School allocations coming up!

[Inyournewdress]

I was wondering how everyone is feeling about the upcoming allocations next week, and if anyone has any intelligence about how this year looks?

From what I have heard from a couple of friends who work at primaries, applications were way down which could bode well for some of us. But so many local factors!

I thought I'd read/heard that there were slightly more first babies conceived during the first lockdown, but fewer second/third/etc babies conceived... which would make total sense given that people who already had at least one child were too busy and stressed trying to manage work and childcare to have time or energy for sex! Whereas childless couples might have had more sex during that time I can't remember the source though so it might just be my theory.

It would definitely make sense that there were fewer babies overall conceived during that time. Also, didn't fertility treatment and assisted conception pretty much grind to a halt then, too? So birth rates would have gone down because of that.

My DC2 is a September baby, conceived before the covid announcements and lockdowns (which happened shortly after my 12 week scan). It will be interesting to see the distribution of birthdays in her school year group. I wouldn't be at all surprised if there were fewer birthdays between December and March.

I feel about sorry for any eldest child families hoping for a space, they may get a nasty shock! I hope there's an alternative school close by!

Good luck to everyone, hope you get what you want. Remember if you don't, waiting lists do move (and its always worth checking there hasn't been a mistake,they are rare but they do happen)

Yes, we were due to start fertility treatment in April 2020 and everything stopped before we started. We were called back in Aug 2020 but not sure if that was when things reopened or whether we had to wait our turn to be called as others came in before us.

Nervously awaiting here too. 1st choice is our closest school but we're about 8 houses out of catchment. It's generally an oversubscribed school, one form entry and outstanding Ofsted ratings, teachers been there years yada yada, but BR lower here slightly and last year they were still promoting spaces on FB in December so definitely keeping fingers crossed. 2nd choice is also out of catchment but head did say 50% of the current cohort are out of catchment so think we stand good stead there. The catchment school we have is appalling so really holding out hope for 1st or 2nd choice 🤞

Me! The past couple of days I’ve started to feel very anxious about it but it’s out of my control. Last year 93% got their first choice in my area which I assume is really high? so I’m hoping it’ll be similar this year.

Thank you for this reminder. Does anyone have any advice for what to do in the day if you don't get your first place school but want to be on the waiting list. I understand there is an "accept offer and pursue waiting list" option, but are there calls we should be making/emails we should be writing? Is there any first come first served element to waiting lists or accepting available places at other schools? Thank you so much for any insight

It's different in every area. We don't accept our first choice - it's assumed you are taking it unless you say otherwise. My friend did get a waiting list place about a week before the end of the summer hols last year so there is hope when it happens. Places also often become available 2 or 3 days into term when it becomes clear who is turning up and who isn't.

As a primary school, our intake numbers have been falling over the last few years. Year 2 and above are the only classes who have the normal intake number and we've had to move to split classes for younger children.

Last year we saw 60 y6 leave and 36 reception joined us. This year we are seeing 59 y6 leave and have 32 nursery places applied for so far.

It's dire in terms of keeping staff and classes running.

Waiting lists are held in the same order as entrance criteria. (Siblings, distance, etc). Usually they give it a few weeks to let parents reject a place or ask to be added to a list, then they start allocating places off the list.

The exact process does vary so check the council website.

I've heard they expected there to be less applicants than places at my DDs school, she's currently in the nursery so I do hope she gets in!

I had her April 21, we continued TTC through the initial lockdown as I was late 30s and didn't want to delay it, took a year to conceive as it was!

I know loads of people who got pregnant during covid, I wasn't sure what the national birth rates were until reading this thread so it surprised me a little that they dipped.

How and when on the day do we find out? Will it be an email in the morning or are we supposed to log in to check? I feel so underprepared and also had a bit of a panic just now that I hadn't applied properly so had to check!

Oh just checked, we all get an email. Hoping it's first thing in the morning otherwise I'll be a jittery mess all day.

I'm going to log on the portal and see if anything shows up there before the email too. If we do get our first choice I want to be getting a wrap around request in asap as it's massively oversubscribed!

Oohh ours says available from the website at 00.30!

Yes, lots of parents don’t realise that small class sizes are actually a disaster. I’ve spoken to so many who are like ‘oh there’s only 10 in reception, it’s great, like a private school!’ Er, no. 10 kids instead of 30 means 1/3 of the funding but the staff still need the same pay! it’s a disaster for schools. One near me has space for 60 and got 32. This is presumably the worst possible outcome as due to infant class size rules they’ll have to pay out for 2 teachers despite essentially only getting the funding for 1.

Near me there are 2 schools which share a fence they’re that close (one is catholic). Both one form entry and less than half full in reception/year one. I cannot see that they can both continue to exist long term.

Look at your county council website in the admissions section, there should be a guide explaining how it works in your area.
Ours will automatically put you on the waiting list for any higher preference choices if you get your second or third choice.
We have to accept the place we have been offered (by 30th April) and can still stay on the waiting list for our preferred school(s) and appeal too.

Oh wow. Does it say this on your application portal? I'm in Bristol and I'm not sure there is any information available about when the allocations will be available

@Sensitivelywired it said it in my confirmation email!

I just checked online and our local authority says we will be notified of the outcome in the ‘evening’ on Wednesday, but if not heard by 1930 hrs then log into the portal. It also says we have to reply/respond.

@Sensitivelywired I had to dig through the FAQ section on the eadmissions site to find it

This is so true. So many people on here seem to think a class of 22, for example, is better than 30 as "the kids get more attention" yadayada. So many don't seem to realise how it's a funding disaster for the school if their PAN is 30.

What you describe is becoming a common problem across many primary schools in Britain. Even many graded 'Good' just can't fill their spaces any more, in certain areas.

Anxiously waiting here too!

We live 396m from the school, according to the system, but wouldn't have been close enough in the last two years as still further than the furthest child admitted! The head said they had an unusually high number of siblings so really hoping we're fine. We've got a pretty good chance with our third choice I think but the 7 minute walk to the closest school would really make our lives easier for the next 6 years!

Good luck everyone, maybe see you here after midnight 😂

Probably @Worsthousebeststreet! DH thinks it's mad not to wait for the email but I feel it's been hanging over us for months and just want to know.

Feel a little sad that no matter what we get it won't be with her little nursery besties, they've really gelled recently

That’s good to know, I assumed that with it being the lockdown baby Intake it would be higher?

There wasn't a covid baby boom

All our local schools have falling pupil numbers, which is catastrophic for school budgets.

This, I would be very worried about sending my dc to undersubscribed school.