School place for older sister of epipen carrier- any point putting it on the form?

[girlsyearapart]

Hi all,
I have 3 dds (and expecting dc4) so will have 3 in a row at school then the 4th 2 years after.
Obviously I - like everyone - need to have them all at the same school and I'm currently filling in the application form for dd1 who wil start next september.
She has no medical needs but dd2 who will be in the following school year has numerous known & unexplained food allergies and carries an epipen.

We really want her at our closest school so we could get there fast if necessary.

Has anyone 'used' the medical problems of the second child to get the first one into the 'right' school?
If so whereabouts on the form do you put it?

Our borough is so oversubscribed there were quite a few kids with no places this year or at schools a fair way from home..

Different circumstances, but my LA was very clear with me that they would not take into account the needs of a younger sibling when allocating a place for an older child.

I'm sure you'll get many more, better informed responses than this, though. Good luck.

I would have thought that you were in the catchment area for your local school and would be top of the criteria. You would only have a problem if you were outside the catchment area.
Have you visited the favoured school? I would put your concerns to the Head and ask the question.

The LEA would have the list of crititeria. I doubt whether the needs of a younger DC come on it.
However, if it is the local school and you are in the catchment area ,you don't need to fulfill anything but the first criteria.

I do know of someone in your situation who, in their appeal, said that one of the reasons they had chosen that school for their older son, was because they needed to take the younger one to numerous hosp. appointments and (certainly in the lower school) that being in that school would make things logistically much easier. The school they applied for is about 15 mins from the hosp, the other school about 45 mins.

So, it's not quite the same as your situation because they did make it relevant to the child they were applying for. I don't actually know if this is what made their appeal sucessful I'm afraid.

I'd speak to the LEA first. It might be that they simply have a blanket rule of only looking at the child in question - which does seem fair to me.

You could either tell the school in person about dd2 and hope they are reasonable.
Or you just go with whatever school dd1 gets in and then try and get dd2 in the nearer school and transfer dd1 over if she wasn't successful.

My elder 2 didn't go to the same school as ds is sn and my younger two will not go to either of their schools. It is a pain getting kids ready for 2 different times and in 2 different places but it can be done if schools are understandable

I doubt very much that your DD2s medical needs will have any bearing on allocating a place for your DD1.

If you look on the LEAs website re allocation of places you'll see the criteria for allocation - catchment is one of the main criteria but siblings needs are unlikely to be listed.

If DD1 gets a place next September then your DD2 could get a place the following year under the sibling rule, but I can't imagine DD2s medical needs will allow DD1 priority.

If it were dd2 I was applying for then according to the LEA guidelines medical conditions can override catchment areas.

We are 0.4km from the school I want for them so technically in the catchment but it just depends on how many others apply.

It's one form entry which is why children near us get in to schools which would be either a drive or a 45 min walk away as the other schools are 3 form entry.

I've put it in the additional information box for the school we want them to get into but I think I'll go and speak to the office once school has started back and see whether there's any point putting it down.

We have a referral to the Evelina children's hospital in October maybe they have experience of similar.

Thanks for the replies- I thought it was a long shot !

0.4km is very close-are there likely to be 30 DCs closer? Once you have DC1 in DC2 would stand a good chance with the SN aspect in addition to catchment.

Many schools have children with epipens-staff are just trained to use them. I don't think that you stand a chance of getting into a school near and A&E because your younger DCmight need it. Catchment area school is the best best as you are at number one of the criteria. Unless 30 DCs in the same school year live closer than 0.4km there won't be a problem.

I agree with exoticfruits: the distance to A&E is far more important than the home/school one (as I do not think you could seriously make the case that you'll be sitting at home all day every day ready to rush in).

I have known of one family where the condition of a sibling was agreed to be relevant as an exceptional social/medical need - but this was to secure a place in a school very close to the hospital where the sibling was frequently an in-patient (and it was the A&E of choice IYSWIM). This was a dangerously life-limiting condition, there were other factors in play, and they had high level endorsements from the consultant teams and the hospital SWs. Would you have supporting statements of this type?

Generally they avoid the situation that would necessitate the epipen. I have been trained in use, and I have been the person in charge. I never had to use it.

I have no idea. Your DD2 can get in on medical needs if it's proved other schools couldn't provide the same level of care in medical emergency.

I was glad to get our catchment junior school as it's 0.5 miles from ambulance station. He starts tomorrow and they will be getting the 2 epi-pens and chlorphenamine with the instuctions to call an ambulance if they are concerned, calling me is to be done when DS condition is under control.
I agree with exotic too. They can can call me (work is 5 minutes no traffic) but if I'm out of school on bus (SEN school so lot's of community work) that's valuable minutes wasted.

I would apply for catchment and put your 2nd choice as the one that is the least distance from emergency care. EG if catchment is full and the 2 other schools are 1 mile from hospital or 3 miles then give a reason.