School waiting lists
You’ll be automatically added to school waiting lists if you:
- do not get a place at any of the schools you applied for
- have been offered a place at a lower preference school listed on your application and still want a place at a higher preference school
You can ask to have your child added to school waiting lists if you:
- still want a place at a lower ranked school on your application
- want your child to go to a school you did not list on your application
How are school places allocated
When a school place is offered, all schools listed on your application that are lower than the one offered are automatically withdrawn.
Your child will be added on the waiting list for any school which was a higher preference on your application.
You’ll need to fill out a change school preference form if you:
- still want a place for a school that you ranked lower on your application
- changed your mind on the primary or secondary schools you applied to
You’ll need to tell us the new preference order of your schools.
Check your child’s position on the waiting list
View your child's waiting list position
You’ll need your child’s application reference number.
If you're a Redbridge resident, this can be found on your offer email or letter.
How waiting lists work
Your position on a waiting list will depend on which priority of the school admission criteria your child meets and who else is on the waiting list.
Check a school's admission criteria
Waiting lists do not work on a first come, first served basis.
Your waiting list number shows the number of children that will need to leave the year group for your child to start the school.
When a school has an available place, it’ll be automatically offered to the child who is at the number one position on the day it becomes available.
Keeping your child on the waiting list
All schools clear their waiting lists at the end of each academic year. Some schools clear them on 31 December.
You must complete a new in year application in August to keep your child on the waiting list from 1 September of the new academic year.
If your child is starting reception, secondary school or transferring to junior school, their name will be kept on the waiting list until 31 December. You must complete a new in year application in January to keep your child on the waiting list.
You’ll need to contact the following schools directly to find out the waiting list position for your child:
Primary schools
- Al-Noor Primary School
- Atam Academy
- Avanti Court Primary School
- Clore Tikva Primary School
- Isaac Newton Academy
- St Aidan's Catholic Academy
- St Antony's Catholic Primary School
- St Augustine's Catholic Primary School
- St Bede's Catholic Primary School
- Our Lady of Lourdes Primary School
- SS Peter and Paul's Catholic Primary School
- Wohl Ilford Jewish Primary School
- Wanstead Church School
Secondary schools
- Atam Academy
- Chadwell Heath Academy
- Isaac Newton Academy
- King Solomon High School
- Mayfield School
- The Palmer Catholic Academy
- Trinity Catholic Academy
- The Ursuline Academy Ilford
Waiting lists to move schools
If your child is already at a school, but you want to join the waiting list for a different one, you need to apply to change schools.
If the school you apply to does not have a place, we’ll add your child to their waiting list.
You can apply to move at the start of the next academic year, or during this one. Your child will stay on the waiting list until the end of the academic year.
Remove a child from a waiting list
It's important you tell us as soon as you decide you want to take your child off a school waiting list.
You'll need to tell us which school waiting list you would like your child to be removed from.
Remove a child from a waiting list
