In year primary school applicants - please help!

[JellyBellies]

I have bought a house and will be moving next week. I have 2 primary school age children in year 1 and year 3. I have made an in year application and listed 4 schools. I was told there was no space in any of them. Also the criteria for admission to them is currently my new address until I move. So basically they are low down on the waiting list.

They will not give me a mandatory option until I move. The option will be sent to my by second class post. The last time just posting the option out after making a decision took 6 days. The whole thing can take upto 20 working days.

I am completing on the 17th. What if I called tomorrow and said that I have completed early so that the process can start for my mandatory option.

Will I get in trouble? What will they check? I am also worried that they may give me different schools, what happens then?

[steppemum]

Although different councils have slightly different policies, usually they should accept your new address once you have exchanged.

You can phone them and ask for them to process application from date of exchange. However, I think they are probably right that they won't do amandatory place until you have moved.

Usually, if the school has agreed, you can ask the school to start your place before they post out the paperwork. So, if you phone everyday and they tell you we have given you a place at xx school. Phone xx school and ask if you can come and see round. When there, tell them you haven't got the letter, but could they start.

They are legally obliged to find you a place. So keep pushing. Don't forget that if it is too far, they have to provide transport.

[steppemum]

sorry, meant to say, I had to provide proof.I forwarded the email from my solicitor to say we had exchanged, so I am not sure you can say you have completed unless you have proof.

[JellyBellies]

Ah ok. They don't care about exchange. And they will not tell me the outcome over the phone. I have to wait for a letter by second class post, everything.

[steppemum]

They aren't being very helpful are they!!!

[JellyBellies]

No, not at all. Its insane! The only resonse I get is, well if you don't like it ,you can appeal.

I don't want to appeal. I just want both my kids in a school close to my house.

[OlennasWimple]

Can they not even tell you where you would be on the waiting list for the four schools once you have moved (assuming no other changes to the list etc etc)? When we moved in-year the lovely council lady was happy to help us understand this stuff

[JellyBellies]

No they will not. The only thing they can tell me is about the process and how I need to follow the process. They will not even let me talk to the school admissions team directly. The block it saying oh we are the first point of contact.

And them give no information other than the above. I have already raised a complaint about the whole we can't tell you anything over the phone,wait 6 days to find out rigmarole.

Unfortunately that does not help me now.

[PatriciaHolm]

They will need to see proof of your new address.

As soon as you have it, email/call them and get the ball rolling. They need to find places somewhere. It is entirely possible that this will take a couple of weeks, but if it takes more than that you need to start agitating.

It is also possible that the spaces will be in different schools. You can go on waiting lists for schools you prefer, and put the children on the waiting list for each other's schools of course. if the journey is more than 2 miles, then the LEA should provide transport (this could be a bus pass).

You can appeal for places too, if they are placed apart; any appeal for Y1 is likely to be an infant class size appeal so very hard to win, but Y3 should be on balance of prejudice so whilst still hard, not as hard.

[JellyBellies]

Thanks Patricia. That's really helpful.
Does that mean that I can say that the detriment to my y3 child for not being in the same school as my y1 child is greater than the detriment to the school?

Also, if such an appeal exists, would it not make more sense to make space for him to start with?

[prh47bridge]

You can say that but it is unlikely to be a winning argument unless your older child has a much stronger need than other children of that age to be kept together with siblings. You need to explain why this is the right school for your older child. What is it that this school can offer that is missing from the allocated school.

The fact it may be possible to win an appeal is very different from saying you will definitely win an appeal. In general a school will not admit beyond PAN unless there is a successful appeal.

[JellyBellies]

Ah I see. Thanks. Honestly, I have moved 7 times before this but never with 2 children at primary. This is the most stressful move ever.
We are moving because we are buying a house for the first time and right now, I really wish we hadn't!