School applications - need help focussing !!

[LIZS]

Sorry this might be a bit long....

As a bit of background we have been out of the UK for past 3 years and are probably returning to live in UK next summer. We have ds who will be 7 and dd who will be turning 4. In our LEA the schools are generally infant and juniors on separate sites so am currently looking at the various options within the locality. We need to make an application for both kids by 21st October direct to our first choice schools but listing up to 3 schools in our priority order. This is a back up plan in case they do not get into the private school we prefer and feel would suit them.

In ds' case he has not been educated in UK apart from a term and half at a Montessori nursery. his school here follows a different curriculum and there will be gaps in his learning compared to his UK peers. Added to that he has some learning problems related to motor skill and coordination issues. dd is happy in her playgroup and is learning her letters, numbers etc at a really quick pace. She however is quite shy and doesn't settle easily. Her playgroup is only 6 kids at a time so she is not used to large class sizes.

My dilemma is this - do I select their schools based on the needs of one or other ? The closest junior school, and the one my gut tells me would suit ds best, has a neighbouring infant school which does not seem to be performing statistically as well as when I looked at it for ds a few years back. Should I read much into that ? I'm thinking that I can't be picking up at schools too far apart, so where do I compromise ?

Well done for getting this far ! Has anyone got any experience of such a dilemma? Time is getting short for the deadline and we are away next week (when dh has said he'll read all the prospectuses!)so my head is spinning !!

[Twinkie]

LIZS have you cheked the performance of both f the schools you are thinking about lately - the one for DD near the one that is good for DS might have improved??

[marialuisa]

Could you see if either school offers after-care so that they could be on separate sites? My mum has just had to move my sis (just 4, new in reception) from the fantastic primary my bro attends very successfully. Sis is pathologically shy and introverted and just couldn't cope with 30 kids in a class. She's now going to a small village school (37 in whole school/14 in the infant section)where itshoped she'll cope better. However my bro would go loopy at this school so he's staying where he is. He will go to after-care for 15 mins to allow mum to pick-up sis and het there in time. The schools are 7 miles apart (but that's the country for you!)

[LIZS]

The stats I have appear to apply to KS1 2004 for the infants school and I just don't recall it being so varying against the National Averages a couple of years back but could be wrong. I also wonder how much the performance of one or two individuals could skew the percentages. Anyone know of a site which might show the trends ?

They do offer after school care but not on site -both schools use the same one. The logistics wouldn't become an issue for a few terms anyway because dd would be part time for first 2 terms of Reception so I would have to make 3 trips per day. It is mainly that these particular schools are within walking distance and the staggered start/end times would mean it is possible to collect from the two whereas it becomes more tricky if they are at school further apart.

[LIZS]

Bumping this up for the evening Mnetters.

Now wondering if could get dd into alternative Infant's which would still be within walking distance of the better school for ds, just. Problem being it is consistently oversubscribed, she has no sibling priority and probably outside its area so chances of getting palce smaller and could then jeopardise place at the original one. Also I preferred the head and atmosphere of other Infant School when I visited before, so are KS1 results the be all and end all ?

[ladymuck]

I think that gut feel or instinct are pretty important IMO. Just one thing about over-subscription - not sure exactly which part of the world you're applying to, but I've been told that there is a decline in numbers entering reception next year (after effect of millenium babies), and therefore over-subscription is less of a problem.

[LIZS]

Well, dd has been offered a place at the infant school closest to the more ideal junior school for ds, which despite our reservations in the end we put 1st. We are expected to confirm her place there by 6th but we have yet to hear if ds has a place at the junior school! Still awaitng outcome of ds' assessment for the private school too.

[LIZS]

Well ds is now on waiting list for private school - if anyone declines a place or leaves he can go. Have accepted dd's state school place anyway but the neighbouring junior has yet to start sifting its applications - they can't even tell us yet if they are oversubscribed ! They hope to allocate places by Christmas apparently. Good news is that in KS2 they outperformed the other junior school we considered.

The letter to dd from the infant school offering her a place was so sweet and restored my faith in it.

[LIZS]

First choice State Junior school (adjacent to the Infant school dd has Reception place at) have offered ds a place - yeah !!

[roisin]

Congratulations! That's fantastic news!