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Original poster

Primary School Admissions 2025 waitlist

45 replies

Alexandrababy1 · 16/04/2025 14:43

Hi everyone!

We got our catchment school place today but we were waitlisted for our first choice. I really wanted my DD to go to the first one and the catchment literally finished the road away from ours.

We have been told she is number 5 on the list but this can change, she can go up or down depending on different factors.

Has anyone had any luck getting a place after being on the waitlist? and when were you told?

I'm really grateful she managed to get a place at our catchment school because I know it's not been like that for everyone but we had our hearts set on our first choice,

Anyone been through the same thing?

Thanks!

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DuckBee · 16/04/2025 14:46

My friends son got his 1st choice 6 weeks after term started and he had already started at a different school so just go with the flow.

careerandfam · 16/04/2025 14:49

A few years back we got offered our first choice school a few days before term started. Originally we had been way back on the waitlist like number 15. Good luck :)

SereneLion · 16/04/2025 14:56

It will depend how large the intake is. If it's one for entry then there will be less likelihood of 5 places coming free, an intake of 60 or 90 will increase the odds. Also remember your place on the waiting list can go down if another child/children who live closer or are otherwise higher up the priority list is added to the waiting list.

1SillySossij · 16/04/2025 15:02

At a bit of a tangent, but 'waitlist' makes my teeth itch. Unless you are in the US, she's on a 'waiting list'

mummymummymummummum · 16/04/2025 15:03

We got offered our first choice 3 months after offer day. We were 1st on the waiting list though. There is movement, especially in the next few months. Some will elect to take a private school place, some may be moving away and have no intention of actually attending. Others may just not turn up in September! (Yes, really!)

TheNightingalesStarling · 16/04/2025 15:16

When DD1 was starting Primary, we got our first choice on allocation day. At the end of June, DH discovered his job was relocating 200 miles away, so we gave up her place and she went to school in a completely different country.

People do move house (both away and into catchment). Your first choice won't be everyone's first choice. Some will choose private school.
Its a "how long is a piece of string" question but it can happen.

Original poster
Alexandrababy1 · 16/04/2025 15:30

thank you everyone! really appreciate your responses.

I think I can keep checking her status on the list every few weeks so I'll just keep my fingers crossed for now and hope for the best!

OP posts:
Charmatt · 16/04/2025 17:04

1SillySossij · 16/04/2025 15:02

At a bit of a tangent, but 'waitlist' makes my teeth itch. Unless you are in the US, she's on a 'waiting list'

Can I add another? Choice.....you don't get a choice, you can express a preference. The School Admissions Code doesn't contain the word, 'choice', anywhere!

Tattletail · 16/04/2025 17:19

Yeh last year my DD was way way down the list on her first option but was offered a place a few days after the waiting lists opened 🙌🏼

SereneLion · 16/04/2025 17:19

Charmatt · 16/04/2025 17:04

Can I add another? Choice.....you don't get a choice, you can express a preference. The School Admissions Code doesn't contain the word, 'choice', anywhere!

Show quote history

I think choice in this context is a shorter way of saying 'The school we put as preference No 1' Everyone knows you can choose not to list particular schools, you can choose which order of preference you put the schools on the form.

Charmatt · 16/04/2025 17:23

SereneLion · 16/04/2025 17:19

I think choice in this context is a shorter way of saying 'The school we put as preference No 1' Everyone knows you can choose not to list particular schools, you can choose which order of preference you put the schools on the form.

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Every phone call I've fielded today has mentioned them not getting their 'choice'. It's so frustrating as the continued use of the word leads some to believe they truly do have a choice.

SereneLion · 16/04/2025 17:38

Charmatt · 16/04/2025 17:23

Every phone call I've fielded today has mentioned them not getting their 'choice'. It's so frustrating as the continued use of the word leads some to believe they truly do have a choice.

Show quote history

I can appreciate that must be very frustrating for you. I agree that people should understand that it is a preference.

mumwithallthebooks · 16/04/2025 17:48

We are gutted with our allocated school so will sit on the waiting lists for our higher preference schools and keep praying!

