Primary school waiting lists, how do they work?

[cockles]

I'm trying to figure out how this works - can anyone enlighten me? I'm in Hackney, btw. I'm expecting to be offered a place at a school I don't want and rejected at the ones I do. Can I accept that place & still stay on the waiting list of the others that haven't offered us a place? Or do you have to reject the place you're offered to go on a waiting list? Thanks!

No, you accept the place you're offered and stay on the waiting list for any other schools that were ranked higher on your form (I think this is automatic). You can phone the council and ask them to tell you your dc position on the waiting list, so you can gauge the chances of getting offered a place. Some waiting lists have lots of movement, some less.