Reception child refused school place

[Abbazed]

My 5 Yr old son has been refused a reception place. Has anyone else been refused a place?

Sec told me we weren't vulnerable or key workers so tough.

Exactly the same thing happened at my brother's school. 40 out of 60 Reception children went back to school and after a week the parents of the other 20 children decided that actually it probably is ok to send your kids back to school. Well tough, the teachers have organised 4 bubbles of 10 to accommodate the orirginal children and that's how it will stay. Serves the latecomers right!

I thought it was quite normal that children were being refused access to school unless both parents are key workers? I'm not pushing my children in but some of my husband's colleagues have had schools say their career isn't "key enough" for jobs on the government's list. So I wouldn't have thought anyone without at least one parent in the NHS would get a place right now!

I can't see that September will be different until the teachers unions get on board with welcoming children. Right now the hostility and the "ALL children are three months behind" rhetoric is actively putting parents and children off.

Every school is obviously different, DD didn't go back but she is welcome with 24 hours notice should we choose.
Op, did you explain your family circs, they sound to me as though your child should possibly be accepted back as a vulnerable child. For September make sure your name is down for wanting a place.

My DS is in reception but they don't have the room to bring any of them back.

For most schools it's impossible to bring all 3 year groups and key worker children back.

@cabbageking

Gavin is fairly sure - from the Guardian now:

UK coronavirus live: all children in England will be back at school in September, says Gavin Williamson

My DDs school has 200 key worker or vulnerable kids so couldn't take reception year 1 or 6

I wouldn't have thought anyone without at least one parent in the NHS would get a place right now!

Depends a lot on the school. My niece/nephew go to a small village school that normally has a lot of traveller children on roll. Their classes have had less than half the available spaces taken up.

So I wouldn't have thought anyone without at least one parent in the NHS would get a place right now!

Both my older DC are at school, alongside the rest of year 1, reception and year 6.

Ah well. Was v interested in local prep. I'm going to ring up next week and see if I can get both in for Sept.

@InDubiousBattle

It's still unclear if you actually accepted a place when asked weeks back?

You can't just pitch up at school with a child that isn't down to be attending.

My school made it clear that non reply by x date, meant no place.

Hope you have success with the local prep. Ours has been brilliant throughout COVID, both with him schooling and enabling them to come back to school.

@Abbazed

Ah well. Was v interested in local prep. I'm going to ring up next week and see if I can get both in for Sept.

Sounds like the best plan if you are not happy with what their current school is offering.

To be honest if you can afford to go private I would, it would take the uncertainty out of the equation and free up more space in the state schools.

If you can afford to go private then go private - it might take the state system ages to sort it all out.

It's not I'm unhappy. I just see months of zero education for state pupils.

I went to two brilliant state schools (one in the top 20 uk state schools) and a very redbrick Uni but I would place my children's educational needs over my values.

@Abbazed

It's not I'm unhappy. I just see months of zero education for state pupils.

That’s a shame, our state primary has been great.

There was no room for reception children in our school it's full of keyworker children

We can only accept KW and vulnerable children back. We are full with those since half term when numbers rocketed.

I've found two tutors and will ring the prep Monday. It makes me mad for those children who can't afford to purchase an education!

Have any of the reception children at your school gone back?

Idk. I keep myself to myself.

But surely you know what their policies are?

but did they contact you to offer you a place?

My DS’s primary school isn’t taking reception kids, just Y1 and Y6 and keyworker children.
They’ve split each class into 2 for their bubbles and you can choose to send your child into school at any point as their bubbles have been created.