Hello - I wonder if anyone can help with this?

Our son is now thinking that he prefers his second placed school ahead of the one that we put down first on the application forms. FYI, his sister is at his new preferred school.

Does anyone know what happens if we reject our first place school (which we feel we are very likely to get given how close we live to it)? Do we automatically go onto the waiting list for the second place school and if so, given the sibling policy that they have in place, I would imagine we would definitely get a place there?

Trying to avoid not getting offered any places at all....

Thanks in advance!

Definitely don't reject it, he wouldn't move down to his second choice as places will have all been offered. They often won't let you reject anyway unless you can show you've made other arrangements such as an indie place.

Where is the second choice school? Kent will let you go on the waiting list for lower ranked choices; I don't think Bromley does unfortunately. If he really cares you could make a new application to be considered later in the spring?

Because you put another school first the council will reject your second choice if you are offered your first.

Your second choice no longer exists if you are on the list for your first.

You need to contact them to see if you can swop them round.

DG

Generally you only go onto the waiting list of a higher preference school, not a lower preference one, I don't know of any authority who does put lower preference schools on waiting list as that would jam up the system with the majority of people not wanting a lower preference school, but do check as each authority is different, as someone says Bromley don't do this.

If you went on the waiting list for the second preference you would probably jump near the top of the list by the sounds of it, as I understand it you do not have to reject the first school until you have an offer from the second one. You would need to be proactive and contact the second school and probably the admissions authority too.

Making a new application or changing your existing application now risks you not getting any of your choices to start with as it would be classed as a late application.

Do though think about why you put the other school first as it may just be jitters or the familiarity of a school that a sibling is in which is comforting at times like this when there are a lot of unknowns.

Contact the school admissions team of your home local authority for definitive advice, if it doesn’t have information covering this situation on its website.

As has already been said any change you make now will almost certainly render your application late, though. Althpugh if this means that you wouldn't get any of your preferences on March 1st, it would also solve the problem re wanting to go on the waiting list of a lower preference than your allocated school, I suppose, as all of them would now be higher preferences.

NB I am not actually advocating this as a plan...

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Thanks all. Good advice. We have contacted the admissions team of our local authority and now waiting for their reply. I think the reality is that our son's preferences will keep moving from one school to the other as both are pretty evenly matched. One school is all boys and more football focussed, the other is mixed and more rugby focussed. He's at a mixed school at the moment and plays lots of football, but whatever he misses from whichever school he ends up at should be made up for outside of school in reality.

Hello, I suppose the question is:

Do both schools offer both rugby and football?


If it is the schools I am thinking of they do offer both? Or are you saying they have a different emphasis one preferring football over rugby?

If so then will your son be happy equally at either?

Good luck

Thanks, Coffeelover. I think either school will prove be a good choice, despite the differences. Find out in a few weeks time...

All the best StressyDad.

I am still fishing for information on the bexley grammars but think I am just overthinking it all.

I think we are in a position where beggars can’t be choosers.

What will be will be, but I am starting to feel a bit nervous about school offer day which is ridiculous.

Anyhow all the best for your son.

Waiting for offer day is really nerve racking! I did it twice and both times meant to put it out of my mind, but not a chance. Not long now though. Afaik the children in my children's years who went to Chis and Sid and Beths really like them both, but I don't know a lot of detail. We're too far out for Bexkey.