Will this work? Primary School Application

[TeenTimesTwo]

Will posting on here to remind people to apply for English primary schools by 15th January work?

Will it also help to say:

• check the admission criteria, don't just assume that because you can see it from your bedroom window you will get a place

• use all the spaces on the form, you might as well

• put a 'banker' on somewhere (a school you expect to meet the criteria for. If you don't you could end up with a school you still hate, but miles away)

• don't put the same school down multiple times, it won't 'show how keen you are'

• don't lie about your address - it's dishonest

• put them in your true preferred order (no the school doesn't know where you place them, and no they can't take offense and not offer just because you put them second with an outside chance school first)

• and finally, if you have chosen it because it gets brilliant y6 SATs without looking at how they are achieved, don't come back in 7 years complaining how hard they are pushing the children to get those results.

Regarding EHCP,s in my LEA I still.had to put down a mainstream school.even though there was no way my son would have gone to one we found out he had a definite place at his special school in the last week of the summer term ridiculous as we had to accept a mainstream place first .,

Yep Snuggy that’s not a thing any more (in England and Wales at least.) It’s all done via the LEA application.

It's not a thing in Scotland either! In Scotland you register with your choice of catchment school (one non-denominational, one RC), and you will be offered a place at your choice if at all possible. It only gets tricky if you're applying out of catchment - then they have no obligation to find you a place. Although we had to register DS at the catchment school back in November, so hopefully most people in Scotland are already sorted for the 2019 intake.

Regardless of the additional information you add, it's only relevant if it forms part of the oversubscription criteria.

Also don't think you'll get 5 or 6 preferences

In London you get a choice of six schools.

2cats2many, I realise this yes. However often on MN the 6 preferences thing is often cited as the norm. I was just saying that in my LEA (Bristol) we only get 3.

I did DS's application online before Christmas but this just reminded me to double-check the email to make sure I definitely don;t have to do anything else! I don't think I could have put the same school twice with online submission though?

Here in Hants it is 3 choices only.

Scotland runs to its own rules for education, which is why I mentioned England in my OP. NI is different again. I'm not sure about Wales so thought I'd play safe and not mention it.

Also to note: unfortunately your childcare needs will not be taken into account!

I’ve seen many posts from parents who think that stating on the application that they need a place at a certain school because of wraparound care or proximity to their childminder will make a difference, even if they don’t meet the admissions criteria. Sadly it won’t.

OP the deadline for wales (assuming all local authorities are the same) was before Christmas. All the rest of your advice is bang on.

And no SATs

Thanks Gary.

Mrsfrumble Yes, and even if your MIL is going to do the school run for you, you can't use her address 3 miles away right next to the outstanding school. That won't be 'playing the system' it will be cheating, lying, and defrauding a child that properly qualifies of a place.

In contrast however, admissions to church places are about actions not what is in your heart. So if you have been going to church to meet religious attendance requirements, even though you are an atheist, then that is legally fine. Just don't turn up on the primary board in 2 years complaining they are teaching the religion as fact and including worship everyday though.

Don't say they're christened unless they are, and you have the certificate to prove it....

Chaise Yes, lying to say christened if not is not on. That is an action you would have failed to do.

@SnuggyBuggy you may want to put their name down at the school if you would like them to go to that nursery though. That is a completely different admissions process (usually first come first served) so that’s worth being aware of. Still has no bearing on school admission tho

Northern Ireland deadline is 31st January as far as I'm aware. All done online this year. I know when I was completing forms you could put as many options as you wanted though at least 6 was advised. I only ever done 3 as our school is wee small country school and under subscribed. Same applies here with statementing process. Have to apply mainstream even if you know they won't be going

Some great information here!
I have a while to wait until we have to navigate primary school applications. But when you say dig deeper to find out how they attained such great sats results, how can you do that if you don't have a child there?

Leslie Ask around at the school gate! Also ask when looking round re homework amount in infants and upper and lower KS2. Ask ethos of school.

Thanks great advice. My DD Is 19 months but the whole school process fills me with fear and I'd love to home school so thanks for the input!

Dennis In most of the country it is pretty simple. Look round your local schools that you meet the admission criteria for reasonably, put them in order of your preference. Things can get a bit fraught in London due to the high population density, and also in other areas where there are only a few good schools and too many less good ones.

There is a Home Ed board if you want to learn more about Home Ed and how different people do it.

Maybe controversial but when looking at Ofsted reports don't be wowed by an 'oustanding' granted several years ago and no inspection since- schools can change dramatically in that space of time. I'd think I'd rather a 'good' school that's been inspected in the last two years than an outstanding that might have been given under a leadership and teaching team that's changed 50% since! But equally remember Ofsted inspections aren't the be all and end all either...

5 days to go.

Heyha agree - I am a teacher and my first choice is the only requires improvement school in our two of Good or Outstanding primaries. The RI was for one important reason, but there is so much evidence to show the school has addressed the issue and it wasn't an issue that would affect the childrens learning dramatically.

deadline tomorrow ...

Getting a bit late now as I believe the deadline is tomorrow but just to add: If you opt for a school that is not your catchment and are successful in getting your child a place, do not assume that you will be guaranteed a place for a younger sibling in a few years time. Many LA’s (ours in wilts included) prioritise distance over siblings and I know of many a person who have been unsuccessful in getting their younger child into their older siblings school, because it is over subscribed, out of catchment and the birth rate for the younger child’s year group was higher. So they have the hassle of 2 children at separate schools.
Also do not assume that your child attending the nursery or pre-school attached to your preferred primary pushes you up the priority list. It doesn’t.
Finally, consider the practicalities of your child attending your preferred school. A friend of mine really liked a school a couple of villages away from her, she then did a dummy run to the school in the morning at school drop off time, and instantly changed her mind as the traffic was awful and finding somewhere to park was a nightmare. She didn’t want to do that during term time for the next 7 years, so has instead opted for her local ofstead ‘good’ rated school within walking distance.