To be cross that new family in village have got their children into our full school on appeal and have bumped up class size to 31.

[31inclass]

The family have moved almost opposite the school and hence became first on the waiting list. The school is extremely popular, and is always full with a waiting list in Reception year. The school turned them down initially but they have got two children in on appeal, one in Reception and one in Year 2.

It is a CofE aided school with strict admission criteria including attendance at our local church for at least two years, one parent has to be confirmed etc. I've heard through the grapevine that the family don't meet any of the criteria, but have got in simply because the LEA have said that it is cheaper for them to send them to this school than fund the cost of taxis to the next nearest school.

My children are also in both these classes, which now have 31 children although the LEA has paid for an extra teacher so it is now a ratio of 31 children to 2 teachers. This applies until another child leaves and then the class goes back to 1 teacher.

Some parents are ok with what has happened because of the extra teacher. Some are quite upset and angry because they know other parents on the waiting list and they feel the parents have worked the system. They also feel that as the school building and grounds are small that the school should be allowed to stick to 30 per class.

I don't want to ostracize the parents or children but I must admit that I do feel a bit cross myself, having made a lot of effort to meet the criteria when I applied. AIBU?

[FluffyMummy123]

Message withdrawn

[JodieG1]

It wouldn't overly bother me. It wasn't the fault of the parents, the LEA made the decision.

[FluffyMummy123]

Message withdrawn

[mshadowsisfab]

yabu
you do not know why they got in.
and I hardly think 1 extra child will make much difference

[DarthVader]

If you have 2 teachers then the ratio of pupils to teachers has just improved from 30:1 to 31:2 - this is surely a right result!

[DaisySteiner]

The parents want to do the best they can and who can blame them, why should they be ostracised as a result? Frankly people should be pleased that there children now have twice as many teachers!

It's hard enough moving to a new area as it is without people being horrid to you. If you want to be cross, direct it at our crappy education that means there are so few really good schools.

[allgonebellyup]

get over it

[FluffyMummy123]

Message withdrawn

[DaisySteiner]

their

[Carmenere]

Life is too short.

[nickytwotimes]

sorry, YABU.

[alicet]

What anniemac said.

These parents are only doing the best they can for their kids - something I am sure all of us would do! LEA found in their favour.

Get over it and act like the adult you are and welcome them to their new village. An infinately more appropriate response than ostracising them and their children and making them feel like outcasts

[policywonk]

DS1's class has recently gone up to 31 because of a child whose family had to be re-housed for emergency reasons. The new child is exhibiting some quite disturbed behaviour and has made a big impact on the rest of the class. However, I'm just glad the LEA has been able to give him a place in a good school - hopefully it will help to make him feel more secure and contribute to his wellbeing. Plus, it might teach DS1 and his classmates something about social cooperation and responsibility.

[tissy]

not sure it would be cheaper to send kids to another school by taxi, if the LEA has to pay the salary of another teacher.

Your children, with the extra teacher, are now effectively in a class of 15 or so, anren't they?

The new family haven't really played the system. They've moved into a house very near the school, have failed to get in, then appealed successfully. What would you do, attempt to ban people with kids from moving into houses near the school, as it would affect anyone else's chances?

[cazboldy]

Put yourself in their shoes.....would it really be sensible to send their children somewhere else.

I think you are lucky that the school has provided another teacher!

[FranSanDisco]

Can't see the problem here as you have an extra teacher. YABU.

[coppertop]

You could always send your child to another school if it's so simple?

Thought not.

[branflake81]

Think you're being v unreasonable. Imagine if you'd moved opposite a school and your kids were sent elsehwere. I think they've done the right thing.

[harpomarx]

what icod said 11.02

and it would be ridiculous for these kids to go to another school by taxi when they have one right on their doorstep.

what effort did you go to meet the criteria? attending church for 2 years when you wouldn't have done normally?

[Fennel]

We moved to a village with an oversubscribed school and got our dds in on appeal. Though the classes were only about 20 or so at the time, but it was still officially full. Why not? Surely it benefits everyone if children go to their local school rather than being shipped around in taxis or cars to distant schools.

Luckily the people in our new village are nice and have been friendly to us, not complained about us using the village facilities. In fact it's made a huge difference, the dds going to the local school, in terms of us all being part of the village community.

[WigWamBam]

I would have thought that having two teachers for a class of 31, rather than one for a class of 30, would be a good thing.

You have no evidence that the family has "worked the system". They are new to the area, hence were first on the waiting list - that's life. You have only heard gossip that they don't meet the criteria. You do not know the entire circumstances.

Did you just fancy a good scrap this morning?

[YouCantTeuchThis]

Sounds to me like common sense has prevailed.

Would everyone rather have these children, who may well become friends of your children, having to travel at such a young age and missing out on having their school friends in the close neighbourhood?

And you only heard 'on the grapevine' - you don't know the facts.

YABU.

[cluelessnchaos]

Out of interest what would you have done, if you had moved to the house across the way?

[harpomarx]

i grew up in a village

all the kids in the village went to the local school (apart from those who went to private school, nobody knew them) - as a result we had a fantastic close knit community.

what a shame to want someone else's kids to miss out on this important part of village life.

and (dare i say it) not very, erm, Christian...