Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Starting to Freak Out Over Lost School Application..

96 replies

A4710Rider · 17/04/2018 09:48

Hi, sorry, but I'm freaking out a little here.

My ex partner and I co parent, she's just rang to say that the Council had never received or has lost our son's primary school application.

He's in Reception at the moment and it's a Welsh language school, he'll be distraught if he as to get somewhere else and so will me and his mum.

Does anyone know what the next steps are? My ex has a really stressful job and I know she must be in pain because of the muck up.

Any advice would be greatfully received, thank you.

OP posts:
Heartofglass12345 · 17/04/2018 10:25

Aww it's understandable, I really hope they can sort something for you! My son is in reception but he is in a mixed class with nursery kids, i think the ones that were 3 before December the year before last. Is there another welsh school nearby?

AornisHades · 17/04/2018 10:25

Presumably there are waiting lists so you will need to speak calmly to whoever does the allocations, find out how to apply late if needed to get on the lists and see what you can do. If you have zero proof of applying then it's damage limitation time.

dandelionchain · 17/04/2018 10:27

I'm in Cardiff and I've never heard of that either so I think it's specific to the Welsh school. Applications here can also be submitted online - as we did last year.

GaryWilmotsTeeth · 17/04/2018 10:28

OP - which county are you in?

In our county, DD is currently in nursery and we find out tomorrow about her reception place. (Why its 2 days after everyone else, I've no idea).

At DD's school there are a lot of mixed year groups, so nursery and reception are together, then Yr 1 and 2 etc. I don't think she has to reapply for Yr 1 though.

OP - is it the only welsh medium school in the area? Are there any Cat 2 (dual stream) or Cat 3(welsh medium with significant English) that you might consider?

GaryWilmotsTeeth · 17/04/2018 10:29

sorry, just saw you're in Cardiff

Original poster
A4710Rider · 17/04/2018 10:30

His mum has just brought a new house in the local area as she was renting, she's exchanging next week, it would be awful for her if our son had to go to school on the other side of the city.

Just spoken to her again via email, she's ringing the council at lunch.

OP posts:
cloudtree · 17/04/2018 10:33

I'd suggest she doesn't exchange contracts.

Original poster
A4710Rider · 17/04/2018 10:34

GWT,

It's Cardiff/Glamorgan

To be totally honest I don't know, he started at the Welsh language nursery 3 years ago and the school we've missed out on is the natural progression if you know what I mean.

OP posts:
Original poster
A4710Rider · 17/04/2018 10:34

You might be right, Cloud.

OP posts:
YeahAndThenWhat · 17/04/2018 10:36

Hope you can get something sorted. I feel for you and your ex.

MadMags · 17/04/2018 10:37

Did she send it or forget to send it?

Surely if they only accept postal applications, they have to know some things will go missing.

When was the cut off?

Original poster
A4710Rider · 17/04/2018 10:39

Mad,

I'm presuming she sent it, I remember we had a chat a few months ago about it.

If they've sent out allocations yesterday I'm presuming cut off was some time ago.

OP posts:
Oblomov18 · 17/04/2018 10:44

I find it hard to believe that anyone would:
a) not send it registered post
b) not ring to confirm receipt, before deadline day.

Presumably, she can only ring at lunchtime and see what they say.

She really is quite foolish, I'm afraid.

TatianaLarina · 17/04/2018 10:46

Can’t speak for Wales but councils in London are notorious for losing things. You are advised to photocopy or scan everything you send them then and mail it recorded delivery with proof of postage so they can’t deny receiving it.

I know this doesn’t help you now, but it might be useful going forward.

RB68 · 17/04/2018 10:47

Find out what the appeal process is - if there are no spaces in the school you will be allocated a space elsewhere, but you should be able to appeal that on the grounds of a lost application and if someone doesn't take up a place or moves there may be a chance to get in. You are going to have to work with the system - no one is suddenly going to make it OK unless the school is undersubscribed - I would speak to the head and find out what the subscription situation is, speak to the council to get an allocated place, appeal the place if it is elsewhere, but you may have to accept that place initially to move things forward.

Original poster
A4710Rider · 17/04/2018 10:49

Thanks for the kind words folks. Obviously we've been a bit naive with the application.

OP posts:
MadMags · 17/04/2018 10:53

I really hope there's some way he can get a place. I can imagine how upsetting it is.

The only thing is, he's young and kids adapt so well. I'm sure he'll settle in happily elsewhere.

Choconuts · 17/04/2018 10:55

I'm in Cardiff and my dd will start reception in September. We had to apply online or via post by beginning of jan and got our offer yesterday via email. We then have to accept/reject the place by 30/4. So I would assume that by the beginning of May they should know where the spare places are.

If you speak to the council they should be able to put you on the waiting list.

Good luck I hope it works out ok.

MonsteraDeliciosa · 17/04/2018 10:55

Applications are usually done in nursery year, for starting reception at age 4 in September, so I think maybe your DS is doing a sort of "taster" reception experience in nursery, rather than being in proper reception, maybe?

Anyway, the missing application sounds a complete nightmare and I have every sympathy.

I recall having to hand in our applications for our excellent local comp to our completely dozy primary school secretary and panicking that they'd be lost, misplaced in the messy office.
All applications should be electronic, and the easy to acknowledge and track.

Hope you get this sorted, OP.

(And we only got 2.5 hours of nursery in Swansea!)

Oblomov18 · 17/04/2018 10:57

Can you ask to put on the 'late applications list', at least, while they investigate what has happened to the 'lost' original application?

spiderlight · 17/04/2018 10:59

It sounds horribly stressful for you both. Cut-off was 9th January, I think. I hope she manages to talk to someone sensible today and put a plan in place. How oversubscribed is the school?

Oblomov18 · 17/04/2018 11:00

I suggest you and also your wife/ex take the day off work, tomorrow, or ASAP, and start ringing and emailing and visiting, all the different aspects: Head, applications, etc, so you are attacking it from all sides.

Flatpackjackie · 17/04/2018 11:05

With a bit of luck he'll go to an English speaking school and won't be saddled with a useless vocabulary. (Bitter experience, here!)

Buxbaum · 17/04/2018 11:17

Sorry you're having such a stressful time. Your son's application will now be processed as an in-year (or late) application and I'm afraid that he will be below those children who applied on time in terms of priority for any available places. I would suggest that your wife find any and all evidence of the application - copies of the forms, perhaps? The deadline was Monday 8 January. Is she absolutely sure that she didn't make any part of the application online? You may have grounds for appeal if she can prove that the application was submitted correctly and made it to the council but this will be very difficult to prove.

FWIW and for the avoidance of doubt in the future - your son isn't in Reception. He's in the nursery class, and spends part of his day in Reception - probably because of ratios, or possibly because he is one of the oldest in the nursery class. It isn't 'how it's done in Wales', it's how it happens to be done in his school. There are quite a few schools across England and Wales who create vertical classes across EYFS and KS1, for example to teach phonics in ability groups.

Original poster
A4710Rider · 17/04/2018 11:25

Thanks for your post, Bux. Most informative, I don't want to sound like a bad dad, I'm not not, I just presumed he was in reception.

Flatpack,

Our son is fluent in both Welsh and Saes, it's the original language of these islands and something to have some pride in.

OP posts:
Swipe left for the next trending thread