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Do I accept primary school offer

12 replies

pizzanoodle · 17/04/2025 05:33

We have been offered second choice for primary school. We are happy but would ideally want first choice. It's our first time applying so not sure how the process works. Do we accept our second choice offer? And then even if we accept the second choice we will be automatically on the waiting list for the first choice?

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JustAnotherDayWorkingAtHome · 17/04/2025 05:37

Yes you must accept 2nd choice to stay in process. You need to ask I think you to be put in waiting list for 1st school it doesn’t happen automatically.

PurBal · 17/04/2025 05:39

https://www.gov.uk/schools-admissions/school-waiting-lists it’s all on the government website, different council areas differ slightly. Eg we don’t accept our place, it’s automatic so if you want to decline it you have to contact admissions. What does your council say?

School admissions

Get a place for your child at a primary or secondary school - applications, deadlines, admission criteria, appeals and complaints.

https://www.gov.uk/schools-admissions/school-waiting-lists

TeenToTwenties · 17/04/2025 05:45

Absolutely accept. To reject would be madness.

ClassicalCola123 · 17/04/2025 07:23

If you don’t accept that could leave you without a place! As pp said - it would be madness. Accepting will not affect your place on wait list. LAs are different- i would call the school directly.

BoleynMemories13 · 17/04/2025 08:00

As above, you absolutely must accept the offer (check how you do this, some LAs require you to officially accept with either them or the school, some assume you are accepting the place unless you let them know otherwise).

It would be madness not to accept something, even if you're not overly happy, as it would leave you without any place at all, but it would especially be madness as you say you are happy with what you have been given anyway. Any place is better than no place and accepting it does not mean you can't go on the waiting list for other schools. No place at all means you may end up eventually having to take something miles away. Admissions only have to help you find a place once, and they've done that (your second place no less, some don't even get that!). They won't help you again if you reject the place, you'd be on your own.

It works differently in each LA re waiting lists. Some you go on automatically for any preference school listed higher than the one you got, others you have to ask to go on it (it's not first come first served so no immediate rush, you're all ranked according to the admissions criteria for that school, so can move up or down the list depending on who else goes on or off the list. Second round of admissions is not until May, then there'll be another round in June and then July). The information for what you need to do regarding waiting lists should be on your LA website.

Wait it out. You may get lucky between now and September as plenty of people do move about. Depending on where you are, some who have been offered a place at the school you want may turn it down to go private, some may move out of the area and no longer require that space etc (but likewise, other people may move in and live closer, moving higher up the waiting list than your child). If you don't get offered a place, be thankful you've been given your second preference which you are satisfied with. I'm sure your child will be fine wherever they end up.

Emilienne · 17/04/2025 08:01

We automatically get added to the waiting list for schools above but each council is different. All the information should be on the website for yours.

LIZS · 17/04/2025 08:05

You may be assumed to accept by default or you may have to actively accept. Likewise you may be automatically added to wl for higher preferences. The letter should makeit clear. Either way do not decline the place you have.

pizzanoodle · 17/04/2025 10:32

super helpful! thank you everyone. as you all suggested, I have now accepted the offer. I'm at haringey and it looks like we'll be automatically placed on the waiting list.

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Alexandrababy1 · 17/04/2025 14:32

the same thing happened to us, you can call admissions and find out what number you are on the waiting list which is good x

pblpieng · 17/04/2025 19:03

Alexandrababy1 · 17/04/2025 14:32

the same thing happened to us, you can call admissions and find out what number you are on the waiting list which is good x

Hi, just wondering if I can ask admission about the number now or I have to wait.

Alexandrababy1 · 17/04/2025 20:59

@pblpieng you can ask now x

MarchingFrogs · 23/04/2025 19:16

Remember that waiting lists are dynamic - they must be ranked according to the same oversubscription criteria as the original allocation of places and late applicants must not be further penalised by not being added into the list in their correct place according to those criteria. So you could be e.g. 3rd on a waiting list tomorrow morning, bumped down to 5th on Friday if two DC in a higher criterion join the list, or move up to 2nd without any places having become available if the parents of one of the two above you decides that they no longer want a place if one did come up and takes their DC's name off the list.

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