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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think I have reason to kick up a fuss re school place offer?

144 replies

Moleskine · 29/05/2014 00:07

I am posting on here for traffic and in the hope that someone in the know or with previous experience will come and help with some advice.

We applied for a late school reception place due to a house move. The admissions team told me we would be considered in the 2nd round offers which were supposed to be made mid May. They were delayed and letters went out yesterday. But we still have no school place despite living 50m from our local school and being 1st on the waiting list.

The admissions team told me today that of the 90 places offered, all have been accepted except one. It is a place offered to a sibling so they are expecting it to be accepted too.

However the closing date to accept or decline a school place was 2nd May. So surely we should be offered this place if the other family have still not accepted on 28th May?

To add to this, 2 'special cases' have also come in late and they are to be considered this Friday. I am not sure if this means they are appeals or just higher priority applicants (looked after children or SEN). If successful, they will be placed ahead of us knocking us down to No. 3 on the list.

I am wondering if I should insist on the place that hasn't been accepted yet being given to us? Do I have grounds for this, as as things stand on today's date, the 2 'special cases' have not been decided and we are basically next on the list.

Please come and offer me some advice on this. Am becoming more and more anxious about my son not having a school place come September.

OP posts:
Unexpected · 29/05/2014 00:11

I'm sorry, I can't help with your question but I would really post this in Education rather than here. Messages in AIBU disappear down the page very quickly, also it's late at night and very few people are around so you are unlikely to get a response tonight and tomorrow your post will have dropped a few pages.

soverylucky · 29/05/2014 00:15

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

PancakesAndMapleSyrup · 29/05/2014 00:18

I would send the lea a stonking email in the morning re this, yes i am in complete agreement with you. And i would also cosider appeal due to their administration faliures, deadlines are deadlines. Make sure you write names of whom you have spoken to content times etc!

Wibblypiglikesbananas · 29/05/2014 00:18

You need a poster called Tiggytape over in Education. Also, keep copies of all documentation in case you ever need to prove that this was the case at this point in time - ie don't rely on the council to stand by what they've told you verbally.

WorraLiberty · 29/05/2014 00:19

You can't really insist I'm afraid.

It's possible that the sibling who hasn't accepted yet has special needs, that would be better met at another school. Perhaps they are waiting to see whether that child gets accepted there.

Also, as you rightly said...the 2 special cases would go before you on the list anyway.

Having said that, the school I'm a governor at regularly has free places come September (even though it's very oversubscribed), because people accept places and then end up moving house come September.

I know it won't stop you worrying over the Summer, but there's every chance more places will become available.

MmeMorrible · 29/05/2014 00:20

You have no place offered at any school, or no place offered at the school close to your new home?

Beardlover · 29/05/2014 00:24

Even if you don't get a place before September, he's bound to get one over the next year as with such a big intake, some kids will move on.

Original poster
Moleskine · 29/05/2014 00:29

Worra, the sibling place isn't a special case just a sibling, and the other 2 cases that would take priority over ours have just come in late. So if 2nd round offers are supposed to have been made on Tuesday gone, then at the point in time at which the offers are being made, we are 1st on the list. Why should we be kept on hold to wait for all sorts of other late applications?

Mme, we have no place at all. We are 1st on the list for our 1st choice school, and 60th or so on the next closest school!

OP posts:
Original poster
Moleskine · 29/05/2014 00:31

Beardlover, actually historically there is usually no movement in the Reception year. It's a very popular school and it's not unusual for families to wait for over a year for places to come up in years 1 and 2.

OP posts:
Original poster
Moleskine · 29/05/2014 00:33

I am trying not to worry, but with a new baby due in September I really need to plan ahead if we are going to have a long journey across the borough to go to another school ....

My husband can't help with the school run because of his work hours so it will be me, trying to take one child to local nursery for 9am, and somehow getting son to another school all with new baby in tow!

OP posts:
WorraLiberty · 29/05/2014 00:34

But I doubt they'd tell you that the sibling has possible SEN for example.

What did they say when you asked them why they were keeping the date open for the sibling?

If you didn't ask them, you need to contact them again and ask them out straight.

