AIBU to ask what you would do next year...secondary school nightmare admissions issue

[Postcardsfromstress]

Namechanged for this, for various reasons.

We've just learnt that 50 families a stone's throw from our two local schools didn't get secondary school places this year. The catchment is huge, not enough (good) schools. These two schools reneged on an extra bulge class, as they don't feel they have the communal facilities (toilets, corridors etc) to accommodate more children. They've said this is the case the coming academic year too - but hoping admission figures fall as of 23/24. Until then, there's every chance you'll be sent on a bus/es to not great schools quite far away.

This is going to affect us as we will apply to go for next September.

I feel like that's a lot of families locally who got affected, and there's every chance it could be us.

So, I need to be strategic and think about what we can do - if anything? Move? consider private? Sit back, let's see what's coming to us.

I guess my post is as much for thoughts about what other people would do...whilst I think on our strategy

As others have said, do look at the other schools. If 50 families who are invested in their kids education sent their kids their and set high expectations, tat more tan anything except a change of leadership will turn a school around. In my area the best school in paper is a pushy horrible exams factory with appalling pastoral care. The one my child goes to is RI under Ofsted but had a new head a couple of years ago and has undergone a big change. Don't rule it out.

Do they pick by lottery within the catchment if not distance?

I can't see where you've explained how they select within catchment.

Yes, it is Brighton. My understanding is that after the initial 4 criteria -which includes looked after children, siblings, teacher's children - distance is the next criteria. But that they pick from that category by lottery - hence those on the doorstep not getting a place, but some further away in the catchment getting a place.

@doodledoop - am I wrong?

So everyone in catchment not in criteria 1-3 just get put in a lottery?

That's my understanding

Don’t panic
Apply and be very clear that even if you don’t get a place you will get a very high place in waiting list

People are moving even more now , away from UK and to more rural places

But mainly don’t buy into the story that less great schools are disasters and that all will be lost if they don’t get a place

I spent many months losing my hair over this issue and looking back I wish I hadn’t

The emotions and stress

Also don’t talk to other parents and absorb their stress

So in that case, moving house will only change things if you move to a completely different area (where places are allocated on distance)? Do you have an idea of where to move to?

If it’s a lottery, I would move as I couldn’t handle the uncertainty.

You don’t seem sure though, and it sounds like an odd system. Have you looked at the admissions policy in the school website? It will all be laid out in black and white in the policy.

So are you saying
A)

• Looked after
• siblings
• teacher's kids
• catchment by lottery
• out of catchment by lottery

Or

B)

• Looked after
• siblings
• teacher's kids
• everyone else by lottery

I would -
Look at the school/S you are likely to get if you don’t get your first choice, decide if you could live with that and which to put as first choice

If private was an option financially, pursue that too as a back up, apply and do entrance exam if applicable then if offered a place could decline if you get the state school you want

Would the other choose really be a disaster? I moved heaven and earth to get DS1 into 'the best' school. DS2 isn't going there even though jenwould get in on sibling link. He is going to the on the doorstep requires improvement school that actually as it turns out has fantastic reports from parents whose opinion I trust.

@Postcardsfromstress distance is a factor within a catchment. There are about 4 small towns in catchment for our high school. We did not get in on distance after all the places were gone.

Our junior school had a rubbish reputation a while ago.I started working there recently and the rumored problems had been ironed out by a trouble shooter head and were out of date.My ds starts there in Sept all being well.

@TeenMinusTests

Option A

Problem is apart from these two schools and a faith school, there are no other schools in our catchment. So the 'worst case' is something you can't prepare for, as kids are being sent to schools outside of catchment. In some cases, there are 7 schools closer than the one they are being sent to

So, I could go around all the schools which the kids are being shipped to and decide what I think, but it's meaningless. I won't have a clue until it happens if one of those is where DC ends up

It said that we were 2.8 miles from school and the last place offered was 2.7 miles

@RuggeryBuggery

I would - Look at the school/S you are likely to get if you don’t get your first choice, decide if you could live with that and which to put as first choice

If private was an option financially, pursue that too as a back up, apply and do entrance exam if applicable then if offered a place could decline if you get the state school you want

There is no advantage in getting a place to those who put a school as first choice. The equal preference system has been law in England for many years now- each school on your preference list is treated as a separate application, and it is only if the LEA is able to offer you a place at more than one school that the order you listed the schools in is relevant (and you will be offered a place at the school you listed highest). There is no need to 'gamble' or game the system with your preference order- the best advice is to list the schools in your genuine order of preference, always including at least one school where you can be reasonably sure of gaining a place, though I appreciate that may be harder in the OPs situation where some of the selection is done by lottery!

That sucks @Looneytune

What I think sucks about the current situation is that kids are being shipped out to schools out of catchment. So, whats the point of having catchments if the schools/council can flout them if they like? It gives parents zilch control

OK, so literally 'a lottery'.

You would still be able to appeal for any school you fancied.

You appeal on the basis that 'the detriment to the child of not attending is worse than the detriment to the school of taking an extra pupil'. (Or something to that effect, not an expert).
So when looking round schools you need to see the reasons why that school is especially good for your DC. You can't generally use travel or friends or results (I think). but you can use 'DC plays clarinet, this school has an orchestra' or 'DC has won awards for art, this school runs G&T art club'.

Post on the secondary board for more info, some good admissions experts on there. Mention Brighton in the title and how the admissions work as Brighton is unusual in its system.

'Catchments' are really 'priority admissions areas'. It isn't like in Scotland where (I think) everyone is guaranteed a place at catchment school.

I would be getting together with other parents and campaigning for the schools to be expanded. 50 children over 2 schools is 25 each. All they need is a couple of portacabin classrooms. I would be contacting the local MP.
If the local schools aren't big enough then they need to be expanded or a new school built.

@Ilovemaisie - a new school was the plan but it hasn't happened

@NotBabiesForLong

I didn't think catchment existed anymore?

Just several criteria (eg looked after child, maybe sibling at school) and distance is one of these criteria, but not number one.

The "catchment area" for our LEA is a moveable feast, it's the area that the number of applicants for places that year live in, less those that have other reasons for being at that school, eg siblings etc.

Applicants outside that area don't get places, unless they succeed at appeal. Those in the north and west of the town get places at a village comp 5 miles away, those in the south and east get places at another village comp 3 miles away.

There's so much new building going on, I can see the two village secondaries being over-subscribed in the next couple of years, unless loads of parents decide to send their kids to private schools.

Most of the primaries are groaning at the seams. They had to introduce a second form of entry at the only one that had room for "temporary" classrooms a few years ago, so that has doubled in size.

Allowing housebuilding without making commensurate school provision is bonkers imo, but I guess that's what happens when the district council is the one that gives planning permission and the county council is responsible for schools.

Sorry, first sentence is bollocks. The size of the catchment each year is the area that holds the number of applicants for whom the school has places, not all the applicants!