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Original poster

Primary School waiting lists, Any positive stories?

34 replies

Modernfamily2011 · 12/05/2023 19:57

Does anyone have any positive stories about the primary school waiting lists? We were offered our 3rd choice in April and have missed out today on the continual interest list and we are devastated….
I’m not sure where we are on the waiting list as yet although i’m not entirely sure that matters as you can move up and down frequently
Our devastation is mainly due to the fact that we were told by the school that we would have no issues getting a place!! We are 1.9km from the school and currently the furthest child offered a place is 1.19km whereas in previous years gone by it’s been between 4.5 and 5km
Our child is the only child (that we know of) to not get a place out of his class in nursery..
I’m not sure whether we have been very unlucky and to try and be positive or just accept that we might not get a place
Does anyone have any good news stories on waiting lists?

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PuttingDownRoots · 13/05/2023 08:00

When my DD was due to start Reception, DHs job suddenly relocated abroad in July (we moved in August). Someone was very happy that day!

h3ll0o · 13/05/2023 08:04

We will be applying for a place this year but it’s as a back up as we’re planning on going private, so it’s highly likely that in 24/25 a child on the waiting list for our school will be offered a place

Original poster
Modernfamily2011 · 13/05/2023 08:30

@h3ll0o - yep, a few of the children have gone privately but they have already dropped their places at another local school so I was hoping for a bit more movement in our school

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Itsanotherhreatday · 13/05/2023 08:33

If there’s a religious school near by then several can drop their places as it’s a different system.

I don’t think it’s fair you can effectively be offered two places - one religious and one standard school place.

I think MPs should challenge this over the stress it causes parents!

Original poster
Modernfamily2011 · 13/05/2023 08:58

@Itsanotherhreatday - i completely agree, the stress is unbelievable
I had a look at the schools with vacancies yesterday and the majority were religious schools!

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LittleBearPad · 13/05/2023 09:03

Itsanotherhreatday · 13/05/2023 08:33

If there’s a religious school near by then several can drop their places as it’s a different system.

I don’t think it’s fair you can effectively be offered two places - one religious and one standard school place.

I think MPs should challenge this over the stress it causes parents!

No it isn’t, state run Faith schools are part of the same admissions process - they may simply have different admissions criteria.

Private Faith schools will be different but so are non-faith private schools.

OP we were 8th on the list and offered a place in early September if it helps.

DrMarciaFieldstone · 13/05/2023 09:04

My DC went private in the end, so we didn’t take up our first choice offers. Fingers crossed for you, OP.

Original poster
Modernfamily2011 · 13/05/2023 09:16

@LittleBearPad - thank you that does help! I was hoping to hear some v positive stories where people have got places after the first continual interest run… It’s so stressful

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Was126orbustandmaybebust · 13/05/2023 09:29

It does matter where you are on the wait list even though it can change.
Also matters how many classes the school has.
If you are in 10th place at a 90 place school you still stand a chance (it may be mid sept when some people fail to turn up in the first two weeks) but 10th at a 30 place you will need to look elsewhere.

Original poster
Modernfamily2011 · 13/05/2023 09:47

@Was126orbustandmaybebust - the reception year is 60 children but over the last 5 years they have had nowhere near that intake despite a lot of applications
they haven’t had a full intake since before 2018, i’m feeling as though we’ve been very unlucky

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Was126orbustandmaybebust · 13/05/2023 09:58

You can ask the school where your current place is on the list and they will tell you. I suspect they must have a big sibling intake this year.
DD2 was in a year with 32 siblings out of the 60 with many of the first borns in DD1's year - the 2/2.5 years age gap.
You have been very unlucky.
There was those who did not decline the place and it was only when the school had the 'settle in day' in June/July that the families said they had moved/gone elsewhere and also someone who didn't show up on the first day every year too.
Good luck.

Original poster
Modernfamily2011 · 13/05/2023 10:30

@Was126orbustandmaybebust - i will be asking where we are on the list and yes, it is a high intake of siblings…. Shame the school didn’t mention this instead of telling us we’d have no issues getting a place

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Redlorryyellowlorryblue · 13/05/2023 15:42

We originally got 3rd preference. 3 months later we got offered a place. There is a lot of movement. Do you know where you are on the waiting list?

SheilaFentiman · 13/05/2023 16:58

Modernfamily2011 · 13/05/2023 10:30

@Was126orbustandmaybebust - i will be asking where we are on the list and yes, it is a high intake of siblings…. Shame the school didn’t mention this instead of telling us we’d have no issues getting a place

In the school’s defence, unless the nursery is linked to the school, they will not know the number of siblings. As you say, you are well within furthest distance for past years so I can see why someone in the office would have said you’d be fine.

SheilaFentiman · 13/05/2023 16:59

…though really they shouldn’t comment :-(

Original poster
Modernfamily2011 · 13/05/2023 19:21

@Redlorryyellowlorryblue - thank you for this, i’m worried out of my mind and really want to hear stories like this 😊

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LittleBearPad · 14/05/2023 10:58

What is the worst thing that can happen if your DC doesn’t go to this school?

Why are you so worried - it is possible the waitlists won’t move. In the nicest way, you need to figure out how you’re going to deal with that.

TheSnowyOwl · 14/05/2023 11:01

Modernfamily2011 · 13/05/2023 10:30

@Was126orbustandmaybebust - i will be asking where we are on the list and yes, it is a high intake of siblings…. Shame the school didn’t mention this instead of telling us we’d have no issues getting a place

The school wouldn’t have known whether they would be full or not. They should never have promised anyone, even someone living next door, that their space was guaranteed.

You might find that even if your child has to start school somewhere else that another child won’t settle or will be on the waiting list for somewhere else and will move in the first couple of terms. I’d check how long you stay on the waiting list because if it’s the school you want and are prepared to change once starting, you can just keep renewing your place on the waiting list.

Peachlollipop · 14/05/2023 11:09

My child was 7th on the waiting list. She was offered a place in June or July (can’t remember). There are four classes in each year though. Good luck. I remember the stress well.

LIZS · 14/05/2023 11:14

What do you mean by We were offered our 3rd choice in April and have missed out today on the continual interest list

Is you allocated school further away? Unless you are near top of the list you probably need to reconcile yourself to the allocated school and be more positive with your dc.

SheilaFentiman · 14/05/2023 11:25

@LIZS i think some areas run a second batch of offers once they hear back on their first batch. I think that’s what OP means by “and have missed out today on the continual interest list”

SheilaFentiman · 14/05/2023 11:27

Agree though about reconciling to the allocated school. Is it awful? Devastated is quite a strong response.

Original poster
Modernfamily2011 · 14/05/2023 12:40

@LIZS - our allocated school is our closest which is around a 20 min walk! The school we wanted is 1.9km away so a little bit further away, we are within catchment for both… there is a continual interest run in May and June
The school we wanted has not had a full reception class in 5 years which is probably why the school felt everyone would get in

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Original poster
Modernfamily2011 · 14/05/2023 12:41

@Peachlollipop - thank you for that, there are only 2 classes for our school

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Original poster
Modernfamily2011 · 14/05/2023 12:49

@SheilaFentiman - the school isn’t awful but it isn’t what we wanted for our child at this time
i appreciate what you’re saying and I will be asking whether we can go and view the school as well but there are several factors involved here and i honestly feel that he won’t cope very well at our allocated school…
devasted is a strong word but I would say the majority of parents feel exactly the same when they don’t get their chosen school when 99% of everyone we know did
only 1.6% of children in our area didn’t get their 1st and 2nd choice

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