SereneLion · 16/04/2025 17:56

mumwithallthebooks · 16/04/2025 17:48

We are gutted with our allocated school so will sit on the waiting lists for our higher preference schools and keep praying!

Was the allocated school one you put on your list of preferences?

mumwithallthebooks · 16/04/2025 19:02

SereneLion · 16/04/2025 17:56

Was the allocated school one you put on your list of preferences?

Show quote history

Yes it was our 6th choice as we thought it was better to use all the slots but it will be very difficult for us to access as I'm disabled and it is far from us. We knew though that this would be a likely outcome as our address sits outside just about every catchment!

Original poster
Alexandrababy1 · 16/04/2025 19:03

@mumwithallthebooks got my fingers crossed for you!

I was a bit gutted with ours too, our catchment school is lovely but you know when you have your heart set on something.

Have you found out what number you are on the waiting list? you can call admissions or email them and they'll let you know x

OP posts:
viques · 16/04/2025 19:36

Alexandrababy1 · 16/04/2025 15:30

thank you everyone! really appreciate your responses.

I think I can keep checking her status on the list every few weeks so I'll just keep my fingers crossed for now and hope for the best!

Don’t forget that anyone joining the waiting list will take preference over your child if their admission criteria trumps yours.

By all means stay on the waiting list but don’t rely on it, and I am sure you know to accept the place you have been offered so that you have a guaranteed place for September.

Good luck.

mumwithallthebooks · 16/04/2025 22:18

Alexandrababy1 · 16/04/2025 19:03

@mumwithallthebooks got my fingers crossed for you!

I was a bit gutted with ours too, our catchment school is lovely but you know when you have your heart set on something.

Have you found out what number you are on the waiting list? you can call admissions or email them and they'll let you know x

No that's my plan for tomorrow but some of the schools on our list are single form entries with tiny catchments so we knew luck was not on our side! Thank you though for your kind words.
Also sorry @Charmatt I meant preference but you've got me saying choice now too!

Lid9 · 30/04/2025 15:45

Tattletail · 16/04/2025 17:19

Yeh last year my DD was way way down the list on her first option but was offered a place a few days after the waiting lists opened 🙌🏼

Who gets in touch in those cases, the school or the council? And how - by email or phone?
thanks!

Tattletail · 30/04/2025 16:31

@Lid9 we had an online portal with the council that I logged into which was where I first found out, it said something like "place offered" next to the school on our waiting list. I then called the school the next day and they confirmed it.

A few days later I received an official letter from both the school and council.

Roseallday15 · 01/05/2025 07:33

Please can I jump on this thread as I am going out of my mind. We are in Surrey and got our second choice on National offer day. In Surrey you can’t find out your waiting list place until 14 May but they have released the allocation data today. We are 177m out of the distance due to a bumper sibling year, it normally anywhere between 20-27 and this year it was 33! There were no other categories, just siblings and distance. Gutted as this was the first year in the data we hadn’t got in. We know at least one person above us but just still terribly upset 2 weeks later. It’s all
i can think about! It’s PAN 60 by the way so 27 distance spaces were offered. Just hoping for moral support!

Lid9 · 01/05/2025 10:33

Tattletail · 30/04/2025 16:31

@Lid9 we had an online portal with the council that I logged into which was where I first found out, it said something like "place offered" next to the school on our waiting list. I then called the school the next day and they confirmed it.

A few days later I received an official letter from both the school and council.

Was the online eAdmission?

Hoppinggreen · 01/05/2025 10:35

Alexandrababy1 · 16/04/2025 15:30

thank you everyone! really appreciate your responses.

I think I can keep checking her status on the list every few weeks so I'll just keep my fingers crossed for now and hope for the best!

Just to be aware you could drop down the list as well as move up but hopefully that won't happen.
If all else fails you do seem to have an acceptable school secured anyway

Original poster
Alexandrababy1 · 01/05/2025 14:18

Hi @Roseallday15
So sorry to hear you didn't get first preference, we are the same. I've called admissions most days checking what number she is. Apparently it's changes towards the end of may but the last person I spoke to on the phone was really negative and basically told me not to hold my breath. We're number 5 on the waiting list x

OP posts:
Tattletail · 01/05/2025 14:45

@Lid9 no it wasn't eAdmission.