How the waiting list really works
For a lot of families this is the better route, not the backup
What this is
The waiting list is not first come, first served. It is ordered by the same rules the school used in the first place, so a family who moves closer in June can go above you. It runs at the same time as your appeal, and it keeps moving all summer as other families take places elsewhere.
What to do
- Ask to be put on the list in writing, for every school you want. Some put you on automatically and some do not. Never assume.
- Ask what position you are in, and ask what the ordering rule is.
- Ask again every two or three weeks. Politely, by email, so there is a record.
- Tell them straight away if anything changes, like moving house or a sibling starting.
How you know it worked
You know your number, and you know what would make it go down.
Easy to get wrong
- Assuming being on the list is automatic.
- Assuming your place on it is fixed. It is not.
- Giving up in July. Lists move most in late August and again in the first weeks of term.
If that does not work
Lists must be kept until at least the end of December in the first year. After that, ask about applying for a place mid-year instead.
Last updated 7 October 2026. Written against the School Admission Appeals Code 2022 and the School Admissions Code 2021. This is information, not legal advice.