Reception September 2026

[cananyonehelpme36]

With the outcomes due tomorrow for this cohort it’s getting me thinking for next year!

I really don’t like any primaries in our immediate catchment. There are two lovely infant schools out of catchment. School A is 1.2m and school B is 1.5m. School A are currently advertising they have spaces for 2025 so wonder if there is a trend for low numbers next year too.

School C option is private.

in terms of applications, is it ok to put only the 2 out of catchment schools or do I have to put a close one too? I’m worried that that will mean they’ll automatically give us that one whereas if I restrict it to A and B we could at least go on a waiting list?

That's not how it works. You'll be given a place at your highest preference school if you meet their entry requirements (usually LAC first, sibling, then distance). If not because, as you say you're too far away and the school are full before they reach you on distance criteria, then the LA apply the same criteria against your next preference and so on until you're offered a place. So, yes you may not get a place at your top preferred choice school and instead be allocated your third or fourth choice but if you don't use all your choices, there's a chance you'll end up at a school much further away as you'll be put wherever there are places because you've not stated any further preferences beyond those two. Not a risk worth taking! And yes you can join waiting lists once allocations have been made and there is usually a fair bit of movement before September. Hope that helps but get on your LA website and read up on their allocation process as it can differ county to county.

Ok thanks. Just seems futile to put choices 3-6 down if you’d never want to accept them!

Use the coming Autumn term to visit all realistic options, even those you think you don't want due to reputation. You may be pleasantly surprised. Better to do your research properly, than moan about being given your local school when you haven't even visited. You'd be amazed how many kick off over getting their most local school, which they'd written off due to reputation, but end up perfectly happy there. Do your own research, don't let other people's opinions sway you as everyone's experiences are different.

Always put your most local school as a back up option, no matter how much you don't want it. It's always better to be given a place at something you can realistically get to, while you wait for a place at your preferred schools, than risk being given something miles away.

If you meet the criteria of School A or B you'll be given a place, even if you put your most local school as a back up option. You won't be given that, ahead of A or B, just because it's more local to you, if it's further down your list. It doesn't work like that. You will be considered against the criteria of your first choice first. If you meet it, you'll get it. If you don't, you are considered against the criteria for your second choice, and so on. If you're given your most local, it would be because you didn't get in to School A or B. If you don't apply to any other schools, and don't get in to A or B, you will be given a place at the nearest school with space. If you're lucky, this will be your most local school, if less people applied than they have spaces for. If they fill their spaces through people who applied, you won't be offered it despite it being your most local. People who listed it as a preference, in whatever position, will always have priority.

Your nearest school with space could be miles away. Always have that local back up just in case.

You accept them as a place saver. You may not want what you're given, but it's much better to have a space somewhere local (where your child can start until you get a place somewhere you prefer), than risk being left with nothing local. It's a huge risk not to use all your preference choices.

@BoleynMemories13thats helpful thank you

I understand! But it's really important you also accept the place you're given on allocation day otherwise you again could end up absolutely anywhere there is place within your LA.

You don’t have to list a close school but run the risk, if neither ooc school has a place for you, of getting allocated a random one with spaces further away if nearer schools are full. Might be better to choose at least one you are ok-ish with as a default starting point.

Read the entry requirements for your county. It will very likely be done in order of preference, so school A, then B, then C (if you make C the local school). You’d get a place in A if there are places but if there are people who also have it as first choice or are closer (or meet the other criteria, such as looked after children or siblings at the school) then they will get the places and you’d then be in the running for school B. Again, that depends how many others have chosen it and how far away etc they are.

It’s very very risky not putting your local school down. If you don’t get a place at the first two, then you haven’t expressed a further preference so you’ll be allocated a space that could be miles
away and a school few people want. Someone at nursery did this as they didn’t understand how the applications worked and thought they’d have to be given A or B if that’s all they put on the form. Ended up with a primary in special measures over the county boundary about five miles away!

Visit as many school open days as you can. School reputations don’t always match the reality. I found some people’s attitudes were outdated eg a new head had joined since their kid left and it was now a very different school. And others may have different priorities. Some people at toddler group were raving about one school but we went round and thought it was terrible! Try to visit all of the ones you’ll put on the form to get an informed view.

Good luck!

Ok thanks for all the advice. Will put School A, then B as our preferences and C will be a local school. However, if we don’t get A or B we’ll probably go private. But yes to lots of open days!

Have you checked what you need to get a place at a local private school? Some will have waiting lists and will have expected you to already have the child’s name down or that they’re in the preschool of the private school.

Thanks dc is already in the nursery at the private school.

Just so you're aware, you will only have one school that you're in the catchment for. So even if you put down one of the 'local' schools as you call it might not be your catchment school.

I definitely feel being within walking distance of school is such a huge bonus.

2026 cohort was a low birth rate as it was after COVID people were scared to get pregnant in 2020 and 2021 you'll have a better chance in getting what you want

Just to clarify, you don’t get priority for putting a school first. There is an ‘equal preference’ system and the only time the order matters is if you are eligible for a place in more than one school you listed, in which case you will be offered the one you listed higher. Everyone who listed a school, whether in first, second, or sixth place, is put in order of how well they meet the admissions criteria, and the top 30 (or whatever the PAN is) are eligible for places. This is then rejigged to remove anyone who is also eligible for a higher-placed school, and others move up, until everyone has a place at the highest preference school possible. If someone lists a school sixth but meets the admissions criteria better than someone who lists it first (e.g. by living nearer), then the person who listed it sixth will get the place above the one who listed it first.

Therefore, the advice is to list the schools in your genuine order of preference, including somewhere one that you can be fairly sure of a place at if possible.

Most schools don't have catchments.

They prioritise normally something along the lines of:

1. Sen and looked after children
2. Siblings
3. Everyone else

And within each category priority is normally distance.

People often refer to being in catchment, when really they mean close enough that they'd normally get into that school if they're in the bottom category.
So it's more than possible that where you live you would normally get into more than one school -or in some cases, none.

For example when we applied for primary we'd normally get into school a (our closest), School C , and schools E and F.
Our second closest (school B) we would have stood no chance as furthest distance was measured in metres not miles, and school D we'd have got in some years, but not others but E and F were never full.
Now (20 years later) we'd get into A and B but not C. D has moved locations but isn't normally full (although getting fuller each year) so we'd get into D, E we wouldn't have a chance, but F still is normally not full

Just to add re a "safe" school. Our closest school is a consistently undersubscribed, Ofsted "requires improvement" two form entry. Last year it took about 40 children against a PAN of 60, and that is a consistent historic trend. Imo that's the one situation where its worth using all your choices on your "aspirational" schools because you won't end up miles away even if you don't get any of the schools you listed.

Otherwise, yes, use all your choices and make sure you have a decent backstop option.

Thanks all. I’m struggling to decide which to rank first or second though as they each have their positives and negatives.