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Original poster

Schools refusing end of year 10 entry

104 replies

RayOfRainbow · 07/07/2025 08:02

Has anyone experienced this?

Firstly, it’s obviously not an ideal situation but it is where we unexpectedly are due to external factors that can’t change.

DS is finishing year 10 and needs to find a school. I presumed we’d just apply but it’s been weeks of no answers/ outright no/ systems blocks

He has a history and reports of good behaviour. Mocks are ok, grade 5 and 6s. No social issues, everything ever says basically he’s a nice kid. We’re teachers and I’m not so worried about the academics as we planned to intensively support the swap over end of June/ July august but now I’m more worried about not have a syllabus over the summer to work to.

Schools all have some spaces. I applied to the nearest 9 across 4 LAs. Two schools on the phone said they simply don’t admit at this stage (academies). One LA hasn’t answers any emails or applications for their schools despite chasing. One LA keeps delaying with extra forms or questions which hold it up another 15 days, they haven’t processed the appointment still. Not stuff I’ve missed, but extra-eg this form for the ballast school, a letter saying no behaviour etc…. Two schools (with spaces) said outright they have none (published PAN is about 20 more than in the year group).

I’ quite stressed so please don’t just say ‘we’ll moved are difficult at this stage- I know. The whole situation was unexpected and stressful. It’s where we are.

I managed to get an LA response from the attendance team saying a school must admit a child if they have spaces- but after saying all schools I phoned saying they don’t admit they have not replied further. It’s been weeks. I get no one wants an end of year 10 child, but ds is academically solid and a pleasant child. They just won’t even consider it and it seems very reactive

Surely there are some kids that have to move sometimes in the system?!

OP posts:
Original poster
RayOfRainbow · 07/07/2025 08:38

MeringueOutang · 07/07/2025 08:36

From my own experience of changing schools in year 10/11 it was an absolute bloody nightmare. If you're willing to be assigned any school at this point (advisable) can you phone the LA instead of emailing them? You really have to be a dog with a bone to sort this out; everyone makes it someone else's problem IME and emails can be ignored.

Any school. Applied across 4 LAs with this mindset! Phones schools but you can’t phone the LA, I have though identified us to the CME team!

OP posts:
Original poster
RayOfRainbow · 07/07/2025 08:37

Yeah, I’m aware of factors of difficulty as a teacher but I must admit I’m shocked at the blocking.
I did speak to one academy and sent his 100% attendance/ punctuality report, his mocks, reports (top attitude marks) and outright addressed every concern I could think of. I even listed the exam boards that lined up, the syllabus differences and how we’d match up learning by September! A by email and a phone call.
The problem with appeals for the closest 4 is one LA is blanking me and one LA is refusing to process with new barriers coming up. The ones who have replied are faith schools and handle their own admissions or academies that handle their own. The faith schools say he can go on the waiting list if I do their SIP. The LA those two are in do not handle admissions past yr 7. I’m on it, but it’s such a nightmare and already a month wasted

OP posts:
MeringueOutang · 07/07/2025 08:36

From my own experience of changing schools in year 10/11 it was an absolute bloody nightmare. If you're willing to be assigned any school at this point (advisable) can you phone the LA instead of emailing them? You really have to be a dog with a bone to sort this out; everyone makes it someone else's problem IME and emails can be ignored.

Appealpanelist · 07/07/2025 08:20

From my appeals work this is a common situation. They will be hoping that he goes to another school and, as you have found, use a variety of things to avoid offering a place. It may be worth lodging an appeal for your most favoured school(s) which does focus the LA/school/academy minds though can take a long time to arrange.

Schools do not like admitting into year 11. Reasons they give are differences in exam boards/syllabuses/option choices and availability of spaces in particular option subjects or in a particular set. This means significant extra work for the schools who are already stretched and focused on the students at the school. The student can impact on the outcomes for Year 11 when the school has not had the opportunity to teach them for the whole of KS4 or longer.

Funding is also lagged and there is no funding received until April (if a maintained school) or the following September (academy).

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