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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

The We Did Not Get Our First Choice School Thread..

49 replies

Tak3n · 20/04/2012 16:41

Really Gutted and proper upset, wont get on my Soapbox about allowing the whole of Europe in to live here without building new schools..

Got our 3rd choice which is the one we really did not want, we shall appeal but hardly likely to suceed....

to clarify I am not blaming the eastern europeans for moving here, I am blaming the various Goverments for not making provisions for the extra influx..

Where I live there have been no new schools for over 30 years, and we have a very large population of europeans

OP posts:
Crinklecut · 20/04/2012 17:21

Yabu, we didnt get any of the schools we choose and have been dumped in the worst school in the area along with another 26 families who did not list it, but are not blaming anyone.
The system sucks, but there are always losers in any system, and as it is not possible to make everyone happy all of the time, there will always be losers. If you got a place at any school there are obviously enough places in your area, just not all in the school you want, so there would be no need for extra provision despite the influx.

CremeEggThief · 20/04/2012 17:36

YANBU for feeling annoyed, but I feel much sorrier for some of the posters on the education forums who haven't even been allocated a place. Probably not what you want to hear, but there are always people worse off...
I agree that they need to find ways to improve the system.

FluffyJawsOfDoom · 20/04/2012 17:43

cremeegg sorry to go OT, but what happens if kids have no place allocated to them? Shock

MrFunnytheEasterBunny · 20/04/2012 17:46

I was just wondering that too, Fluffy!

elizaregina · 20/04/2012 17:52

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by Mumsnet for breaking our Talk Guidelines. Replies may also be deleted.

Kladdkaka · 20/04/2012 17:56

We should halt ALL immigration right now until we can get services back to roughly what they were before Liebour allowed us to be utterly flooded.

Emmigration too, I take it. Or are you advocating double standards.

SardineQueen · 20/04/2012 18:04

I agree that poor planning in some areas WRT services like schools and maternity services leads to real problems for a lot of people. I live in a borough where there are a few hundred children without a place every year. And the thing with the school places is it's not like they don't have warning that the numbers of children are increasing.

Sorry for everyone who hasn't got the school they wanted, as every year.

WilsonFrickett · 20/04/2012 18:07

Instead of blaming 'the whole of Europe' why not blame your local council who have clearly let your catchment school deteriorate into such a disaster that you won't consider it for your child?

I've said it before and I'll say it again - if everyone went to their catchment schools there would be no problems. I just don't 'get' this annual stressfest. In Scotland you don't even get three choices btw - it's catchment or one out of catchment request.

SardineQueen · 20/04/2012 18:11

Well there would be problems in places where there are not as many school places as there are children.

SardineQueen · 20/04/2012 18:11

ie parts of London, basically.

elizaregina · 20/04/2012 18:13

I dont blame Europe, I blame the Liebour Gov for allowing unfettered and wild immigration to our shores!

The whole of Europe isnt a level playing field we offer more in this country than most. I dont blame anyone for wanting that but our gov should have protected us - the people. They should have sai d- well we only have x schools - x capacity.....x hospitals etc.

I blame government - government - government ......and YES I am very worked up about this right now because myself, and at least 8 other households had to endure hideous beyond loud music from a house of Romanians on Sunday night - till way past midnight due to it being " romanian " easter, and no one dared ask them to turn it down as they have been violent!

I am worried about getting my daughter into school when we here next week, worried about where I will give birth to my next child, as even the excellent hospital - where 5 years ago, the poor midwifes were saying they cant cope with the influx and all the rest...has now succumbed and isnt safe anymore. I cant sleep on a sunday night - YES I AM ANGRY.

AprilLilacs · 20/04/2012 18:24

You could take advantage of the EU and move to Sweden, where the education is (IIRC), the best in Europe. Very safe there too. And good healthcare.

elizaregina · 20/04/2012 18:32

I would love to but if we move we want to be able to support ourselves with work and jobs, and be self sufficient which we couldnt do in another country right now. My husband is a german speaker though and I am looking at houses abroad all the time. Where I live used to be OK but now its like the wild west.

CremeEggThief · 20/04/2012 18:33

Fluffy, I don't know for certain, as I am very fortunate to have not been in that position, but I imagine the children stay at Nursery or are home educated, and go on waiting lists, until a place comes up. I do know that once the L.A. have offered a place and if the parents decide not to take it, they don't have to offer another one.

Have a look on the education boards for the most accurate and current information. I really feel for all in this situation.

MrsShitty · 20/04/2012 18:38

I had no idea we were allowed to live in Sweden!

[bit thick]

MightyNice · 20/04/2012 18:43

we have been offered a place at our worst-than-last-resort school

but I do not want to align myself with the immigrant bashers especially as have not seen any evidence of actual real live immigrants round here

neither do I want to live in Sweden

is there a middle way?

BarryBumlove · 20/04/2012 18:49

What is it that people consider a bad school? Is it the Ofsted report?

MightyNice · 20/04/2012 18:54

it's a lot of things, the primary I chose was considered 'bad' because its catchment area is mainly local authority housing and in those days didn't have a uniform but it was a really happy and busy place when I visited, the teachers were warm and motivated and it just felt very welcoming and positive

I think it's quite difficult to pin down what creates the atmosphere that repels or draws you as a parent

tantrumsandballoons · 20/04/2012 18:55

Op what are you appealing?
You can't just say this school is crap and I didn't pick it.

My ds2 didn't have a place allocated during the first round of admissions 4 years ago, you have to wait for everyone to accept their places, go on the continuing interest list and wait basically.

Last year in our London borough there were 45 children still with no school place on 4th September, they had to put up temporary classrooms in portacabins in the playground, it's ridiculous.

lolajane2009 · 20/04/2012 18:58

does that make me bad for living in an ex council house then MightyNice?

MrsMagnolia · 20/04/2012 18:58

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MightyNice · 20/04/2012 18:59

what?

lolajane2009 · 20/04/2012 19:00

oh ok sorry misread... i apologise

BarryBumlove · 20/04/2012 19:00

'We have all benefitted from immigration, the most universal benefit being the NHS, which could never have survived without the hard work and dedication of mainly Caribbean immigrants.'

I wholeheartedly agree with this.

tantrumsandballoons · 20/04/2012 19:01

Why on earth did you put down a school and then appeal because you got a place??
I fear they may laugh at you....1st rule of school admissions, NEVER PUT DOWN A SCHOOL YOU DON'T WANT TO GO TO???