First Choice not given...what should i do?

[shellsing]

Hi, I applied for my daughter to attend the nearest school to her nursery. She has attended this nursery since she was 2 years old. We are also in the catchment area for the school. I know i was unwise but i applied for that school only. The problem we have is the nursery collect at lunchtime from that particular school. My husband and I both work and i do not finish work till 3.
I was notified that my daughter had not gained a space at our first choice school, as there had been 149 children apply for 60 spaces. I have understood this and taken it on board. However, my daughter was given a space at the school nearest to where we live. This school has a dreadful reputation and it always near the bottom of the school tables. I have been advised by parents who had children at the school and by her nursery not to send her there. I would NEVER have chosen this school.
The LEA have not been at all helpful and have advised me i was wrong to select only 1 school. Although the school that would have been my 2nd choice was oversubscribed also!
I was advised to write a letter stating another school i would like my daughter to go to and reasons. I have done this, and applied for a school that i was told has 8 spaces left. I was advised today however by another parent in same situation that those 8 spaces will be allocated to children with special needs and in care before any other children applying. Doesn't look good to me!
LEA said they could not say when i would hear from them and said it may not be until July!
I really need advise. Can i contact schools in the area myself to check for spaces?Or does this have to be done through LEA?
Any advise would be much appreciated. I am very worried. My daughter is a bright girl and deserves a chance of a good education.

have you asked your first choice of school where you are on the waiting list? there's usually a lot of movement before term starts, and a place for your dd might well come up.

ps i think you'll get a lot of replies saying doesn't everyone deserve a chance of a good education, bright or not!?

You are of course right all children deserve a good education. Our family has had lots of knocks over the past few years. We are constantly having to fight battles! We have 2 close family members with cancer at the moment. Hence why we are having problems getting help with someone collecting our daughter at lunchtime. She will be part time till Xmas.
I do appreciate your comments and i do not want people to think i am saying my daughter deserves more than others. Like all parents i want the best for my daughter

The first thing to do is to ensure that you are on the waiting list for your preferred school.
The LA were correct that it was the wrong thing to do in only selecting one preference but that is now in the past.
You have done the right thing in applying for a place at the school with 8 places. If it has 8 places then the LA is legally required to offer one of those places to you. They will fill up the places as applications are received for the school. Only when the 8 places are filled or they have more than 8 applications will the admission criteria come into play. At that point looked after children do have first priority on the admission criteria that is a legal requirement.
See what happens with this application and then wait and see where you are on the waiting list fro your preferred school, as others have said there is quite often movement.

Thanks very much for your advise. We will contact our first choice school tomorrow, to see where she is on the waiting list. We are also going to contact several other schools we like, to see if they have spaces available. We will try and put her on waiting lists at a few schools and see what happens.
I really need to feel i am doing something. It makes me nervous waiting till July to hear from LA.

Good luck with your enquiries. It is a horrible stage, and lots of people are in your situation. For what it's worth, I know various friends who have had to take up places at their less desirable school, kept on the waiting list, and then moved the children during reception/year 1 when places will crop up. While this might not seem ideal to you now, as a back-up option to give you some peace of mind, i can assure you that the children themselves handle it all brilliantly, and it doesn't cause disruption at this early age. They settle in so quickly to new environments and are readily accepted by the other children. so try not to fret, this time next year it will all be sorted whether you get stressed now or not!

Thanks LovelyDear for your encouraging answer Crossing all my fingers. We are putting her on waiting list at 3 schools and are appealing against the decision of the 1st school.Her nursery are writing a supporting letter also.