My child can't get a place in other childs school

[Moniqe]

Please help me! Im helpless and have no idea what else I could do or where to go to ask for help :(
My daughter was offered a place in school last year in September. She was there on a waiting list since reception. I accepted the offer as was told that my son will be moved to 1st place on a waiting list. So I was pretty sure he'll move there quite soon. Unfortunately although he was 1st on the list, every time the space got available someone else was offered it. I was calling, visiting school, asking, begging at least once a month. All I was told is that the school does not guarantee a place for siblings. Why I wasn't told that at the very beginning, I don't know... I should add that we are from outside catchment area, so every time someone else gets a place I'm told that they live closer.
It's been a year of struggling and joggling between 2 schools, their assemblies, parents meeting, ceremonies etc, and my work. Very difficult year because my son is very emotional and was crying for first 6 months every morning as he was very close to his sister. I had to share between them 2 my time to take them to and from school. They were fighting over it all the time etc, etc..
It's a new academic year. My son is number 2 on the waiting list :( Im devastated because I don't know what to tell my little boy who keeps asking. No one want to help me as they have their admission criteria etc.. Im close to lose a job because of this situation. I don't want to move back my daughter to her old school as she is happy now with her new friends.
Is there anything else I could possibly do to secure a place for my child? I understand that they have their criteria, rules etc, but how about broken family, children feelings..
Please help me :'(

[Mybeardeddragonjustdied2016]

Get in touch with your MP and tell them your kids are being badly affected by all of this.

[LIZS]

It is unfortunate chance that another child meeting the criteria most closely was admitted ahead of your Ds. Subjective criteria such as logistics, emotions, having to juggle do not come into it. You could appeal but without clear proof that you have been unfairly denied a place chances of success are low as infant class sizes are restricted to 30. Good news is that from year 3 has more flexibility in class size so he may well be offered a place then. Why is your job at risk, could you arrange before or after school care/cm for one of them to ease the logistical issues.

[ThatStewie]

If you're out of catchment and they don't prioritise siblings, I'm not sure there is anything else you can do. As long as they are following their procedures, all you can do is wait for a space to open up.

[scrappydappydoo]

I recognise the distress - we were on a waiting list for 2 years and kept being scuppered at the last minute. It was painful for everyone BUT unfortunately as frustrating as it is there are rules and if make exceptions for one etc etc

How old are your children? If your youngest is yr 3 or above there may be some flexibility on appeal but apart from that you either move dd or just wait it out.

[CrotchetQuaverMinim]

Who told you that your son would be moved to first place on the waiting list? The school? The LEA? That sounds like you were misinformed, if they don't have a siblings policy that applies to out of catchment siblings. If you were number 1 on the list, did someone else move on to the list before the various places became available? Do you know for sure that you were number 1 on the list at the time?

It sounds like he wasn't number 1 on the list, which is bad luck. And that you shouldn't have been told that he'd be moved to number 1, if the siblings policy didn't apply to you.

[TeenAndTween]

I'm sorry for you, and it appears you have been not well advised, but that's what happens when you go for an out of catchment school that (rightly in my opinion) prioritises those in catchment over siblings out of catchment.

Why not move your daughter to your son's school? At least get her on the waiting list so whichever place comes up first you can have them together.

[prh47bridge]

If your son was genuinely first on the waiting list when a place became available it should have been offered to him. However, even if he was first when your daughter moved to this school there is no guarantee he would stay there. Late applicants go ahead of you in the list if they come higher up the admission criteria. It is likely that this is what happened.

You can appeal for a place for your son. However, if he is in Reception, Y1 or Y2 it is likely to be an infant class size case which means your chances of winning are very low.

Your only other options are to move your daughter back to her old school or to sit tight and hope. I'm afraid there are no other options. Sorry.

[smellyboot]

That's the issue with sending DC to out of catchment schools

[PatriciaHolm]

What school year is your son?

The waiting list has to be run using the admissions criteria, which you should be able to find easily on the school or local authority website. Positions on the list can move, as people move into and out of the area and someone might easily move in who meets the criteria more than you do so can leapfrog your son I'm afraid. There is nothing you can do about this.

You could try to appeal for a place, but you are unlikely to win if your child is in reception, yr1 or yr2 and there are already 30 in the class. For older years there is more chance, but it's still a long shot. If you genuinely can't manage 2 schools, it might be better to move your daughter back, if possible.

[mathsmum314]

It sounds awful but try but remember there will be a parent living close to that school just as frantic, having to send their children miles away because they can't get a place at their local school.

Just move your daughter back to your local school with her brother.

[Floggingmolly]

What exactly would op's MP do? She voluntarily moved her first child to an out of catchment school that doesn't have a siblings policy as part of their admissions criteria
Waiting lists are extremely fluid; being first on the list was never set in stone and wasn't influenced by the fact that it was a sibling situation anyway, so of course any free places will go to those in catchment first.
It's how the system works.

[Stillunexpected]

There is very little that you can do I'm afraid. You knew when you moved your DD to the school that your son was not getting a place at the same time. First place on the list or not, another space might not have come available during the year at all. Did you read the admissions criteria when you were first applying? You must have understood then that your son wouldn't automatically jump to the top of the waiting list and there were possibly a number of other factors involved? Did you also realise that other people coming higher on the admissions categories might join the wait list before you?

It sounds unfortunately as if you have misunderstood the process. Prh has given you good advice. If you are about to lose your job then it is not worth the stress of juggling two unhappy children and it sounds as if you need to move your daughter back to the original school. Why did you move her in the first place?