Waiting list for secondary school rookie question

[fireflyz]

Hi
We got the letter saying we have an offer for our 2nd choice secondary school.
But on the online site where I can view the offer, it says we are in the waiting list for our 1st choice school.
I am wary of not accepting the 2nd choice offer because of course I don’t want my child to have no school place in September.
But what happens if I accept the offer for the 2nd choice school? Do we get taken off the waiting list for the 1st choice school? Do we have to make an appeal to stay on the waiting list? Do we get taken off the waiting list if we don’t arrange to make an appeal?
TIA

You can accept the offer and remain on the waiting list of the other school.

@fireflyz Please accept the offered school You will remain on the waiting list for your first choice. Accepting the offer you have doesn't affect waiting lists at all. Appealing is a separate process that is entirely separate to waiting lists, and whether you decide to appeal for your first choice or not will have no effect at all on staying on the waiting list or your position.

Thank you so much for replying so quickly! I was so surprised to see we were on the waiting list as the 1st choice school is oversubscribed with approx 70 children applied over the possible number of children they could take.
So I don’t think we have much chance of getting in, and so I will accept the offer from the 2nd choice school, but it is good to know that doing this doesn’t automatically remove us from the waiting list.

Remember that "applied" just means they named it as one of their choices. They may have named it as a lower choice and be very happy with the choice that they got! It sounds like you are in an area that automatically adds you to the waiting list for any higher preferences. In a week or so (once the dust has settled) the LEA should be able to tell you what position you are on the list.

You are doing the sensible thing accepting the school you've been offered because if you don't get a place from the waiting list your child won't have a school to go to September. Accepting has no bearing on the waiting list.

They will add anyone who wants to be on the waiting list onto it. The list could run into the hundreds for a popular school.

The waiting list is held in accordance with the admissions criteria, so you can go up and down it as more people request to be added.