Make sure you do it by email so you have a record of their reply.

Original poster
Moleskine · 29/05/2014 00:35

I think I will write an email to head of admissions tomorrow. I might call her first to check some of these details. For example, why are they still hanging on for the one outstanding family with the sibling place before offering out that place??

OP posts:
aprilanne · 29/05/2014 00:35

I must admit .I find this system strange .in Scotland you go your nearest school .or nearest catholic school .end of story if to many children they bring in mobile huts or such like .all siblings together .

WorraLiberty · 29/05/2014 00:36

No, don't call her first.

Honestly you need to do it all via email because it's not uncommon for them to tell you one thing on the phone, and something entirely different in an email or letter.

WorraLiberty · 29/05/2014 00:39

aprilanne don't kids with SEN that can be better met at other schools, get a raw deal that way?

What if people move from the catchment area but still want their kids to remain at their once local school?

Surely that would mean the schools get too crowded for local kids to get a placement?

Original poster
Moleskine · 29/05/2014 00:41

Worra, I didn't ask them why they were keeping the place open but they have been quite open about explaining when a SEN case is going to be considered above ours so I assumed they would just say if that was the case.

I will ask directly. I asked "of the 90 places you offered on pan London offer day, everyone has accepted?" And they replied that they only had one outstanding but because it was a sibling they were expecting them to accept.

Their admissions policy states ... Friday 2nd May is final date you must reply by to accept/decline.

OP posts:
bochead · 29/05/2014 00:42

If it's more than 2 miles away then you can ask the LA for help with school transport for a child under 8.

The school you are offered may have a nursery attached, in which case you could move the younger sibling from his nursery to the one attached to the school the 5 year old goes to.

If you have no school place at all then you are in a reasonably strong position - especially about your first choice, as it's closest. Do keep chasing, but stay polite as if you put their backs up some little jobsworth will hold out on sending you any information at all until October.

Original poster
Moleskine · 29/05/2014 00:44

I will just email then, but how do people ever know if they are being told the truth? I obviously have no way of checking out if what they are saying is true as I can't see their records.

And I am having real trouble believing that 89 of 90 places were accepted!

OP posts:
aprilanne · 29/05/2014 00:45

worraliberty .yes children with sen .are sometimes different .they try to mainstream .but if not they have specialised units .in certain schools .but to be honest I home school my youngest 14 because he has autism and they shut sen high school .the rule usually is if you live in a certain area you go to a certain school .if you moved say 2 mile away I think they just expect you to move school .they always guarantee school within walking distance .

WorraLiberty · 29/05/2014 00:46

Ok well definitely ask them straight via email...and good luck Flowers

bochead I think the transport help varies from borough to borough.

My borough stopped helping with that long ago, even if the child has mild disabilities Sad

Original poster
Moleskine · 29/05/2014 00:47

Bochead, this is what I am worried about if I start sending emails questioning why we are not being offered the place now.

I don't want to annoy them and as it is I think they are slightly fed up with me calling quite regularly to get an update!

OP posts:
WorraLiberty · 29/05/2014 00:49

Ahh I see aprilanne but surely they can't kick a child out of school just because they've moved out of the area? I mean as long as they get to school on time?

I've only really seen similar set ups to the one you describe in very rural schools. Here in London, there's no guarantee of anything except possible distance and/or sibling link.

OP, they'll have to tell the truth via email...or as close as they can get to the truth really.

Original poster
Moleskine · 29/05/2014 00:53

Thanks Worra, I hope we get some good news soon.

OP posts:
RaspberryLemonPavlova · 29/05/2014 00:54

As others have said, you really need to post in Primary Education, and posters like Tiggytape and Admission.

I'm pretty certain the decline/accept thing is a bit of a red herring though. LAs aren't allowed to withdraw an offer of a place without making certain it has been declined.

aprilanne · 29/05/2014 00:58

WORRALIBERTY I think a lot of education things different in Scotland .I mean up here there is no reception class .you start school at 5 .and can leave at 16 if you wish . you probably right that they would,nt automatically tell you to leave .but if you lived out of area and another child in area needed your place .then you would be told to go to your local .