Is anyone really quite unhappy with the school their child has been allocated?

[RaRaRamen]

Just that really. Our child has just started reception. We were allocated our fourth choice. We're very far down the waiting list for first and second choices, and keep going up and down on waiting list our third choice - currently dropped again. The school we were allocated seems just... ok. No Ofsted yet as they split from the upper school and haven't had their own rating yet. Area is not brilliant, I don't gel with any of the other parents, lots of rowdy behaviour even in reception. School seems disorganised. There's no PTA and no class WhatsApp, unlike every other school seemingly. My child is already saying every morning that they don't want to go, that they don't like it. Never had this problem at preschool.

Just feeling a bit crap and powerless about it all, and looking for some solidarity!

I'm not in the same boat but why don't you set up a class WhatsApp, I don't think this are normally coordinated by school (they aren't at our school) just by parents who decide to set them up. It might help you to connect with other parents as a start.

@Cakeandslippers thank you, I can definitely look into that. I worry I'd feel even worse if no one replied!

Oh I know it's a pain having to be that person and hard to put yourself out there. People will reply, even if they all don't, some will. You won't be the only one thinking about this kind of thing.

I hope it works and I hope your child settles. One of mine has just moved into reception and if it's any consolation quite a few of the kids who were settled in the pre school class are struggling a bit, I think it's fairly normal for the first half term at least.

We don't have a PTA anymore and have never had a class WhatsApp.

Every so often you ask parents what they would like re communication and it may be they are happy with the present system. Lots of children don't like going to school once the shine wears off. Hope it gets better with time.

Contact the schools you like and ask to go on their waiting list for a place. Could be days or many months to wait before you get a place but definitely worth a shot.

It seems odd that the two things you pick up on - the PTA and the class WhatsApp - are the two things that parents coordinate and not the school. If parents want one they have to organise it!

(my children’s primary doesn’t have a PTA either. I thank my lucky stars every day that it means I don’t have to do ridiculous things to raise money for it)

OP says in the OP that they are on the waiting lists...

As pp posters have said, WhatsApp group and PTA are organised by parents. With it being a new school it's likely that no one has yet had a chance.
Lots of schools have lost their PTA as more and more parents work more and more hours they simply don't have the time to give. When I was involved with ours there no no involvement from teachers at all.
Also agree with other posters that as children get tired for going in 5 days a week it does get more difficult for them, it's a very different environment to pre school or nursery and it is more demanding.
Hopefully a space will come for him soon and you can move him.

Sorry to hear this OP! Different perspective somehow we got our choice we wanted loved it for 3 years outstanding ofstead run really well no complaints then headteacher left turned into an inadequate disorganised hell hole over night. Now has improved again to good with another headteacher. Point is schools change parents, teachers and pupils come and go. I find primary schools really demanding with very similar problems across the board. Currently looking at secondary schools and it's a different set of fear entirely 😄Good with the waiting list

Thanks everyone! The reason I mention the PTA and WhatsApp group is, although they seem silly and I know they're parent organised, it's symbolic of the fact that there's really no community spirit or desire to connect with other parents. No one seems to want to get to know each other. It's not a new school, it's been around a long time and has a pretty bad local reputation. There's no sense of being part of a community, even though it's a small school, which is really what I was hoping for. Unfortunately we put a lot of thought into our top three choices and really didn't think we'd end up with our fourth 😆 I know I could try and instigate something but I think I might face an uphill battle! I hope that doesn't come across too defeatist.

@Zafloraqueen you're absolutely right it depends on the head! The school keeps going through new heads - like every two years lol - there's a new one just started who seems energetic so hopefully something will happen!

Waiting lists move hold out I am sure you will get into one of the other choices and kids are resilient at that age

The lack of WhatsApp group is a non-issue that absolutely isn't symptomatic of parents who don't want to engage with school. I've had two dc go through primary and didn't have WhatsApp groups for either. There was briefly for dc2 but it annoyed me within days so I left it. I don't need to get into a row about how little Jacinta isn't on the correct book band and how can we contact the governors about this.