Randomly offered first choice school after second choice accepted

[CoffeeWithCheese]

With absolutely no explanation why and we'd not requested to go on the waiting list or anything! We'd put two marginally dicey in terms of distance as choice one and two, choice three was a really dicey in terms of distance and choice 4 was the outstanding but would have been really dreadful for us most local "banker". Offers day and we got allocated second choice, which we were OK with - liked the vibe of the first choice more in terms of how the staff got on with the students etc, but the second choice was slicker but still OK - so we accepted that. Like I say - liked the vibe of our first choice in terms of interaction with students and the whole building is due for a rebuild over the next year - so can cope with tired teaching accommodation till then.

Area's had a lot of coverage for a shortage of places and some spectacularly out of the area allocations - lots were the usual "only put one choice and didn't get that" brigade, but some had apparently genuinely specified four choices.

Yesterday I get a phonecall asking if we wanted to put DD on the waiting list for choice number 1, ask for time to discuss it as a family, but today I get a letter basically offering her a place outright - no idea wtf has gone on or if the area's put on a bulge class or something. Rang admissions who are definite that yes, the place offer stands as long as we let them know, and yes, it even still stands considering we moved just after offers day.

Going on WL is automatic in a lot of areas.
There can be a lot of movement.

In most areas you're automatically on the waiting list for your first choice.

It sounds like you still prefer #1, so why not just accept?

Accept then. Some LAs do this as you had no option to accept no2

We're probably going to accept number 1 but just needed to clarify what was going on first (have a sibling that will be following next year so adds a slight dimension to considerations).

You said there is some crazy allocations?

It may be that the school is taking a small number of extra students. If you just missed a place, then you are likely top of the list.

Either that, or they are super quick at offering waiting list places (if it's automatic you were added) now that the places have been accepted.

Yeah - I would have expected the parental networks to be binging like mad if a new batch of places had been released - but I've not heard from anyone else, so I'm wondering if it's just people not accepting or having moved out of the area or something. Knew this year around here was going to be a very interesting one for admissions because it was a trainwreck when this cohort started primary.

Got it all to go through again for the sibling next year!!!

We talked it through with DD last night and she decided she did want to go for the original first choice in the end so we rang admissions this morning and accepted it.

Doesn't this 1st choice school have a sibling policy? Surely if they do you don't have to stress for next year.

Think about what it was you liked about Choice 1. You placed it first for a reason. In all likelihood those reasons still stand. If so, just accept the place.

Loads of movement happens. As people decline places, people move up waiting lists, get offers and then decline their original offer….and the cycle moves on.

Some people decide to stick with 2nd offer as they’ve got their head around that option and child has too. But usually, you wanted school 1 for a reason, so in the long term it’s worth coping with there being a change of plan and going with School 1 if you get it. Currently it’s only March so it’s not even a last minute offer. Even when people have bought uniform or attended the taster days, I think usually it’s best to accept your 1st choice if it comes up - there was a reason why you picked it. Having adjusted to the new idea doesn’t usually outweigh those original benefits of Choice 1.