Schools waiting list

[ForHardyCrab]

we recently relocated near Dane road tram stop and I have applied for schools .The schools which we applied are
springfield
park road sale
st.Joseph catholic school

Today council have sent out a letter that our place is rejected and requested to apply in moorland junior school which is far from our home as we don’t have a car.

Should I hope that the waiting list will move up or opt for the school that is far away please?

We’re two weeks into the new school year, it’s very unlikely you’ll be offered a place now. I wouldn’t wait and set their education behind, just apply for the further away school.

Why didn’t you organise this before moving or choose a better time of year when schools might have places available ?

I would ask admissions which other schools have spaces, visit them, consider transport arrangements and choose the best option.

Have a look at the admissions criteria too to make sure you meet this.

I have just looked at Google maps and Dane Road tram stop is a 15 minute walk to Moorlands Junior school. It’s less than a mile away.

We couldn’t break the rent agreement in our old house and we have to move at end of June. We applied at the end of school year and they mentioned that we might get a opening again after the schools open for a new academic year and they might expect some people to move out.

We moved nearby as the commute to the office is easier but never expected school’s admissions to be a problem

It’s a 15 min walk away?

I applied for those 3 schools as they are near to my home and showed 15 mins walk time and moorland junior school showed 25 mins.

Have you actually walked from your house to the school? It doesn't seem like it's very far away at all?

Trafford is new to me. I googled and applied for the schools which is nearby to me using google maps. I will try taking a walk then, thanks

Thank you for the suggestion! Will email them !

Accept the place. It's not an area I'm familiar with at all, but looking at Google Maps it looks like you were spoilt for choice in terms of local schools. The one you have been offered, whilst clearly a bit further out than two on your list, is still very close compared to what many people who move area are offered. It's still fairly close to you, even if it's not your most local school. As long as a school is walkable, it's doable. This one definitely looks walkable.

A 25-minute walk is not excessive at this age. If they have offered you a place at Moorland, you should accept it. You may get a place at one of the other schools through the waiting list, but it is unlikely at this stage. If you don't accept the place at Moorland, the council don't have to come up with another offer for you.

Thank you everyone for the suggestions. I checked for the catchment in the council website and it showed me Springfield school. Thus I applied for the 2 schools nearby and 15 mins walk from my home.

I did not consider oversubscribed criteria.

They have asked me to make another form ,for Moorland junior school if I wanted a place. I am gonna take a walk Tommorrow from my home and apply for the school.

You are much nearer to moorlands than st Joseph’s!

Definitely not. I am o.4 miles away from Dane road station and hence, it shows 25 mins to moorland than 15 mins st.Joseph.

This point of the new school term there is usually quite a lot of movement. I would hold out for waiting list preference.

Have a look at your local authority website education admissions website.

You will be able to see all the admissions data for Sept 2025 and will be able to see which schools were undersubscribed.

If your DC are not at entry level stage age group you can also review historical data which will be applicable to the year they are in.

If your child is not attending another school, you can't wait it out.

Yes, they can - by providing a full-time, suitable education for their DC themselves. Home education is a perfectly legal activity - it's the parent's responsibility to ensure that their DC are educated, either at school or otherwise, so if the only available school place is a 25 minute walk away, and this is unacceptable to them, it's fine for them to organise an alternative.

Most parents who apply for a school place aren't looking to home educate. And if they do reject the place and register for home ed, the LA has no obligation to provide a place if appeals are dismissed. If they then reapply, they could end up with a place even further away! This is the reality here.