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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

Original poster

Waiting list help! Twickenham!

17 replies

breezy1972 · 05/04/2009 14:47

Hi All

We didn't get a first choice reception place but are currently on the waiting list. Its a very popular church school in twickenham and we are 3rd on the list. The reception is 90 places.

I was wondering what were people's experiences of waiting lists and if they got in or not?

Thanks

OP posts:
ramonaquimby · 05/04/2009 15:18

3rd on this list - you'll get in. we were on waiting list also for RuT school and were 18th - dd got a place on first day of term.

mummypig · 05/04/2009 15:39

Third on the list is fine.

And even if you don't get offered a place by Sep, hang in on there. You don't have to provide your child with an education until the term after their fifth birthday so you are perfectly within your rights to keep them at home until a place comes up. Once term starts you will move up the waiting list really quickly. In my experience loads of people take the school offered and then don't bother moving in the middle of the academic year, even if a place comes up for their first choice school.

Fyi, ds1 (Yr2) and ds2 (Reception) both just changed schools (at the start of the Spring term) and it was surprisingly easy.

melissa75 · 05/04/2009 17:55

Its not St Marys by any chance is it?

Original poster
breezy1972 · 05/04/2009 18:32

no st james's.

OP posts:
amidaiwish · 05/04/2009 18:39

there's a lot of movement on the list over the next 6 months.
my dd is in reception this year and this time last year many people from her nursery didn't have a place anywhere or had been allocated a school they had rejected. all but one ended up getting into the school they wanted, this was mostly for Trafalgar btw. but shows the other children had shuffled up the list at other schools.

have you asked the admissions person how many last year from the waiting list got in before the start of term?

Original poster
breezy1972 · 05/04/2009 20:15

spoke to someone last year and they were a bit vague! they said poss 5 or 6 but you never know...

the cachement area was about 800 metres this year!

OP posts:
amidaiwish · 05/04/2009 22:06

are you twickenham/hampton or st margaret's parish?

one thing worth knowing that even if you don't get in for sept, stay on the list because people do leave - i think 3 have already left in reception this year.

Original poster
breezy1972 · 06/04/2009 07:47

We live in Teddington so it all goes to distance rather than the quota of 15 for st margarets and hampton.

Plan is to stay on and see what happens. Prepared to switch before they go full-time as we live so close and can walk....better than driving every day!

OP posts:
amidaiwish · 06/04/2009 07:52

what school have you been allocated? they're all pretty good you know.

Original poster
breezy1972 · 06/04/2009 13:53

sacred heart, which we are happy with. The only prob is having to drive every day and i will have a 5 month old in tow by then . Plus childcare will be trickier!

OP posts:
Elibean · 06/04/2009 14:38

We are in Barnes, and dd's school's cut-off was 300+ metres this year , whereas last year they were thought to be undersubscribed and used as the 'overflow' for the borough. Shows how fast things can change, and what a difference sibling numbers make.

Third on the list sounds pretty good, everyone I know who was that high on waiting lists for our local schools got in before term started. Good luck, hope she gets a place soon!

Original poster
breezy1972 · 07/04/2009 21:07

Thanks very much for all the advice. Will let you know how we get on!

OP posts:
westendgirl · 10/04/2009 15:30

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Kitsilano · 12/04/2009 20:22

Elibean - we are in Barnes too and DD hasn't been allocated any place at all. Our nearest school cut off distance was 320m (assume it's the same one). So we wait...

Northernlurker · 12/04/2009 20:25

We were first on the waiting list for dd's secondary place and got in 8 days after places were allocated so I would say at third you should be fine by September!

fridayschild · 13/04/2009 21:01

2 years ago DS1 was 8th on the waiting list for Barnes Primary, and would have got in but we moved before he got a place. The school was so sure they would see him there was a seat all set out for him on the first day, and they rang me to find out where he was... The school is double form entry. I think 3rd place is fine.

How do you guys know the catchment areas? DS2 has obviously got in as a sibling, but the letter and website just said he had a place.

Teddy77 · 30/04/2013 13:53

Hi All

We are no. 12 on the St James Catholic school (Twickenham) reception Sept 2013 waiting list. I know it is a very popular church school.

I was wondering what were people's experiences of waiting lists (ideally for St James) and if they got in or not?

Thanks

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