Friend said this was pfb

[holidayroad]

I was talking to my friend the other day, she asked what schools I put down for my DD's primary school admission (she starts reception in September).

The schools near me are all oversubscribed and we have visited 5 of them. I explained that we had struggled to narrow down our choice after visiting the first 5, so arranged to visit them all again just before the closing date.

One school refused to allow us a 2nd visit - now I appreciate that it is a big school and a lot of parents want their DC to go there, but I used their refusal to allow us a 2nd visit as a basis to rule that school out as I feel if they are not prepared to go above and beyond for us on the selection basis then they cannot possibly be the best school for my DC.

My friend has DC at this school and said I was being ridiculously pfb to expect them to arrange a 2nd visit.

I think this is too important a decision to be taken lightly.

So over to you, who is BU?

137 for 60 places is not really oversubscribed, your three applications count for each school, even the ones you won't take/get, an application in 3rd or 5th place counts the same as 1st, so your child will be counted 3x. Where we are schools with 30 places and 100 applicants could give everybody a place. The oversubscribed ones round here have 300 applications for 30 places.

At our school, sibling comes before catchment. So a sibling 5 miles away, gets in before the schools next door neighbour.

arethereany - Yes, some places have siblings before everyone except looked after, etc (especially common if there isn't an actual catchment area, just an effective one each year). But the fact that OP knows it was an out of catchment sibling suggests that they are a different admission category to in catchment sibling, otherwise they'd just be listed as all places having gone to siblings (which is pretty rare)

Do come back and update, if you're not still to overwhelmed by amusement at the idea of people living in tower blocks.

wow poor op got roasted

im not sure id call myself pfb but i dont see anything wrong with ensuring your kids go to a school you are confident about.

id be dubious if i asked for a second visit and i got a blunt no with no offer of a reassuring chat or anything.

It seems irresponsible to just sling them in the nearest school regardless of schools policies etc.

Im sure shes just striving for the best...no harm in that. Gives u a good idea of the staff if they cant be arsed to address any doubts. Id avoid like the plague tbh.

Snooky- based on what the OP has said there is a good chance she's done the opposite of 'ensuring ' her child goes to a school she's happy other. Unfortunately .

with, not over. Not sure what autocorrect did there.

Previous years intake can only ever be an indication, especially this ear when all bets are off due to high birth rates 4/5 years ago!
For example
The DCs school normally (in pretty much every year goin back 10 years) has about 10 siblings in and out of catchment) 10 in catchment children and 10 out of catchment children. Normally about 35 people apply for 30 spaces (it's one of the best primary's in the county but rural so people Generally only apply they think they will get in)
The Playschool in the village normally has Aprox 18 children per school year with the rest of te applications normally in private nursery to suit workin hours
This year they have 35 children who will be applying and of course there will be lots of children in private nursery as well applying
There are 24 siblings. So this will be the first year that not all the catchment children will get a place
We are in Wales where there are clearly defined catchments lines on a map

It's definitely not a year to be taking ricks with school applications where ever you are in the country (I know London has been like it for years)

Hahaha wow. Yes ywbu. Why should a good school go over and above to woo you? You either want to send your kid there or you don't, and taking these things so personally when she hasn't even started yet will not stand you in good stead for actual school.

I've just seen that this school was your catchment school! Bloody hell, what an error.

Yes you are being PFB, but there's nothing wrong with that. I do think Yabu for not understanding that the school were too busy to accommodate a second visit, and that they don't need to fight for your custom.

As others have pointed out, you have taken a fairly hefty gamble. I honestly do hope it pays off - sometimes it does, but as a tactic it was unwise.

The good thing about this thread is any others with first borns for 2016 may read and have a better understanding of the system. Where I am no one talked about school places for fear of competition, so anyone not clued up has no realisation until the forms are filled and places not received.

There's also an unbelievably widespread belief that you are entitled to a place at your catchment school, without even applying for it, necessarily; that a place will remain reserved for you as a sort of insurance policy in case any of your long shots don't pay off.
Why on earth don't people clue themselves in?

It is likely that you have done your dd a great disservice with this idiotic behaviour. You seem to think you have been very clever when in reality this is going to go tits up for you and it is entirely of your own making. Oh but I'm sure your good catchment school will be devastated to lose you, that'll teach em, eh!!

I'm talking about children living in very expensive mansion blocks of flats missing out, not tower blocks, but whatever helps you OP.

And if the last person to get in was a non-catchment sibling, chances are new non-sibling children aren't making the cut for that school.

Actually there was a thread (I think in AIBU but possibly in _Chat?) just after Christmas with an absolutely transparent "If your child is 4 between 1/9/14 and 31/8/15 check this thread to make sure you don't fuck up your English state school application" style title, although snappier. It was full of deadlines in bold and debunking myths and clarifying jargon and so on, and was fantastic for those twitching.

I will AS and see if I can find it. I may be some time.

It was in AIBU and was very good

The point people were making was not that everyone should sling their child in the nearest school, but that if you don't include one dead cert somewhere in the list, (last preference is fine,) you may end up with an undersubscribed school miles away.

I found it.

Well done MrsHathaway, we should revisit and bump the old thread and this one come September for next Year's school starters.

Very good thread