Moving older siblings primary after doing younger child’s reception application

[LaceyAnne]

We have recently decided to move our year 4 child to another primary school having done an in year application. However, we have done put younger child application for reception for the current school and we are past the deadline of changing to the new school.
does anyone know the best way to try and either get the application changed or the best option for changing the preference once the reception place is offered?
is it easier to accept the place and put on contained interest? Or do I reject and re apply for new school or do I accept and add a new preferred.
finding it so confusing.
we do live very close to the new school and also for the reception child by then we will have a sibling there.
thank you for your help

Always always accept the offered school.
Then go on lists for schools you would prefer.

(As it is only a month after the deadline, you could ask whether you can change order without becoming a late application but i expect the answer would be no.)

Thank you so helpful.
the advisor on the phone told me to reject the place which just seemed so risky.
although the same advisor also told me my year 4 child needs to apply for secondary so I wasn’t very confident in her advise. 😀

I’d do a late application now for the school that you want. It means he might get a place but if not, he will be on the waiting list. Assuming having a sibling at the school increases your younger child’s ranking (if there is a waiting list) then the sooner your older one is at the new school the better.

Late applications are processed after all on time ones.
I personally wouldn't do anything to jeopardise being given a place at current first choice. She can then get on waiting list for the new school after offers day and if siblings help will then be high up list in case of any movement.

It won’t jeopardise it. Her on time application will be dealt with as normal but if there is a space at the preferred school on the late application, she will get that place.

I'm not sure that's true? You have one application form on which you can name 3-6 schools (dependent on area).

By changing the list now you potentially become a 'late application'. I'm not an expert on this but it definitely should be checked before doing anything.

The local authority has advised that can do a late application for my reception application but needs to be done by 2nd March.
assuming we have made a decision for our elder by then to do the In year. Would this be the best option?

@prh47bridge. I hope you don't mind me tagging you, but I think you could help here if you have time?

Does the original school have sibling preference on its admissions criteria?
If the year 4 child moves before offer day, your younger one's circumstance will have changed and might cause an issue with any offer.

Yes current school has sibling rule in place. They both do.

@TeenToTwenties - Don't mind being tagged at all.

I'm afraid this is wrong. Parents can only have one active application. If OP makes a late application for her preferred school, it will replace her on-time application and won't be processed until all the on-time applications have been dealt with.

Some LAs allow you to change your application for a few weeks after the closing date. If yours is one of them, you may be able to change your preferences next week. However, many LAs won't accept this and any change of preferences would result in your application being treated as late, which would reduce your chances of getting a place at any of your preferred schools. You should ask the LA what will happen if you change your preferences. If they say it will still be treated as an on-time application, make sure you get it in writing so that, if they do something different, you have evidence.

Assuming you can't change your preferences, do not reject the offered school. If you do, the LA will not be under any obligation to come up with another place for your child. Accept the place and ask to go on the waiting list for your preferred school. As your child will have an older sibling at the school, it is likely they will be at or near the head of the waiting list, giving you a very good chance of getting a place there.

Thank you.
they have advised that I cannot amend at this point.

they have advised that can either accept and just go on continued Interest.
or do a late application by amending some personal details for example middle names.

im just not sure what the best option is.

either way, even on the late application i can still put the original choice down as second choice so it’s still there and if he gets that i can accept that and go on interest list. So he won’t be without a place will he?

Is the school you originally put as first choice over subscribed?

The worry is that late applications are processed after all on time ones

So if you amend to 1) New School, 2) Current preferred, 3-6) Others then you risk getting one of 3-6 or even a random other under subscribed (ie unpopular) school.

Someone who put your current preferred as a choice will get it above you even if they live 20 miles away if there is a space for them on allocation day. You only get a look in if there are spaces after all on time applications have been processed. Which is unlikely with popular good schools.

I just want to emphasise again, all the applications are processed and all the places given out and THEN the late applications are processed.

So if you amend now to become a late application then you run the risk of having a place at neither school.

Better to leave the application as it is. As soon as places are released, accept the one at the old school, and ask to go onto the waiting list for the new school.

You also say that you have not completed the in-year application for the older child. Until that child is on the roll of the new school they do not count as a sibling for the purposes of applications.
Once they are in the school, then your waiting list place will jump up to reflect the sibling rule.

No it’s not. And it’s also a two class intake

And we also live within walking distance

I have completed the In year application for the older child. I did that this week.

thank you, I didnt realise that the late application would also run the risk of not getting the original school if I put that as second choice.

do you think even though we live really close and he is already at the nursery there and it’s two class I take, it’s still as risk of loosing his place if I was do a late application?

Thanks

If the school is consistently undersubscribed, so it always has spaces on allocation day then it should be OK as you'll get a place.

Though of course the school's reputation may have improved, a new housing estate built that now has school aged children, or other reasons.

As I understand it however, to get your new school as a late application that also needs to be undersubscribed as otherwise it will be full from on time applications.

Probably safer to keep your ontime application, accept offered school, then immediately ask to be on waiting list for new school and hope there is a little churn before September.

do you think even though we live really close and he is already at the nursery there and it’s two class I take, it’s still as risk of loosing his place if I was do a late application?

none of these are relevant with a late application.

say there are 60 places. If you have an on time application all those things mean you will get a place as one of the 60.
But with a late application, the school may fill up with 60 children from anywhere else. You do not get one of those 60 places.
Then the late applications are considered
If all 60 places are full, there is no place for you.
If only 58 places are filled, then there are 2 empty places and you will get one of them.

Do a late application stating the sibling is in attendance. This will ensure your on waiting list. If you don’t get place appeal.

Hiya. But as per steppemum, late application even stating the sibling could still run the risk of loosing the place at the original should all places go initially

Plus there are extremely limited grounds for appealing in Reception if Infant Class Size limits apply.