...to be so angry and upset by this unfair school admissions policy?

[SchoolFury]

(Have namechanged as this is quite identifiable)

My DD just turned 4 in September, so is due to start Reception next year. Since Jan this year she has been at a preschool (nursery) which is part of a primary school.

It is our nearest school, and the only one for which we are in the 'priority area'. We actually moved to this flat in 2013 in large part because we loved the school so much

It's a non-denominational, community state primary school. We are in a part of London with a lot of faith schools (Jewish, Catholic, CofE) and we are a mixed Jewish/Christian secular family, so faith schools not for us. It's also got an Ofsted '1' (outstanding) in last inspection, though that is less important than the wonderful atmosphere, the sense of community and the fact that my daughter is really thriving in the preschool.

Under normal admissions rules, my daughter would be very likely to get a place there for Reception based on distance - we live less than 0.2 miles from the school. HOWEVER, last year the school decided to take a 'bulge' class, i.e. take 60 pupils in reception instead of 30. They took from a much wider area - up to 0.5 miles from the school - usually the limit is less than 0.3.

This means that siblings of those in the 'bulge' class will get offered places next year ahead of my daughter, and others in her nursery class who live closer, but do not have siblings at the school. I know personally of two families with one child in current reception, with a sibling a year younger, who will therefore get offered places ahead of my daughter even though they live much further away.

I am really distressed by this. The only other nearby school is a failing school (Ofsted rating 3) - not the end of the world, but we are not even in the priority area for it (very near, but wrong side of the road) so we may not even get a place there . And my daughter is so happy in preschool and has lots of good friends and good relationships with the teachers.

If my daughter had been a week older she would have started reception this year and would have got a place for definite. As it is, she almost certainly won't get a place, instead children living much further away will get priority for no reason other than the 'bulge' class taken this year. I have been told there is no chance of them taking another bulge class this year - so what's the point?

AIBU to feel really upset, resentful towards those who have got in this year, and most of all angry with the school for making this decision, which seems really short sighted and unfair on children in subsequent years?

There will be very few siblings with only a one year at school age gap from the bulge class. Siblings from higher up in the school would have been in "competition" with your DD for places anyway.

The 1-3 years after your DD's year are more likely to affected by the siblings from the bulge class. Also bear in mind a bulge class this year may lead to an increase to 2 form entry would benefit your DD.

This is why religious state schools should be scrapped, particularly in areas of high population density. It's bonkers

Schools don't generally volunteer to take bulge classes, so YABU to feel angry with the school. YANBU to be annoyed about the whole situation, though.

TheGirlFromIpanema, depends where you are -- in our borough several of the schools only admitted non-siblings living within 200m or so last year even without having taken bulge classes.

As someone upthread said, your chances are good for this year, it will more likely be the year after where there will be a squeeze. We live in a place where several primaries took bulge classes for one or two years and then reverted to single intake - there have been families where there were more places than siblings - so even with a child already in the school, they didn't get in. Schools can't just take bulge classes every year once they've started because many of them are limited by the size of the hall/kitchen/classrooms/space in which to put extra classrooms - and unfortunately there is no money to invest in capital projects - unless they are Free Schools.

Primary school allocations are always stressful - but speaking as someone who didn't get their first choice first time around, don't panic, visit the school you get allocated and you may be pleasantly surprised. That said, being 0.2 mile sounds fairly good odds....but don't stress about it now - April is a LONG way away!

If you're not talking about my area i'd be really suprised.

me too. we are in the same boat.

This is why religious state schools should be scrapped, particularly in areas of high population density. It's bonkers

don't get me started.

2013 was affected by the bulge in 2011 so surely the bulge in 2014 will affect 2016 more then 2015, you need to look at the distance they went to in 2012 as that is the one that will most likely correlate to your situation now. Good luck it may be borderline but I think you have more chance of a place than you think.

cingolimama I completely agree it's not the families' fault. We are all in the same boat! It's hard not to feel envious though.

Mimsy that's interesting. I would like to know if it works like that. However, when I rang Admissions at the council the woman was useless, didn't seem to understand anything I was saying! I might try again.

Tondelayo yes fair point that there could be siblings from any year of the school - so I suppose the previous bulge class in 2011 has an impact too. It's not impossible that my daughter will get a place but it's skin of the teeth I think - as I say, at least 4 or 5 of her nursery friends (without older siblings) live even nearer than we do.

pear I agree 100% about faith schools. Within a mile of here (outing myself possibly) there are about five state-funded faith primary schools - the first choice for most middle-class parents. Imagine how much choice there would be if all of those were non-denominational! But I wouldn't want my kids (I have a younger child too) to go to a school made up of one religious/ethnic group, even if we could get in. I love the diversity of her current school, I think it's a huge strength.

thanks all for the empathy, I am calming down a little bit but you just feel like you've fucked up and you're letting your kids down!

redskybynight
Whatever the admissions criteria, someone is always disappointed. TBH I would imagine that although there are 30 extra children in the school, only a couple of them would have siblings in the year below, so they only make a small difference to your chances

Exactly this. You sound as though you're pretty high on the rest of the criteria so try not to worry too much.

