No school place offered

[Hodel]

...any idea what happens next? We thought we had been extremely conservative. We only put the closest schools as our preferences and used all six choices, including two that took everyone who applied last year. We are less than 0.3 miles from nearest and under 0.5 mile from another 3. Not sure what this means. Surely they are going to have to set up buldge classes?

[BerryCheesecake]

I would appeal if it were me. If your DC is at nursery at the school already, you will have a much stronger case :)

[mummytime]

There will probably be a bulge class if there are enough people in your position. The LA may be expecting a number of people to give up their places and go private, that could in turn lead to shuffling.
Do make sure you are on the waiting lust of all schools you want.

[prh47bridge]

You can appeal for your preferred schools. However I have to disagree with BerryCheesecake. Whether or not your child is at the nursery will make absolutely no difference. It is likely that most if not all appeals would be infant class size which means you would need to show that a mistake has been made.

The better news is that the LA must come up with a place for you somewhere. It may take a while, especially if they need to set up bulge classes, but you will get a place.

[Hodel]

DC is not in a school nursery anyway (we did get a place at 1st preference school nursery, but ended up turning it down to go elsewhere). Luckily the nursery she is at already told parents that they are happy for kids to stay on until they are 5.

I just checked the brochure the LEA sent around and there is really nothing I could have done differently. I applied for all our nearest schools (except the oversubscribed faith one) and we would have easily gotten into 3 last year, and were only a fraction outside the intake area of a 4th. I even put down one backup one that I thought was a sure bet.

[PanelChair]

You need to keep pressing the LEA to find a school place for your child. This might be in a bulge class or it might be in a school not on your original list.

At the same time, you can join waiting lists for other schools that you would be willing to accept.

[Hodel]

prh47bridge I gather you are an expert, so I'd really appreciate any info you may have on this... I'm trying to stay sane.

do you know what I am to do next?

The email said they will send a list of schools in this and neighbouring boroughs that have places, and I can let them know if I want a place anywhere. Then they let me know if they are able to give me a place. Looking at the information from last year it doesn't look promising. The under subscribed schools, (which were not already applied for), were either very far away or very faith.

• Am I obliged to say I want a place at one of them? and if so, what is the criteria to get a place? I mean if an under subscribed school is 3 miles away it'll be a nightmare to get to... (I'm in Hackney, London), plus, surely I will be last on the list for a place anyway.
  

• If I don't even try to get a place elsewhere (for reasons above), does that absolve them of their duty to provide one?
  

• also, how do places in other boroughs factor in?
  

• how do they normally go about creating extra places or bulge classes?
  

Thanks in advance for any light you can shed on this for me!

[angel1976]

Hodel You really are not the only one. We had 5 schools on the list, studied the rules etc and basically did everything we could. We put first on our list our dream school (overscribed one form entry outstanding primary school), second on our list was what we knew our DS1 would realistically get into, quite a bad recent ofsted report but two-form entry (our next door neighbour son goes there and rates it highly and we liked it) and both schools are equal distance (0.2 miles). Then we had 3rd, 4th and 5th choice which are all fairly local and we got some primary school we have never heard of 1.8 miles away...

It looks like both of our top choices schools took bulge classes 2 years ago which means large number of siblings trying to get in this year and with the baby boom and all, we got very unlucky! Still, we will be on the phone tomorrow to find out what really happened and to get on waiting lists... Hugs to you! I feel calmer now though than I did earlier this evening!

[Pooka]

Our LEA offered 69 places for reception last year at dcs school - when normally only 2 classes of 60. They assumed that some would be rejected in favour of independents, or that the child would end up getting a place at higher preference after the initial movement/horse trading.

Bit of a miscalculation, because we had 67 started and the boroug have committed to pay for an extra teacher for the next 3 years until KS2 so long as the roll in that year stays above 60. Luckily we have the space - a spare classroom, and actually has been pretty good for the reception starters because class size is 22/22/23 rather than the usual 30. And the school gets extra money because payments are per pupil.

Hopefully it won't happen again this year, because we don't really have the room.

Horrible position to be in for you. Hang in there - it sounds like you must be very high on waiting lists given the proximity you've quoted. Places can become free. When dd started she was offered 3rd choice (only 3 choices then). She started off at 64th on waiting list for preferred school and was at no 3 by the time September came round. In the end though she settled so well and has been so happy that we didn't pursue waiting lists.

[lisad123]

We have been emailed a list of waitlist schools in our area. Might be worth an ask

[LucyLastik]

I am very fortunate in that I got my first choice school today, but it is purely down to the fact that DD1 already goes there. However, it was still a very stressful time, as we were informed that at the school we got, one of the 2 classes going in was going to be entirely made up of siblings. Then, when you factor in looked after children and those with SEN, there was the possibility of not getting in at all, regardless of the sibling rule.

I don't have any real advice, other than to go on the waiting lists for the schools you want. There is likely to be a lot of movement between now and September. If your DC attends nursery, they can stay there until they are 5 whilst you wait for a place at a preferred school.

Good luck.

[Pooka]

And by ks2 with children moving away (and not being replaced) it is hoped/expected that the roll will be down to at most 64 - in ks2 we tend to have max 32 per class.

[angel1976]

I will be calling the LEA and all the schools to make sure we are on waitlist tomorrow but how do you find out your position on a day-to-day basis? Do you just call and hassle the hell out of the LEA/schools?

[PanelChair]

The LEA holds all the waiting lists (except where the school is its own admissions authority).

[Hodel]

angel1976 interesting that you got allocated another school. I'm wondering if the fact that I didn't means there well and truly are not any places? I'm gutted because I actually genuinely liked all the nearest schools and thought I would definitely be eligible for 3 of the 6, at least. In fact, I would have been happy with any of the 6. I really don't want to have to take a place at a faith school.

[angel1976]

Thanks. I just can't believe I have to just sit and wait it out. Will they tell you the 'catchment' this year so far? As in the last place allocated for a certain primary? I am really gutted we missed out on second choice as last year, it was under 700 metres and we are under 500 metres! :(

[angel1976]

Hotel We would have been happy with our 5 choices and they are all closer than the one they allocated! My neighbour is telling me now that I should have tried for a Catholic school down the road as it is often under-subscribed and will take in a few non-believers each year but really? That's what I have to resort to? :(

[angel1976]

SchoolsNightmare Can't tell you how much I appreciate you sharing your experience here with us. Maybe we can all hold hands together? Going private is AN option but honestly, we moved last year so we could apply to the local school and we thought we had choices. Ha bloody ha!

[angel1976]

Also, do you just tell the LEA if there is a school NOT on your original choices that you would like to go on the wait list for?

[Hodel]

Thanks for all the great info Schools! Do you know how they classify local? Obviously in London even a few miles can be a nightmare... or does it just go by borough?