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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to have got the reception application all wrong :-( please help!

66 replies

Sobloodyworried123 · 10/09/2015 18:59

We moved to a new area last month so obviously old application was I longer valid ( moved 60 miles away )
Put in an application for son to start school, put 4 schools down, all religious as we are.
Didn't hear anything so on advice from a friend who works for the council for another area advised I ring admissions and request a vacancy list of all schools with places within 5km. That came, not one school listed. They had sent one with a vacancy that was 8 miles away under 10km list and out of sheer panic I contacted the school and asked if they had a place
They said one and I thought it was better than nothing so even though very poor ofsted and distance I added it onto my list of prefernces and was given it on Monday. I emailed accepting it, spoke with the school and son was due to start today. I was unaware if we would be entitled to travel allowance so made an application yesterday.
Go to do the school visit today and it took 1 hour and 20 mins :(
It is going to cost a fortune in petrol, and I also have to factor in the fact I have another son a year younger who no doubt will get a place in our new area and how do I get them to 2 different schools in completely different areas? How do I start a son in year 7 here with one in year 6 there?
Even if they pay the mileage they don't pay for round trips so I would have to wait all day in the schools area which isn't feasible as was hoping to increase my working hours ( currently work evenings )
I have now refused the place, it's too long a journey, if the car breaks down there is no public transport at all leading there and I feel it would be very disruptive as I would move him for a local school straight away.
Time is not on my side as he's 5 in 2 weeks and my sons application needs to be in by jan for next year too.
What can I do now? I have put 6 schools on waiting lists, including all schools within 2 miles and one just slighly over as I could walk to all of these at a push.
Would I have any appeal grounds as only put that school as no schools within 5km? Or because they have given me one of my prefernces it's now job done?
I spoke to them and they have said if no luck on the waiting lists they will look again in January for him when he's at legal age but that's all they've said.
Please offer some advice, I wanted to do the best by him but I really don't think a primary 8 miles away is feasible.

OP posts:
PotteringAlong · 10/09/2015 19:02

How on earth does it take an hour and 20 mins to drive 8 miles? I drive more than that to work and it takes 15 minutes!

Original poster
Sobloodyworried123 · 10/09/2015 19:03

Surrey :-(
Traffic was horrendous

OP posts:
CurlsLDN · 10/09/2015 19:06

Did you mean 80 miles away? You can't have been driving at less than 8 miles an hour?!

PotteringAlong · 10/09/2015 19:06

But 6 miles an hour average speed? Might it just be a one off? Surely it can't be like that every day?

alphabettyspaghetty · 10/09/2015 19:12

I drive 2.8 miles and it takes me 35 minutes... so I feel your pain!

DisappointedOne · 10/09/2015 19:14

Took me 1.45hrs to do less than 4 miles in London (not even central) in the middle of the day a few weeks ago. Anything inside the M25 has an average speed of about 4 mph.

LIZS · 10/09/2015 19:21

I suspect you may be near here in which case traffic was bad this morning. Also I doubt you'd have found the quickest way as that is often not what a map would show. 8 miles is a long way though, but that distance one way may not take the same time as in another. Not sure what year 6/7 has to do with it as for secondary you'd apply from your new address and it is a long way off. Around here a new school will be up and running by then.

Original poster
Sobloodyworried123 · 10/09/2015 20:01

Sutton, surrey.
School given was in horley.
Husband works in gatwick and said it would be an hour minimum but I thought it would be less if I left early, it wasn't.
I have 2 children one school year apart so when my eldest starts secondary in the local school and my other son is at a primary in year 6 8 miles away how do I collect both?
Either way surely 8 miles isn't feasible for a primary school, especially on a route with no public transport to in case of a car breakdown etc?

OP posts:
2tired2bewitty · 10/09/2015 20:05

Well can't you get your youngest into a local school then transfer the eldest to join him using sibling priorities? Would home educating be an option for this year?

Phineyj · 10/09/2015 20:07

My sympathies about the traffic, but why would an 11 year old need collecting from school - can't he get a bus/train?

Original poster
Sobloodyworried123 · 10/09/2015 20:09

Yes that's what our local catchment school have actually advised.
Just not sure I am qualified to home educate him :-( he's a clever kid, I would hate to hold him back.
I just wonder if I have the grounds to appeal based on there being no local school available? Does anyone know how to re post this under education? Thanks

OP posts:
JenniferYellowHat1980 · 10/09/2015 20:11

Op already said no bus.

Summerisle1 · 10/09/2015 20:11

I wouldn't, personally, want to try and get a child from Sutton to Horley every day, no. Which is surely quite a lot further than 8 miles by road?

