2 children 2 different schools

[swimmerlab]

In September I will have 2 children at 2 different schools. One Y3, one YR.

School for Y3 child is in a nearby school but it is not our catchment school. For the first year this school is oversubscribed and therefore child 2 didn't get a place. Child 2 will go to catchment school.

The school both finish at the same time.

Child 1 has additional needs (has been diagnosed with anxiety and separation anxiety, still being assessed for other things). Impossible to move this child to school 2 (not space anyway), GP and consultant would agree with this. Neither can after school club be considered. Wouldn't even get in a car with a well known friend's parent.

Child 2 would attend after school club but there isn't one. One childminder that does pickups is full and wouldn't want our child anyway because of the very short amount of time we would need.

I have found an external after school club (ie they're picked up from school and taken to a hall) but this is £17 per day (cannot just have 30 mins or an hour) and is simply unaffordable for us.

We are quite a way down the waiting list so unlikely to gain a place before September.

Does anyone have any suggestion how we cope? What do other people do?

No relatives nearby and don't know a single parent from school 2.

[swimmerlab]

Sorry that was long!

[definitelynotsupermum]

When does reception child turn 5? As they don't legally have to start until term after they turn 5, could you wait until a space comes available? Also have you appealed for their place - these are extenuating circumstances and my council take extra children based on that, there's a sibling at my sons school who didn't get in due to the application not being submitted properly and they are appealing x

[RedSkyAtNight]

How far apart are the schools? How far from your house? Assuming that they are relatively close and you really only need up to 30 minutes care, can you enlist a neighbour/other school parent to pick up DC2 and "hang on" to them for a short time? Also, if it is genuinely a really short time, it might be worth talking to School 2 - they may be happy for DC2 to wait in the library (or somewhere similar) for a bit.

[BabiesDontNeedDaddies]

Pick sen child up a bit early, say it's for anxiety

[Gileswithachainsaw]

I would defer R child or do half days for as long as possible and hope that a place comes up.

What age does the school allow kids to walk back by themselves? Could he not meet you at the school from say yr 4 so defer then do half days or pick up reception kid early then in yr 4 have older kid meet you.

[sonypony]

When does younger child turn 5? How far apart are the schools? Possible options 1. arrange to pick up older child a bit early 2. arrange to pick up younger child a bit later 3. have younger child do half days and pick up after lunch 4. keep younger child in preschool and hope a place becomes available. Good luck finding a solution, it sounds very tricky.

[Effic]

Highly unlikely that you would win an infant appeal. Down to parents to manage travel arrangements not schools. Unfortunately too many people in the past have applied and got into out of catchment schools meaning more local children can’t get places in later years due to sibling link so a lot of schools have removed the sibling link from their admissions code. I’m presuming this is the case for school A?
How long to drive from one school to the other? Best idea is to try to negotiate an early pick up from school A and put child B on waiting list recognising that it could take a long time to get in. You could ask about picking child B up later but highly unlikely that the school will have spare staff to supervise.

[Lifechallenges]

I’d speak to school 2 and ask if there is any way you can make a special arrangement to pick up DC2 30 mins into afterschool and explain that you can’t afford £17 a day: which is extortionate BTW
Is there a FB group or similar set up yrR at school 2 yet?
Is there a neighbour near by with DC at catchment school that would talk DC 2 home for you or similar?
Unfortunately this is the risk of using non catchment schools

[swimmerlab]

Thanks for the replies.

Yes, school A was not our catchment school. It's the next closest. School B as it is a CofE school and we didn't want a religious school. we did look at the stats for previous years and this is literally the only year that child 2 wouldn't have been admitted. Usually children from quite a way - 4km plus- outside of catchment get in.

It is ICS so I know we would be unlikely to win an appeal.

Child 2 is 5 end of September. Nursery don't have a place (they are full for Sept and even if they did it would only aid us until Christmas) and we are currently 12th on the waiting list so very little hope of a place (60 intake).

Had a meeting with school B and they won't allow a child to remain after school (fair enough).

Our neighbours all work as far as I know but I don't know them well enough to ask anyway. I don't know any parents at school B and our child is the only one from current nursery to be going there. My only friends in the area are school Mums from school A as we have only been here a few years.

Picking Child 1 up early will be problematic, He feels he is different to other children but doesn't like being treated differently and being singled out will be quite distressing for him. This may well be the only solution though. I will speak to his Learning Support teacher to get their view on this, thanks for the suggestion.

I'm aware I sound very negative, I just can't see an obvious solution. If only school B had an after school club, child 2 would happily go!

[RedSkyAtNight]

Have you asked Child 2's school for suggestions? They may be able to suggest another parent that lives in your direction that might be amenable to picking up your DC and looking after them for a short time after school. Would one of the school TA's be interested in doing this?
When does the local secondary school finish? could you recruit a local teenager?

[Lifechallenges]

Is there a FB page for school 2? Put an appeal out on it or other mums FB groups locally for a childminder for pick up

[youarenotkiddingme]

I have a ds with similar anxiety issues (he has asd). The local after school club - also external were happy to do bus for him just to centre and j collect him at 4pm for a reduced fee.
Could you explain situation as ask if there's needs funding available as you need it for DS SN? Does he have an EHCP? I'm wondering if you can get finding through this as personal budget so that ds can be collected from school?

There obviously is option of pre 5 you can do shorter days but I'd be aware if this then having an impact if child 2 who is missing his school social time for child 1.

Have you spoken to Sen department of LA? Could they help or do they have any input to after school club or details of people willing to do short pick up. For example some schools (infant/junior or even primary) have a later pick up time for juniors. There maybe a CM who can keep the infant child for 15 minutes until they collect a junior child and still not be over ratio?

[adviceonthepox]

My advice would be to arrange to pick the reception aged child up early.

[llangennith]

Ask new school about any local childminders. Several children at our school are picked up by CMs and their parents pick them up 15 minutes later. Most of these parents work in schools or nursery so just can’t make it on time to pick up.

[Bowerbird5]

Have you considered asking the TAs?

I would check with the Headteacher first and if s/ he oaks it put out a note.
Perhaps pay for two or three hours in total to make it worth their while.