To wish fil would stop asking every single time?

[CaterpillarInTheGarden]

Every time fil is here (approximately every month) he asks the same question - when are we signing dc up for a school. Dc is 20 months old. We tell him that the schools in our catchment area are mediocre rated by ofsted and are under subscribed looking at previous years, and we can't afford a house in a better catchment area yet. Yet he always asks every time! Do you put your dc's name down at 20 months? Is that even how it works?

Assuming your DC will be going to a state school it doesn't work like that! There is no advantage at all to applying before the deadline.

Thats old rules - you dont sign up for schools anymore. You are told when your child is ready to apply and then apply and see what school you end up with. There are certain generations that think it's still like it used to be in their day though and find it hard to be convinced otherwise thinking of my own DM

A few independent schools operate like this, most don't.

State schools most certainly don't. You can apply only in the academic year before your child is due to start.

Ask him if he’s signed up for his care home yet.

Down for what? If you are expecting to put your child through privately from the get go I suppose you can start the process but it doesn’t seem private is the way you are thinking.
Just tell him there’s a process to state schools and it doesn’t work that way.

For state schools you don't yet. You apply to the council, not the school. If you say 20 months I assume his birthday is in November or December? That would mean you apply in January 2022 for a start date in September 2022 and you get a school allocated.

If you want an independent school you have to look definitely now, my former boss put her sons name on the waiting list when he was born.

If your FIL thinks about pre-school you may want to look how it works in your area, some take them whenever you apply or the term after they turn 3 but may have a long waiting list. When DD was a toddler we were told to apply when she was 18-20 months to get the one we wanted but she was already in full day nursery so didn't need a separate pre-school.

@InterestingView - in our borough the council does not tell anyone to apply, you have to do your own research. There may be some posters and leaflets given out by pre-schools but you are not contacted directly.

Just say yeah he's signed up

Are in the uk OP?

Just say yes. You used to put a child's name down for a school but the process is completely different now. Any plans for nursery/pre-school?

Just say "in 2022, when applications open"

If you're in the UK, and looking at state schools, the answer is, in or around January 15th 2022!

If you're in the UK, your DC is starting that September as that's when she/he will be 4 rising 5.

Even private schools will be indicative at this stage as they'll want to assess the child before they accept them.

Just tell him yes.

I think he should stop asking FGS there's like plenty of time for that. We did the applying when the children where 4 don't think we could before that.

Just reminding myself The best time is before they start school you actually have freedom, so nice to be able to go away when you want. He should butt out.

If you want an independent school you have to look definitely now, my former boss put her sons name on the waiting list when he was born.

That’s not true. Every independent school has its own admissions process but very few now have waiting lists that involve a name being put down when the child is very young. For example the very highly-rated, semi-elite one near us only opens applications 18 months or so before the child would start Reception. They then assess all applications on merit only (including interview). No first-come, first -served.

You’d need to check each school individually but most will work in a similar way.

Sounds like FIL is just a bit short on conversation?

Holyhead not the whole UK - in Scotland you apply in October for the following August and the birthday cut-off is the end of February.

So there.

OP your FIL is annoying. I would say just tell him you've signed DS up but I suspect he'd then start grilling you on your choice of school?

You can put them Dow at any age. I put my youngest down at 2 for local school then we moved to better area so I put him down for that school aged 3 and half. The council called me few days before they sent out the placements to check which one I wanted. If you get it done you don't have to worry about it later.

'if you're offering to pay his fees, we can do it tonight, FIL'.

waste of time putting name down means nothing most schools won't even entertain it.
Selection of places is by education authority criteria explain it don't work like this anymore. Next time he ask just say I told you last time and don't engage.

Where exactly did you put their names down @TriciaH87? Our London Borough has an online form, it won’t accept applications until the year before Reception. Individual schools don’t deal with admissions in my borough.

OP, for State it will all be on your council website.

Yeah I live in England. Dc won't be attending private school. Just looked at schools in my area and they either say school type is voluntary aided faith school or community school. Do I apply through council for these when applications open in 2022? Will the hv tell me more about it closer to the time? How do they council decide which school your DC will attend?

Just look on your council’s website.

HV- health visitor? No, schools and education are separate.

Tricia, What do you mean, you out his name down? How? Where?
In England, schools will not allow you to do that. How could they? The LA deals with admissions anyway, not individual schools and the process doesn't start until a few months before allocation?

Sorry, health services and education are separate, I meant to say.