Primary application form - do you have to give 6 choices?

[Layla's Mum]

I am sorry if this thread already exists but I couldn't find it...

I am about to apply for a primary place in Lewisham for September 2011 start. Do you have to put down six choices? What are the potential consequences of just putting two choices down? Our closest two school are (we reckon) the best choices in the area. If, by some chance, we don't get a place at either of those, I wouldn't particularly want my daughter to go to any of the others! What happens if she doesn't get into either of the first two choices and there are no other choices on the form? How do they decide where she goes?

[Mellors]

You don't have to put down six choices, you can put only two.

However, if you don't get into any of the choices you have put down, you will be allocated the nearest school at which there is an available place (up to a two mile radius - and bear in mind that decent schools won't have available places!). You will be put on the waiting list for your two schools if this happens.

[Fuschia]

You can choose 3-6 and even accept a place, and still stay on the waiting list for choices 1 and 2.

[toast]

Hi

You dont have to put down 6 but it feels really horrid to get no where and be left with somewhere no one else wants far away, (which happened to us even though we went for all our nearest schools). You might be quite grateful knowing the worst case scenario is a known while you sit on the waiting list for your nearest two. People were given places right up until the start of term. If you have chosen local schools you will get in eventually even if it is not in the first round.

Wishing you all good luck

[prdarling]

I agree with toast. Better to put 6 that you know of so while you wait on the list you at least have a place somewhere you have heard of.

If you don't get what you want first round you'll be surprised at how things change. My son is a January 2011 starter - we got nothing we wanted first round, top of my Southwark list after 2 (dreadfully stressful) months and top of my Lewisham list last week!

Hope you get what you want sooner rather than later

[Fuschia]

It's certainly not the case that putting fewer than 6 choices means you get any increased priority for the choices you do put, so you have nothing to lose.

Think of it like this:

Leave spaces

Close your eyes and pop a pin on a random school within a (is it 2 or is it 3 miles?) radius on a map

Fill in the space on your list with that school