Offer from second choice school, waiting on first choice school

[justaanothermum]

Hi, son has been offered a place at the second choice school. Does this mean we still have to wait for a response from his first choice school, or does it indicate that first chosen school has declined? I'm unsure how to proceed with my reply, as I want to wait for confirmation from first one. Thank you

you should accept the offer so you are not without a school place. In my council I would then automatically be put on the waiting list for any higher ranked schools. You may need to check that's the same in your area.

We just had this, actually forgot to accept a place, emailed them last night accepting the place and apologising for not realising it wasn’t automatic. Then they email me this morning saying we now have our first choice! I am so torn the original school we were offered is a 50m walk away but it’s a proper CofE school including weekly in class time church visits hence we applied for 1st choice 2 miles away. Everyone loves this church school who goes to it, and I feel a bit like we are the black sheep for not wanting a place there. But all round the other school we preferred better spaces, outdoors and more classroom areas and it’s religiously neutral. Seemed like it had more clubs, but it’s sooo hard to tell if their is really such a difference that it’s worth the hassle driving there, but at the same time there’s only 2 other children in our village that actually will be in his year at this church school as everyone else comes in from outside villages. Then the other school our first choice everyone going will 90% from the village, I don’t want to feel like an outsider haha.

Is this a late application?

In our case it wasn’t a late application, but if you don’t get 1st choice (because it’s full) you get whichever school is next on your list, you are supposed to then accept the place but you will end up on a waitlist for your 1st choice that can change over a period of time, in our case for a reception place they’ll leave you on the waitlist until December 2024. I’m guessing if it’s an in year application or even not you can ask to stay on the waitlist beyond the period set.

Does this mean we still have to wait for a response from his first choice school, or does it indicate that first chosen school has declined?
If this is a main round application (to start this September in Reception in a primary, infant or first school, or year 3 in a junior school, or whichever year it is that's the first year in a middle school) or an in-year application where the whole process is handled by the LA, then your first preference school was unable to offer you a place (but you can ask to go on the waiting list, if your DC's name hasn't been added to it automatically). You only get one offer, which will be for a place at the highest ranked of your preferences which has a place, or the nearest undersubscribed school if none of your preferences can be met.

If this is an in-year application and you had to apply to each school individually, you may still get an offer from your higher preference; the Admissions Code says that an application must be responded to within a maximum of fifteen school days.