What steps to take for waiting lists?

[Goposie]

I know that we are automatically on waiting lists for higher preference schools but does that mean that if a place becomes available it is automatically allocated or do we need to contact the school or local authority to remind them of our interest? Are schools obliged to tell you where you are on waitlist? If so, should we wait until after March 15? I live in an area where a couple of the schools have a lot of movement right up til later August.

I made sure I was in constant contact with the registrars of the two waitlist schools I really wanted.

I wrote them letters reiterating our love for the school, DC's suitability for the school, and also asked them to met me know where I was on the waiting list.

I followed these hand delivered letters up with emails. And phone calls.

It was bloody hard work but it worked and we got our dream school thanks to a waiting list place coming up in May.

In most areas, if a place becomes available and you are first on the waiting list, then they will contact you to check you still want it. You don’t need to keep reminding them of your interest. The waitlist must stay open until at least December. After that you might need to tell them you are still interested and want to remain on the list.

Don’t know if schools are obliged to tell you your position, but most will. However if there’s a lot of movement on waitlists in your area, this might not tell you much.

A school will not subvert the legally regulated admissions system in response to an onslaught of fan mail unless they are a corrupt organisation and willing to be reported to the Schools Adjudicator.

Just make sure that you are on the waiting list.

Bear in mind that you can go down the list if late applicants who live nearer move in, or more places are needed for Looked After Children, for example.

Places move right up until the first week of term.

Goposie: they will notify you. In some areas they tell you the place is available and give you a couple of days to accept or not, in some areas they automatically allocate you the place at your higher preference waiting list school and withdraw the offer to the one lower.

So check how your LA work.

Ok that makes sense. Thank you.

I was advised (by the secondary transfer person at my DD's primary school) to email the LA admissions office (Camden, in this case) to confirm which schools we want to remain on the waiting list for. I asked about whether we should contact the council or the school for updates and was told the council handle admissions so it's them we need to speak to.

Appreciate of course it will vary by school/area, especially for academy admissions, but worth checking what the procedure is in your LA.

Also, what HotpotLawyer said !

We will notify but, as we are always way over in each year group, a place never really comes available.

This isn't the first time I've read about constant emails etc. I know of one mum who went through this sent letters to the school that we want our son to go to, and her son got in. So does it work even just a tiny bit? I can't see how it would, if we've got a process to go through but if there is the slightest possibility that it will work then it's worth a shot?

In our la we need to actually fill in a form for schools we wish to be put on the waiting list for its not automatic

No it won't in areas where the council is in charge of waiting lists, which is most of England at least. The system is automated and works on the strict criteria in place for the original admissions rules for each area or school type. So if you are number 1 on the list and the space is available then that place is yours. Each council has their way of administering the offer - either a call/email/letter offering you the space and with a time frame for acceptance or an automatic giving of the place.

The schools are NOT in charge of the waiting lists. That means they do not have any influence over the positions on that list. They may keep records that mean they can tell you where you are on that list but people moving in and out of the area etc. can change your position anyway.

When i was a kid and the schools were in charge of managing their lists then yes, some love-bombing could have been successful or could have worked against you!

Oh, and the waiting lists usually operate so that you are automatically added to the waiting lists for any school higher in your original preference list. That might only be until June or September and then you will either be asked if you want to stay on it or will have to request it.
HTH

Most our local schools are Academies and most manage their our admissions and therefore waiting lists

Academies, Foundation schools (I think) and free schools do manage their own lists.
They still have to do it within the law. I.e according to published admissions policy. They know parents these days are ‘on it’ re regs and fairness.

Some very religious establishments are rumoured to still tweak lists towards favoured mass attenders...