too soon- my daughter went to primary in Lewisham. The school catchment was 0.1 of a mile so about 100 metres. She only got a place as we moved mid year 2 to 0.5 miles away and there was a space

I think it really depends on the Ofsted rating of the school and also the demographics of the area. Some schools in bromley have a wider catchment as it is geographically more spread out than central lewisham

catchments have increased in many inner london primaries but obviously individual schools will vary. the school my dc in had a tiny catchment, it's much bigger now. normally there is movement but it happens quite late eg beginning of sept

@tearsandtiaras First choice is 0.7 miles, second choice is 0.5 miles away. I'm aware that's often not close enough in London 😩 Our second choice has offered furthest distance between 1.2 and 0.8 miles in recent years, but always above 0.7. They're both outstanding and very popular schools. But for some reason I was so hopeful!

I just wish I'd put a little more thought into swapping third and fourth. I went by convenience and feel of the school, but our third choice didn't have many kids in on open day and the head made a great job of bigging up the school and all the progress they'd made. I was comparing this to fourth choice who actually had kids there so wasn't projecting the perfect image. But having now seen the school with the kids in, I'm realising I made the wrong choice! I've never heard such aggressive swearing from five year olds! But is this normal in most primary schools? Maybe I'm out of touch!

I know someone who was in waiting list for 2 years - school was Brindishe Manor. Good luck x