Chance of primary school place whilst on waitlist

[Lg20220926]

Hello!

we have been allocated our 2nd choice primary school and are currently on the waitlist for our first. We are position 6 on the waitlist. Normal intake for the school is 60.

I know the list is fluid and can change. Have been told by the school they rarely get 6 people decline their place.

I'm thinking that it will also be people who’s circumstances change over the next few months.

Any help or personal experiences will be great to hear! X

10% seems quite a lot, do you live in an area with lots of people moving in and out like London, or somewhere more stable? Or do a good amount go private?

Is your no.1 school popular all round, so will most of the 60 have put the school 1st? Less likely to see movement there if so.

As you get closer people are more likely to have committed to their allocated school if they've bought uniform, sorted wrap around etc, so the 5 above you may not take up an available place. Don't forget that your place on the list can go down too depending on who else gets on there.

Good luck!

10% of allocated children not taking up the place seems very unlikely and that's presuming you don't also move down the list which is entirely possible.

If the school say it doesn't often have much movement either then I would focus on the school place you have and getting your child excited about going to that school rather than hope for a place at the first choice.

You' be relying on those above you saying no. That said, DD's school is always oversubscribed (c100 applications for 60 places) and usually selected as first choice (market town where people often move to have families).

There there was a lot of movement over the reception year (people moving, mostly - a couple emigrated, others moved elsewhere as housing is expensive, one went private as the family came into money, one just...turned up once and never came back) and now they have c27 in each class in y1.

Once they start reception, most people tend to keep them at the school they were given of it was second or third choice tbh and avoid unsettling them.