0.3 miles not in school catchment help!

[ElleyBear13]

Morning all-today I went to register my son for primary school nursery (we also want him to attend school there too !) we live literally a short five minute walk from the school and didn't think we wouldn't be in the catchment area as we also attend the church which is ajoined to the school- we have just presumed he'd go to the school and church . When I've gone to put his name down today I found out only half of the road is in the catchment the house next door is and we're not. The rc school we're in the catchment for is awful (currently poor scores with ofstead) and a twenty five minute walk there (I don't drive and no buses go that way) the other none rc school which we're in the catchment for has poor score too. What do I do? What's the likely hood of getting a place if I apply? The school has outstanding with ofstead and large waiting lists x

[golfbuggy]

You might get into the local school - check the admissions criteria and the situation in previous years (you will be able to find out on what basis the "last" child was admitted).

Otherwise visit the local schools - the fact that Ofsted has rated them poorly does not make them bad schools and you may be pleasantly surprised! 25 minutes walk is easily doable (closer than my DC's walk to school!) - get him on a bike or scooter and he'll soon get used to it!

If you really really don't want either of the schools you're likely to get into, your only option is to move, home educate or pay for private education.

[LIZS]

It simply depends how many with higher priority apply in that year. Do they mean catchment , as in a defined area used every year, or was that the furthest offered last year. What are the priority criteria, out of catchment but practising at the associated church may come ahead of non practising within catchment or out of catchment siblings for example. Your LA should publish admission figures for each category.

[Mamabear12]

I would apply anyway and try your best to get in. Look at the criteria. Volunteer at the church. Go to the school in person and explain why you want to go to the school. E.g. You have been going to the church and live right near by. It is important for you that he go to this school as it's connected the church you have been going to. Waiting lists move so even if you don't get in right away you have a chance. It makes such a difference to have a five min walk versus 25! I know bc I had a 25 min walk and hated it every day! I had a 2 and 3 year old I had to push in stroller and one was always crying. It got a little better when they got used to it. But still so incredibly tiring for me! Now we have a 10 mins walk and it is so much better! Kids are much happier as well!

[EagleIsland]

When I lived in the U.K. One of my freelance jobs was making the catchment boundaries.

We used to use the post code and property boundaries, population density ......then some judgement if it was a complex area.

Your situation is fairly common where a street would be split.

[admission]

It all depends on what is in the admission criteria for the school. As it appears from your post to be a church school it may well have a faith dimension to the admission criteria or maybe not. I would also check what they mean by catchment.Normally that is the parish boundaries which quite often do literally cut a street in half but could they be talking about what was the last pupil that was admitted last year?
If you go to the LA website and look on the admission section you can see exactly what the admission criteria is and also what was the last admission last year. If that was on a faith criteria then you will then know what you might have to achieve in order to be counted as a faith applicant. As you are only just looking to register child for nursery, you have another 12 months before you need to apply for a school place.
You will also find that the catholic school you mentioned will definitely have a faith requirement, so you do need to look seriously at the non-faith school that is nearest to you home.