Is there any way of moving up a waiting list without moving house?

[lalalonglegs]

Apologies to those who are bored to back teeth of the saga of finding dd a school place to start reception in Sep (we have been turned down on distance grounds at four nearest). We have now taken a place at a school which is 2.5 miles away - which in London equates to 40 min drive. We know we don't have strong enough grounds for appeal but is there any way we could wangle our way up the waiting list so that she has more chance of getting place locally in Sep? Can we make late application on grounds of distance (I will also have to drag her younger brother and sister on every journey )?

We (and the people who live round us) all jumped up the waiting list because the LEA (same as yours) miscalculated the distance. If you haven't already done it, literally go out with a pedometer thing and check the distance against what they measured, including all possible shortcuts etc. They admitted to us that they use a computerised system taht is not updated year to year and often misapplied.
2.5 miles seems very far for this area of London. Ask if there's any plans to increase class sizes (that's how we got in).
My friend also moved up because they had misclassified her as a non-Chritian (for a church school obviously)

Best of luck

Agree with measuring distance (think it has to be by shortest lit public route?)
Write to the schools explain your need.
Check that you are on all the suitable waiting lists.
Would you consider St A. or St M.? similar schools in opposite directions I think, maybe go on their lists too you can always say no if offered a place
Ask what happens if a place comes up over the summer (we were unable to get hold of anyone in our oldests school over the holidays-even the day before school started)Good luck

the school may measure distance differently to the LEA. Our LEA and school use as the crow flies ie in a straight line from your door to the school but another local school uses shortest route

The distance appears to be measured correctly (used surveyors wheel on a stick thing) - there aren't any procedural problems as far as I can see otherwise I would be appealing, it's simply the thought of having to get dd to and from this other school every day that is making me crazy. St A and St M equally oversubscribed and we would be further down waiting list as live further away and don't qualify in the first round because we attend HG church rather than their parish churches.

Wrote to my councillors about this and their only suggestion was that I speak to Pupil Services...

Was ST M oversubscribed? It's results were a lot poorer this year I think mind you I think HG were too? Although I think St As were very good.

I do think writing would help and if you would rather use those schools instead of the one far away try their list presumably you would have a suporting letter and you don't have to take the place but since you are now waiting for people to move out/not turn up any chance is better than none

I don't think councillors can do anything , the probelm with school admissions is only going to get worse IMHO
Since you have more then one child you need to get a good school.
Do you have any change in family circs you can write to them about?

Our MP was much more helpful and pro-active than the councillors (who I found to be very dismissive).

When do your schools take over their own waiting list? Then you can appeal direct to them, speak wth the headteacher etc. I know people for who this worked but it was after September. Are you prepared to send your DD to the school far away but then move her if a place comes up at your first choice? If your area is anything like ours, there's lots of movement throughout the first year and the top 40 on the waiting list.

I would still appeal, as at least you get to state your case in person, plus you've got nothing to lose.

sorry it isn't sorted yet lala. have you been ringing up the schools obsessively? and making friends with the secretaries? is dd on the waiting list at your preferred schools, & do you know her position? especially in london, there is a lot of movement on the waiting list before the start of reception, & it's still quite a while until september. also, how big are the intakes at each school -- bigger intake =bigger potential for a fast moving waiting list.

although ds went to our 2nd choice school, it was actually our 1st choice but we lived round the corner so (correctly)assumed we'd get in on distance. about 3 weeks into his 1st term in reception, our 1st choice school rang up & said he'd been on the waiting list & a place had come up & did we want it. ummed & ahhhed but didn't take it, & i'm so pleased we didn't. but this was a very over-subscribed, trendy, middle-class favoured school.

hth a bit.

Yes, trying to tread that very delicate line between showing the school admissions officer we are very keen without actually stalking her; I will write to our MP (he has quite small majority so every vote counts). Each of the two nearest schools - the ones that we could reasonably expect to get into - has only single form entry and we are 4th on both lists but with little chance of much movement at HG, the school we really liked. The school we have got into is really, really good and I would be more than happy for her to go there if it weren't for the horrendous journey each day and the fact that she will have little chance of getting a close circle of friends who she will be able to visit after school or at weekends.

I know there's nothing much more I can do but I just get so fed up crossing my fingers... Thanks for all your comments - it does help.

Good evening I'm new here.
My 11 year old daughter currently has no secondary school place.
I've declined the awful school offered her.
Shes terrified at the prospect of attending the offered school.
It really is awful.
Shes currently in second place at one of our preferred schools in our catchment.
My question has anyone been successful in 2and place.
I'm having to home school her come September.
Thankyou.

Hi Deborah. You are probably best to start your own thread as people might not read your message on this one. If you click on chat, which is much busier, then add thread, that should work. Good luck. Being 2nd place sounds promising.