Late application - do i stand a chance?

[HelsBels66]

We're unexpectedly moving back to the UK after a long time abroad & have purposely moved to the catchment area of the school we want. I sent in my late application as soon as i could (last week) but we now know the school is full although haven't heard back formally yet. Does anyone know if exceptions are made in these circumstances? We think we have good reasons for wanting the catchment school (ie they already have space for a younger sibling in Foundation 1 - trauma of move etc) but I suppose everyone has their own good reasons...
Thanks.

nope, I'm afraid I don't know of any exceptions made due to that kind of circumstance. I'm not an expert though.

If the school is full you won't get in, I'm afraid. You should contact the LA (Local Authority) and find out which schools might have places available. If you can't find a school because there is a shortage of places it will be up to the LA to find a school for your child. However, I'm afraid it won't necessarily be the school you want. It will be the school best able to handle an additional child.

Do as PRH suggests and contact the LA Admission Office and find out what schools do have appropriate places for your children. You can accept or not accept those places and then appeal for places at the school you want

There is no reason why you should not appeal. Is the other sibling in an infant or a junior class? If it is an infant class (reception, year 1, year2) there is a reasonable chance that it will be an infant class size regs case, in which case you will have effectively no chance of success. That is because the regulations mean that the only way of winning at an infant class size appeal is if the admission authority have done something wrong. They have clearly not done something wrong as you are a late applicant.

It will be an infant class size appeal if the school has an admission number of 15, 30, 45 or 60 etc. Also make sure that you are on the waiting list for the school as if you are in catchment you may well be near the top of the waiting list and in many schools there is some movement of pupils before September.

Thanks everyone.
Admission - no, there is only a place for a younger sibling which apparently does not count. We do have the option of taking up part time place in Foundation 1 & waiting to see if space becomes available before legally he has to be there full time (which would be Jan). How mobile are these waiting lists? I don't know if it's a risk worth taking to put him in part time then have to move him away from friends & sibling in Jan if no place comes up.

Does your older child need to go into Reception (which some schools call Foundation 2)? If so, there is often a fair bit of movement between now and September. Children will leave the area or get places at other schools. Some parents will choose to home educate or go private. Primary schools often don't know how many children are actually going to turn up until a week or two into the Autumn term as some parents won't bother to tell them that they've made alternative arrangements. There is no guarantee but if your child is near the head of the waiting list there is a reasonable chance he/she will get in.

Thanks prhbridge - that's actually the most heartening thing I've heard yet!! Older child needs to go into Foundation 2 - he's 5 in December so could potentially be in Foundation 1 til Jan. We've been told by the school that we'd be high up on the waiting list - all others on list are out of catchment at the moment, though that's obviously subject to change. We're about 0.7miles from the school so i suppose there's potential for others to move closer.
Thanks again

HelsBels66 how big is the pan - 1 or 2 classes of 30? It is definitely worth seeing where you are on the waiting list in Sep and making a decision then if he is no.1 in September hopefully by Jan he will get a place obviously the larger the pan the more chance of a place coming up.