HELP! which school should i put 1st/2nd

[Wriggley]

Hi ladies

I really could do with some advise/input here.

we are currently going through school applications.

I have found 2 schools that we love but the problem is i don't know what to put 1st and what to put 2nd.

Heres the details

School 1 - Big school - 4 classes each with 30 children in each year group. this is not really an issue with us and is not something that would bother my son. Its a drive away but they don't have a set catchment area. they simply line up all applications in order of distance to the school and the closest 120 kids get offered a place (statement and siblings first though).

School 2 - Little school 2 classes of 30 kids in each year group. this is also our closest school. BUT they have an intake of 60 and last year had 209 applications

I like both schools equally and my son was comfortable at both places (we saw a third school and he was very clingy and didn't like it at all). it would make sense to put our closest school first but admissions is statement, then siblings then catchment and last year they couldn't even offer all siblings a place as there was that many applications.

so im stuck i don't know what to put down.... the bigger school is further away.. I'm not sure if this would effect our chance of being offered a place but at the same time the closer smaller school may get filled up before they reach catchment kids anyways?

im worried that il put the smaller one 1st and not get in and then not get into the other one because we put them second??

does anyone have a better understanding of how applications work that could give me some advise one what to do?

 

[Ziggy2]

The way it works is all applications are treated the same irrespective of whether you put it as 1st or 2nd choice, so if you put closest school 1st and they are full as others live closer then they will look at your 2nd choice if they can offer you a place there then they will, for example if you put a school as 2nd choice but you live closer than someone that put it as 1st you would get the place even though it is your second choice as you meet the criteria higher than others. We were given our 2nd choice school and I know we got in over others who put it as 1st choice who lived further away so we beat them. I would also recommend using all of your preferences as if worst comes to the worse and they can't offer you a place at either 1st or 2nd choice they will just offer a place at the nearest available school with places left, so this could be a bad school or one that is miles away, at least if you put a 3rd you have had some say.

 

[Wriggley]

The way it works is all applications are treated the same irrespective of whether you put it as 1st or 2nd choice, so if you put closest school 1st and they are full as others live closer then they will look at your 2nd choice if they can offer you a place there then they will, for example if you put a school as 2nd choice but you live closer than someone that put it as 1st you would get the place even though it is your second choice as you meet the criteria higher than others. We were given our 2nd choice school and I know we got in over others who put it as 1st choice who lived further away so we beat them. I would also recommend using all of your preferences as if worst comes to the worse and they can't offer you a place at either 1st or 2nd choice they will just offer a place at the nearest available school with places left, so this could be a bad school or one that is miles away, at least if you put a 3rd you have had some say.

Thanks so if I put a school second choice then someone further then us that put it at first choice they wouldn't necessarily get offered a space before us ?

We are in a tricky spot as our closest school is one of the ones considered the best in the area but our next closest one is awful it had 5 new headteachers in one academic year last year :/

 

[hattiehippo]

All applications are considered based on the school's admission criteria and then the council uses the order you put them in to make you the offer of a place.

If you are more eligible for a place at either school it wouldn't matter if you put them second, third or fourth over someone who put them first but lived further away for example.

In your situation I would put the school you want most of all first - this sounds like the larger school - and the other one second as you would still get a place at the more local school if you are too far away from the further school but there is a place available at the second one. But I would def use all the choices possible as if you can't be allocated a place at these 2 choices the council will give you a place at whichever school has spaces left which could be one you would never consider or miles away.

 

[emyandpotato]

Which one is your favourite on gut feeling, even if he isn't likely to get in? I'd go for that one.

If you're not sure, I'd go for the one in walking distance, just because I feel like for some reason walking to school is better! Plus if it's closer to you it's more likely that your LO's friends will be closer to you too.

 

[kanga]

Where I live it's an equal preference system. So order doesn't matter. Is yours not an equal preference system? X