AIBU to think we stand a chance at #3 on a primary waiting list

[Smoresunderthemoon]

Posting here for traffic as I’d like as much feedback as possible. Please give me your primary school waiting list stories - the good and the bad. What number were you at and did you ever get a place? If so, when?

I guess my unreasonable is - AIBU for thinking we stand a chance at getting into our top preference school whilst number 3 on the waiting list.

My LO is starting school in September. We have been allocated our local school, our first preference is 2 form entry (60 children) and distance of furthest child admitted fluctuates wildly from year to year.

Thank you 🙂

Is there another good, or even better school nearby? I’d it urban (lots of movement in London)? Hard to tell without anything to go on.

Of course you have a chance, but I don't think anyone could know how much of a chance!

Have the school told you when number 3 were offered a place last year? They usually can.

my friend was 3 in our primary school list- she came off the list on the first day of term in September but would’ve been offered the first week of September I think.

we are number 4 on secondary school list at the moment, last year they’ve told us 4 was offered a place in July.

you never know but previous years can give you a view.

It absolutely depends on area. In some places with lots of movement number 3 would be absolutely fine. However it's equally likely you're in an area where movement is minimal and you could stay on the list in that same place for years.

Consider the circumstances under which someone may give up their place at your preferred school. Typical reasons would be 1) the family moves away or accepts a place at another school, or 2) they intend to go to an independent school, but are holding their state school place as long as possible.

With an intake of 60, I would suggest it's unlikely that option (1) would apply to 3 families in the next 3 months. But if you live in an area with several independent schools, it's possible that option (2) might apply to 3 or more families.

As a teacher and having 19 years' experience as a school governor, I've also encountered many cases where places come up very soon after the start of term in September. Once the term has started and parents have bought uniforms and committed to a non-preferred school, they tend not to want to switch. Maybe the 2 people ahead of you on the wait list will fall into this category, such that you only need one place to be given up, and you're in! If you're adamant you want your preferred school, and are prepared to switch in the first couple of weeks of term, chance may favour you.

Where I am, number 3 on the list can sit there for years. We were first on the list and a spot didn't come up for 18 months.

So it very much depends.

Really depends where you are but I'd hold out hope! We got offered our 6th place school with the original admissions, we were offered our 3rd place school before the September start date, we were number 7 on the list when I rang initially. My son started school in September at our 3rd place choice but last week we were offered our 1st place, which we have accepted, we were number 5 on the list. It's a bit of a pain to move him but I figured reception is probably the best year to do it. People's circumstances change, the lists are ever changing but you can also move down priority in the list if someone applies that has higher priority.

Bump

I think it's a mistake to think of it as a list - it's more of a waiting pool which anyone can jump in at any time.
The minute a space becomes available whoever is in the pool gets ranked according to the oversubscription criteria and the place offered.
The list exists for 5 mins and then collapses into a pool again.
That said, depending on your area, people intending to send their kids to private school hang onto their place til the last minute and then give it up. So places can become available at the last second.

You can move down as well as up I’m afraid! We were 6th, then apparently other people applied later, because we were 11th by September! (DS was very happy in our second choice)

We've reached the point where almost all places have been allocated and accepted. Anyone making a late application to delay entry by a year has now had their outcome of year on entry and those going to independent school or EHE have sent information to verify it.

Any places that gave become available gave been offered out and accepted. We have 20 schools, some urban, some rural, some in between, for context.

Please be aware that the waiting list is dynamic so depending on subsequent applications, you could move down the list. Other people's circumstances may change if siblings are given priority or if they move closer to the school.

we were 2nd on the list and got a place early summer - we would have got it had we been 3rd too because come sept 1 child didn't show up so the class started with 29. This is a big city area though so lots of movement.

You can go down the list if any one joins it who is higher up the priority for oversubscription. It happened to our neighbour.A family with twins moved in to a house closer to the school. Twin 1 took the one place that came available and the school also accepted twin 2 so went to 31 in class. However the school then did not have accept anyone else from the waiting list when another child left as the key stage 1 limit of 30 applied. Neighbour finally got offered a place at the start of Y3.