school waiting list

[dagi]

We live in Nunhead and we are 440 meters away from our first choice school. All the children on our road go to the Edmund Waller school but we did not get in. Last year the school took an extra class, meaning the number of siblings rose to 27 this year - almost one class - so the distance was just 327 meters of the last child offered a place.

We were informed we were number 2 on the waiting list weeks ago and I naively assumed that we still had good chances. I talked to the school again yesterday to find out we are now 5th on the list and then calling Lewisham council I found out we are already 6th. We did not know that people who applied late or moved in closer are in front off us even when we did everything by the book. How is it fair? Does anybody know what we could do? Would a lawyer help?

[BB100]

I'm really sorry to hear this, it must be very distressing for you. I don't think you can do anything other than go down the appeals route. I assume you have been offered a place elsewhere, but lots of noise making phone calls to the school and Lewisham can help. Do you have an offer elsewhere?

[prdarling]

Late applicants, people who move in closer all jump the queue and I think that after the results have been announced in April, you can basically add your self to any waiting list you like so people can appear out of nowhere that way too. Plus special needs/looked after children.

It doesn't seem fair. Southwarks argument to me last year was that kids shouldn't be penalised because their parents can't get their act together to apply on time, but then that means that other kids whose parents ARE on the ball are penalised. The system is by no means flawless.

Don't think a lawyer would help and not sure appeals work either i am afraid unles you have a specific issue like SEN.

Do you have a place elsewhere? All I can say is that waiting lists do move so much in the 2-3 months after the results are posted. last year we went from 4th-7th and back again and eventually got in after 8 weeks. Then 8 months later I got offered the Lewisham school i really wanted all along and on whose list we had been 6/7th for pretty much the whole time.

Don't give up hope x

[clux]

Hello Dagi

I live in Nunhead and my daughter goes to Edmund Waller - but we didn't get a place initially and we were 7th on the waiting list. We eventually got a place 2 weeks after term started. Feel free to PM me if you would like to talk a bit more about our experience.

[Fuschia]

There is do much mobility in London it would be unfair to exclude children because they moved in after the application date

It would also be unfair to base the waiting list on the length of time waiting as opposed to the actual admissions criteria

However hopefully you live close enough you will get in eventuAlly

You could prob do a FOI request to see on what basis thd other waiting list applicNtd are above you ( distance etc)

[Renata Hamvas]

Hi Dagi,

I don't know much about the waiting list for Edmund Waller as it's a Lewisham school, but what I've found with Southwark waiting lists movement down waiting lists is often caused by sibling applications where parents who have children in the school forget to tick the sibling box on the application form. When this becomes evident, after offer day (when parents notify the council) these children go to the top of the waiting list (in distance order) shifting all the other children down in rank order on the waiting list. Parents should be aware that in bulge years catchment areas for a school go up greatly, but in the following few years they tend to be smaller than before the bulge due to the extra siblings of the bulge year. As you live in Nunhead and in the area not far from Edmund Waller, I wonder if you have considered Hollydale School. This school has a good Ofsted report and is highly recommended to me by parents whose children attend the school.

There may be some movement on the waiting list over summer where parents have a place and then move home.

Renata