To get my knickers in a twist over this?

[Duperhero]

Hello,

Would love some opinions on this please. We were forced down the private route as no school places available. We are still waiting for a place in Year 2.

There is a little girl in my DC's class who has just been allocated a place at our nearest school. We were number one on the waiting list, but somehow the other child has been given a place. They live much further away from the school than us. There are no learning difficulties that I know of, as the little girl was in my DC's class and at a similar level. There is a sibling, but we also have a sibling at the school we are on the waiting list for.

How could this have occurred? Mutual friend has been bragging about how there are 'ways' to get both children into same school. She won't elaborate when pushed about these mysterious 'ways'!

Am I missing a trick here? I want to bring this up with the Council to find out why we were not given the place.

Our LEA criteria is Looked After Children, SEN, Siblings, then distance. Length on waiting list doesn't come into it.

[MissPenelopeLumawoo2]

Can you not just query it with the school/LA? Just say what you did in your post- you were next on the list so were wondering why you did not get the next space? See what response you get first, then decide what you can do about it.

[CSIJanner]

Ask the lea - otherwise you'll end up chewing up your own liver in not knowing.

[ihatethecold]

I would be fuming, you must be so hacked off.

You should find out why, the fact she sounds like she is bragging would really get my back up.

[LadyLuck10]

I would query it too. If you both are in similar positions but you were higher on the list then something doesn't seem right.

[Duperhero]

They cannot discuss another child with me is what they basically said over the phone.

Mutual friend has unwittingly given me the impression the other family simply made a real fuss about getting children to two different schools. But I know many families in this situation in our borough.

[LadyLuck10]

Well then you make a fuss about how you were next on the list and this child went ahead.

[Birdsgottafly]

So you're hearing this all third hand?

A special effort was made, to make a place in a Nursery class for my youngest when my middle DD started primary.

There was a lot said by other parents, but my DH was dying, we'd lost our home and we were under breaking point pressure.

When my youngest was then diagnosed as having moderate LDs (pushed for by me), again there was a lot of gossip.

Make your enquiries, but take on board that no-one ever knows the truth about what may be happening in other families.

Also, It does you the world of good to give up gossiping.

[kewtogetin]

You say that there aren't any learning difficulties that 'you know of' I think that's your answer really, you don't know. You also don't know of any 'extenuating circumstances' within the home that may have forced the council to give the child a place over yours, which could really be any one of a hundred things.

[MrsTawdry]

The child could be under the care of social services...or have SN that you don't know about. Let it alone.

[Camolips]

How long have you been on the waiting list? A school we were on the waiting list for started their lists afresh every September and it wasn't until someone else was allocated a place ahead of us that we were told that we needed to re-apply every year if a place was still required.

[PatriciaHolm]

Did she appeal? If she did and happened to win, that would explain it.

[Duperhero]

No, there hasn't been an appeal. This the Council told me.

There could be extenuating circs. But we were out socialising with the mother and father several times at Christmas. They appear happy, comfortable, as they always have done.

I don't believe there are extenuating circs because it was spoken about in a smug 'there are ways to cheat the system, you just have to know how to' way.

I'm sorry to hear of your situation Birdsgottafly.

Kewtogetin, any one of a hundred things? Our criteria clearly states Looked After children, SEN, then siblings/distance. On what other grounds would you be prioritised for a school place?

[Duperhero]

Camolips thanks, we contact the council every few weeks to check for any movement.

[squoosh]

I wouldn't let it alone. I'd want to find out why this happened. Can you not put thumb screws on mutual friend and get her to blab?

[m0therofdragons]

is the child adopted or had it ever been in care?

[DecaffCoffeeAndRollupsPlease]

If she's really a friend press her for details on how she did it. If there really 'are ways' it would be her place as a friend to tell you what they are, at least to help you not to get gazumped, even if you cannot employ the ways yourself. If they've cheated, well, I don't know how I'd feel about that. Do you suspect they have cheated, by lying about having moved, into a relative's house that's closer or something like that?

[AalyaSecura]

Is there scope to appeal at this point? As thus would potentially fall into 'an admission mistake has been made'. You could say that you understand that you don't have the right to know why this child got in, but that you are appealing for the panel to make sure that the admissions criteria had been correctly applied.

[AalyaSecura]

If so, post on the primary schools topic here - there are some incredibly well informed posters there who know this stuff backwards.

[Duperhero]

I think I do suspect they've cheated, more because of the way the mutual friend spoke about it. I doubt they have lied about their address. The child is not adopted or ever been in care. Unless pre 2 years old. Would that make a difference, if they had been in care as a baby? I don't think they were as they're good parents.

I think it's some kind of made up 'extenuating circumstance'. But what?

Our council is incredibly strict on admissions policy.

[Chilicosrenegade]

For us it was down to discrimination. My dad had to threaten to sue as I was an onlie and siblings / firsts were given priority.

Could it be an 'innocuous' reason that many (inc here) would argue about?

[Duperhero]

It could be innocuous. I really want to know what/how though!

[Stripyhoglets]

Put a complaint to the Council then threaten to take legal action if not resolved, in and tell the council where the family really live if you think they have cheated the system. You were top of the list and should get in before a child who lives further away if nothing else applies to put the other child at higher priority.

[footallsock]

Chili discrimination does not every exist for only kids. They are a first born in a family of one. OP post in primary ed as that's where the experts are. Doesn't sound like the child is adopted, prev looked after or SEN as they would never be on wait list ). I would ask the question directly

[steppeinginto2015]

Are you sure you are still on the waiting list?
You have to renew yourself regularly.

Also the other thing that isn't clear, you said no places, and went private, but if you hadn't gone private, LEA would have had to find you a place. Has she removed her dd from private so that LEA has to find a place?

Agree with stripy that you can take legal action if council/family has cheated.

[holidaysarenice]

Write formally stating your case, and that other child lives at x address.

Also pal up with the mother, use the now your child is in, tell me all about it so I can use it. Then have no qualms about stabbing her in the back.

Oh and you didn't have to go private, they would have placed you. I just doubt you would have wanted the place.