However, what I wouldn't do is start worrying about what might be happening years and years down the line when your dcs start secondary school. Instead you need to try and get your son into a school that is closer to home or at least easier to travel to. I wouldn't limit options by insisting on denominational schools right now either.

LIZS · 10/09/2015 20:12

A217 and Reigate were bad this am. Can't beleve there is nowhere nearer tbh , another mnetter joined Woodmansterne this week which is considerably closer to you.

QueenofLouisiana · 10/09/2015 20:12

How old is your DS? He doesn't need to be in school until the term after his 5th birthday- do can he continue in a nursery while you hope a place turns up?
Contact admissions again- a distance of 8 miles means you'd qualify for transport (possibly only once DS is 5). However, this would not be the case if you have chosen that school on religious grounds (ie. there is a school within 2 miles, but not a faith school).
No I don't think it's reasonable- it's a very long day for a 4 year old (and his mother!).

Deetrix · 10/09/2015 20:19

I used to work in school admissions for my LA.

Your mistake was to put this school down as a choice on your application form. Even though this school is far away, admissions teams will always aim to give you one of your choices over allocating another, perhaps nearer school that was not listed as a choice.

Most LAs operate a reasonable distance policy when allocating non chosen schools in relation to your application. In our area and many others, this is 2 miles for primary and 3 miles for secondary.

This means that if a school cannot be found within this distance, the LA will ask the most suitable school (not necessarily the one you want) to go over its numbers to offer your child a place. Or provide transport costs if for example you live rurally and no school is within a reasonable difference.

You've done the right thing refusing the place. Ring admissions and ask what their reasonable distance is. Then reapply with your actual choice of schools even if these are full. It is then up to admissions to allocate you a school (any school) within that reasonable distance.

Original poster
Sobloodyworried123 · 10/09/2015 20:20

Don't parents bring and collect their year 7s for at least the first term? I know I was in year 8 before me or any friends went alone although that was inner London so maybe mums worried more but I can't afford to drive 32 miles a day coming home inbetween anyway.

OP posts:
Deetrix · 10/09/2015 20:22

And in my LA, you would not qualify for transport costs as you have 'chosen' the further away school rather than allow the LA to allocate a nearer one.

LIZS · 10/09/2015 20:25

No they don't , most year 7s would use public transport especially in outer London. Remember that at year 3 class size restrictions are lessened and if you got dc2 in , dc1 would get sibling link for a place in a more local school. Put dc1 on more local school waiting lists. What about other LAs like Croydon?

BuyMeAPony · 10/09/2015 20:30

OP if you "report" your first post you can ask MNHQ to move it to Education for you. Although the Deetrix's advice sounds sensible.

Try to stop worrying about year 7 for now!

Original poster
Sobloodyworried123 · 10/09/2015 20:32

Deetrix
I'm aware of my mistake :(
If I hadn't put it they may well have offered something else but September was nearing and on the vancancy list there were NO schools available. Within 10km there was only this one school available so I honestly thought I was doing the best I could but the thought of settling him there and then pulling him out in a few months when hopefully he gets a local school after months of financially struggling and sitting in traffic for such a long time is actually a far worse thought.
We wouldn't qualify for transport as we asked for it ( stupidly ) and even if we did, we wouldn't for younger child as he would get a local school as on time admission.
Can you appeal if you were given one of your prefernces even in curbumstances like this one?
Also, they've said that as they've offered me one their duty is done and the rest is now up to me until he becomes legal age in January.

OP posts:
Deetrix · 10/09/2015 20:41

They are done with regards to that current application. They really can't refuse another submitted application. If they try to, put different choices down, or just one which wasn't one you put down previously. That's a whole new application.

You can appeal for a decision about one school not all in general, so if you go that route I'd choose your most preferred one that they turned you down.

Tbh though appeals are only usually successful if admissions haven't followed their own policies correctly. Still worth a go if all else fails though.

I would strongly suggest you focus more on a new application. They are trying to put you off as asking a school to go over numbers is indeed a headache (I now work in a school so I am this headache Grin ).

Once you have a new application they will be forced to offer you a nearer school.

LIZS · 10/09/2015 20:43

Are you currently on any waiting lists? Go on as many as you are willing to accept. Agree that journey is arduous, really you need to keep North of m25 but that can include Lower Kingswood, Banstead, Epsom, Cheam and all villages in between. You can still appeal but not sure you have grounds for success.

Summerisle1 · 10/09/2015 20:44

Since he doesn't have to start until January, I'd keep him at home until then while you try and get him a more local school place. Have you checked out the non-faith schools locally?

LIZS · 10/09/2015 20:45

Once you have a new application they will be forced to offer you a nearer school.
Not unless a place suddenly comes up where there is no waiting list!

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