OP I really feel for you (and am pleasantly suprised you are getting supportive responses from an increasingly passive aggressive, contrary Mumsnet!).

I do agree with those saying you need to calm down and not see this anyone's fault, you will only build yourself up into a fury and most likely say the wrong thing at the wrong time to someone who doesn't deserve. It is just the way it is. There are always people disappointed with school admissions. Think clearly about alternatives, talk to the local authority, the school and people you know to make sure you definitely know all the facts and have a plan B.

By the way, totally agree re faith schools - bloody outrageous.

I think it is unfair on you. I don't agree with the sibling policy. If the siblings don't live near enough the school then they should go to a different school. You can't have one rule for some and other rules for other children.

I think the rule I described above is the fairest way with siblings. Otherwise you get people who get child #1 into the school, move a long way off and get child #2 in over the heads of people who live far closer.

Faith schools with strict faith-based admissions criteria are just wrong these days. In the US if you want your children to have a religious education you have to send them to private schools or top up the state education with after-school classes. That seems more sensible to me.

Due to the constant chopping and change re oversubscribed primary schools, I wouldn't advise anyone to move on the basis of primary schools there's just no guarantee of anything. One of the popular schools near us had an intake of 30 and 27 places were taken by siblings.

If the bulge class started this year its unlikely there will be many siblings in consecutive years. My estimate would be 2 or 3.

Its next year that parents will feel the repercussions.

I think you're worrying too soon. But you could start planning a campaign for 'another bulge class' if things don't go your way.

Bear in mind that some of the existing families may move and take their children out which will free up places. It could be that there will be another bulge class next year in which case there will be extra places. Most siblings will be 2 or 3 years younger generally so it shouldn't affect your child's place when she starts in September. It will be the year after she starts that will most affected. However this is a stressful time and I hope your DD gets her place. Good luck with it.

Having had previous bulge classes will make the situation worse I agree. Generally that alternate year pattern is better than having two bulge classes and then back to 30. I also disagree with faith schools (despite it meaning that we are prioritised). I don't want my dc growing up in a bubble. If you do move make sure that you do it properly as with such competition you might be reported if it isn't legitimate.

School admissions criteria are never going to suit everyone. If proximity to the school was a priority over siblings, another parent from the school could well be posting...

Wouldn't it be lovely if everyone had the opportunity of a decent school?

Thanks for all these responses, some good points I hadn't thought of (you can go a bit mad thinking it all over to yourself - and discussing with my partner, but he doesn't know any better than me!), I appreciate the benefit of everyone's experience.

Plan B is to move, I think. But we're happy where we are for the time being - next move is hopefully to our proper long-term family home and would rather not rush into that madly in the next few weeks, purely for the sake of a primary school place.

Showy that's awful, I didn't realise any schools scrapped sibling criteria completely?

That really seems horribly unfair on you Op,I hope you secure a place.

However,I believe sibling priority is an absolute necessity. I have 5 kids and all now are in the same school. I could not imagine having them attend different schools.

I do understand the problem. My DS's school has an occasional extra class per year and it tends to impacts on the entry class 2 years below. One year in these circumstances there were more siblings than places, which apparently was all very stressful and some siblings did not get a place.

FWIW in this school's demographic you would be ok being one year behind a bulge class - might be different for you, but there are not so many people here with DC one school year apart, but lots 2 years apart.

It is just one of those things unfortunately, but it's a real bugger when you get caught up in it.

I not about to defend the religious schools because I think it's surprising they're still around.

BUT, they do put up a lot of money themselves as well as taking state funding and if they were all made non-denominational there would be a big shortfall.

snowmummy yes! I think scrapping state funding for faith schools is the obvious and best solution.

Mimsy I have some friends who rented a flat for a year just to get their eldest child into the primary school they wanted. Literally within weeks of getting the place, they bought and moved into a house which is now their permanent home, but their eldest child and the younger one (who's only a baby atm) will have those school places permanently now. They're my friends and I'm happy for them (it's not the same school or even same borough!) But it is a bit unfair. I don't think that siblings should get first offer if they're not in priority area (within priority area it's fair enough).

kiki thank you I know there are more serious things to worry about, keep reminding myself that we are lucky to have each other and to have our health and school is just school!

YANBU. We're in the same boat.

DS attends the nursery within our local primary school (a CofE academy) and this year they took on 60 pupils instead of 30. But for DS, it has gone back to 30. The admissions open next month and I'm keeping everything crossed.

We live in a small village and we're 0.7 miles from the school. The only other primary school in our village is a fee-paying private school. Takes us just 15 minutes to walk there. I don't drive and couldn't afford to have my own car and DP needs his for work. The next nearest school is in the next village and 2.2 miles away. It would take at least 45 mins to walk there. Buses run every hour.

We're priority number 5 on the list to our local school, which is "Lives in village." DS has no religion so that's as far as we'll ever be on the list! So the odds are stacked against us.

Yes it is a problem. We have had similar here with a lot of out -catchment children getting in one year, then 2 years later their siblings pushed out some nonsibs who would normally have got in.

However as others have said, it's relatively rare to have 2 children in subsequent year groups. I suspect you will be fine, but the year below you (and the one after that) will take the brunt.