September waitlist admission?

TDY · 2025-09-05T12:49:06+00:00

Anyone have any experience with waitlist in September? Currently 4th on a school with a 225 PAN however it is a well sought after school! From what I've read (on here) people have said some movement can still happen! So staying optimistic, my daughter is in a school that wasn't one of our options so she's very excited to move if giving the opportunity (she's traveling 4.5 miles on 2 buses to get to school atm) where as we live on the same street as our top choice🤦🏻♀️ but they have their own rules! All I'm asking is, if anyone has been in our position and has been successful in their September waitlist admission? Have you gotten in within a few weeks/months or even end of year?

lanthanum · 05/09/2025 17:44

A lot depends on the amount of movement in and out of your local area, which varies a lot from place to place. Sometimes pupils just don't turn up in September, and if that turns out to be because they have moved away, there will be a space once that has been verified.
It might also depend on how big a difference there is between this school and wherever those on the waitlist have ended up. If a child has just enjoyed their first week at a school which is quite reasonable, then sometimes the offer of a waitlist place gets turned down.

Do you know if there were any appeals that took them over PAN? If so, it will take more children leaving before there is a space. If they took five extras, then there won't be a space until six pupils leave (or don't start).
Also bear in mind that if it is quite a mobile population, that works both ways - some children may leave the area, but others may move in and meet the criteria to be higher up the waitlist than you.

It might be worth checking your position on the waitlist towards the end of the month (and also asking if they are over PAN). That might give you a better idea of whether there is much movement. The school might also be willing to tell you how often places tend to come up mid-year. In some areas you also have to re-register for the waitlist after a certain point (which gets rid of those who are now happily settled in another school and wouldn't want to swap).

Original poster

TDY · 05/09/2025 21:02

lanthanum · 05/09/2025 17:44

A lot depends on the amount of movement in and out of your local area, which varies a lot from place to place. Sometimes pupils just don't turn up in September, and if that turns out to be because they have moved away, there will be a space once that has been verified.
It might also depend on how big a difference there is between this school and wherever those on the waitlist have ended up. If a child has just enjoyed their first week at a school which is quite reasonable, then sometimes the offer of a waitlist place gets turned down.

Do you know if there were any appeals that took them over PAN? If so, it will take more children leaving before there is a space. If they took five extras, then there won't be a space until six pupils leave (or don't start).
Also bear in mind that if it is quite a mobile population, that works both ways - some children may leave the area, but others may move in and meet the criteria to be higher up the waitlist than you.

It might be worth checking your position on the waitlist towards the end of the month (and also asking if they are over PAN). That might give you a better idea of whether there is much movement. The school might also be willing to tell you how often places tend to come up mid-year. In some areas you also have to re-register for the waitlist after a certain point (which gets rid of those who are now happily settled in another school and wouldn't want to swap).

Thankyou! This is our first time with everything and unfortunately the only one of our circle on a waitlist so have no one else to relay my questions and thoughts. I'll definitely ask the school about their PAN situation. I know appeals for this school happen a lot but we had no grounds for an appeal. We're ecstatic just to be at 4th at the moment we expected 100 so fingers crossed even for a late/mid year start.

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alwaysthebalancingact · 10/09/2025 18:34

Just thought I'd add a positive story about Year 7 waitlists to say that we jumped around the waitlist all summer, were 5th on the list for ages and then got offered a place this week! It meant starting at the first school and now doing a move but there's hope! Fingers crossed for you!

theremaybeouting · 10/09/2025 20:58

We had a waitlist offer this week, two weeks into term. No idea what we were on the waitlist… so still hope / some movement happening. (We have decided not to take it, so presumably they will just keep dropping down until they get a taker!)

Original poster

TDY · 10/09/2025 21:37

theremaybeouting · 10/09/2025 20:58

We had a waitlist offer this week, two weeks into term. No idea what we were on the waitlist… so still hope / some movement happening. (We have decided not to take it, so presumably they will just keep dropping down until they get a taker!)

This is genuinely encouraging to hear! Other than this page I know nothing about waitlist or their process. Hopefully a little bit more shuffling this month for us.

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Original poster

TDY · 10/09/2025 21:39

alwaysthebalancingact · 10/09/2025 18:34

Just thought I'd add a positive story about Year 7 waitlists to say that we jumped around the waitlist all summer, were 5th on the list for ages and then got offered a place this week! It meant starting at the first school and now doing a move but there's hope! Fingers crossed for you!

Edited

Ah amazing!! It feels like forever waiting. We're prepared to drop everything and go asap 😂 so fingers crossed.

OP posts: