To decline my school place?

[LG123]

I'm so cross, just want to yell at admissions (I won't).

My daughter got offered a place outside of catchment as my catchment school os oversubscribed. They wouldn't have to provide transport because she's under compulsory school age so my tiny 4 year old would be expected to walk 2 miles each way everyday.

Bet all the ones that drive got their place at a school round the corner.

AIBU to tell them to jog the fuck on?

[quote LG123]@Whenyougonnalearn the school I didn't get IS my catchment school.[/quote]
all the more reason to make contact with the school to check about how their admissions went. In Gloucestershire there's usually a section on the county's website that breaks down all the information, this year's isn't there yet but I can look at the allocation statistics from previous years and see how many places were allocated at each school, how many preferences altogether, how many were first preference, how many were allocated on distance, the furthest distance allocated, the last admission criteria applied, whether they were oversubscribed etc. It's interesting to see and I can see from last year that most schools that were over subscribed applied distance as their criteria for their last place offered.
I know that I was lucky the year that my daughter started school in that the birth rate was lower than usual, a couple of years later she wouldn't have got into the school I sent her to as we'd have been too far away.
www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/media/2106848/primary-allocation-day-stats-2021.pdf
It's worth having a look to see what information there is on your council places, I'd imagine most would do similar to mine and then you'd have an idea on why you weren't successful in getting a place at your 'catchment' school and how likely you are to succeed in future.
It seems you've decided to keep her at nursery for another year, that'll give you a year to work out where you'd like her to go to school next year and your chances of getting her there-and if not you can work out how you're going to get her to the school you're most likely to get into. I imagine if you're a student nurse now that your work position may be different in a years time too.

[quote LG123]@Whenyougonnalearn I don't understand why you think I only applied for one out of catchment school - I applied for my catchment school and the next closest ones. I did not get any of them.[/quote]
@LG123

So do you think you will stand a chance of getting your DC in your preferred school next year?

You need to have a look at the furthest catchment child for all the schools you applied for - are any of these schools a realistic option? You may find yourself in the same position next year.

You might want to spend this extra time looking for rental properties near your favoured schools.

Also just to add in my county they support deferral but expect this to be backed up by a professional i.e. Health Visitor, Consultant and then the childs childcare if relevant have to back that referral.

I just looked into it out of interest.

[quote LG123]@Whenyougonnalearn the school I didn't get IS my catchment school.[/quote]
Yes but catchment area offers no guarantee
It is proximity to school
And you presumably are not close enough within the catchment area to get a place
It’s fair. Totally fair

Why are you so sure next year will be different?

@Whenyougonnalearn

Why are you so sure next year will be different?

She isn’t, she said the difference is that next year transport will be provided as her child will be compulsory school age.

I find it odd that absolutely no consideration to the quality of the school and how appropriate to her child

All about getting on the bloomin bus next year!

I would take the preferred school this year if you can get it over a risk next year that you still might not, but at least would have paid for transport. So would stay on the waiting list for preferred school to the last minute possible , particularly if you are closek the top of the list.

@Whenyougonnalearn

I find it odd that absolutely no consideration to the quality of the school and how appropriate to her child

All about getting on the bloomin bus next year!

The OP said the school itself is fine.

Besides sometimes there's no viable choice. My local primary has been crap for over 15 years, but because of new development it is the only school with places. There are 2 primary schools in the nearest town 3 miles away and there are LA minibuses that take children from their to my local school as they are over subscribed. There's more housing development going on.

Not all parents can EHE or go private. The next nearest place with a chance of a placement is about 15 miles away. Which is a big commitment for primary.

@Whenyougonnalearn

Of course I care about the quality! You really are clutching at straws to berate me aren't you? I moved to a specific are of a specific town over a year ago to ensure a place at a good school. The school given IS a good school, just very awkward to get to - even driving is a horrendous road particularly during school runs.

Different stance on schooling
I moved to a smaller property to ensure that accepted in a school more than “fine” hence me struggling to comprehend the focus on transport arrangements rather than getting the best school you can

[quote LG123]@Whenyougonnalearn

Of course I care about the quality! You really are clutching at straws to berate me aren't you? I moved to a specific are of a specific town over a year ago to ensure a place at a good school. The school given IS a good school, just very awkward to get to - even driving is a horrendous road particularly during school runs.[/quote]
No I’m sorry
Genuinely
I don’t mean to berate you

But this is the first time you’ve mentioned the quality of the school

Sorry

[quote LG123]@Whenyougonnalearn

Of course I care about the quality! You really are clutching at straws to berate me aren't you? I moved to a specific are of a specific town over a year ago to ensure a place at a good school. The school given IS a good school, just very awkward to get to - even driving is a horrendous road particularly during school runs.[/quote]
So this year was an anomaly re the oversubscribtion?

OP, I would absolutely defer her place if she can start reception aged (just) 5. I think it’s awful they don’t provide transport for reception pupils but it might be a blessing in disguise as it sounds like your dd would benefit from being in the next cohort. The cohort she was actually due to be in, if she hadn’t come early. I also don’t get the drama about 19 year olds being in sixth form. All sixth forms by us are for ages 16-19. You can redo either year 12 or 13 if needed. Safeguarding isn’t an issue, the 19 year olds are treated as the 18 year olds are. Also your dd won’t even be 19 so it makes no odds.

My son is august born, daughter September. If deferring was an option for my son i would have taken it for sure although he would have had to be in a different group for football. Gymnastics as you say is Jan-dec so makes no difference there. My son is year 5 now and fine but those early years were really hard for him and I think he would have benefited from starting school a year later.

[quote LG123]@Whinge the school isn't a bad school. It's just very awkward to get to.[/quote]
OP confirmed early on wasn't a bad school the issue is location and logistics

The OPs LA is supportive of delaying entry and does not provide transport until CSA. What the OP is doing aligns with her LAs policies.

You keep saying your county will support your deferral. I really, really hope you have done your research on this. Its really not a simple request in many counties. There are alot of hoops to jump through.

@OrangeBlossom28

You do realise she will enter Yr1 and have missed out on her EY provision.

What a rude way to phrase a post. "You do realise" it depends on the council.

@StrawberryandOrangeCreamBeasty

Also just to add in my county they support deferral but expect this to be backed up by a professional i.e. Health Visitor, Consultant and then the childs childcare if relevant have to back that referral.

I just looked into it out of interest.

Not required by the guidance:

“However, there should be no expectation that parents will obtain professional evidence that they do not already have. Admission authorities must still consider requests that are not accompanied by professional evidence. In such cases the supporting information might simply be the parent’s statement as to why they have made their request. A lack of professional evidence, or limited evidence, does not mean that requests should be refused outright.”

Doesn’t say they will be accepted either @ChuckBerrysBoots. Anything to do with schools it is useful to have evidence to back any request

I'd be interested to see which county, mine is 'supportive of delayed starts' but doesn't mean they'll actually let you delay

The question the council has to answer is not whether the child can delay their start to school. That is a given - summer born children have the right to delay their start to school until the term after they turn 5. There is no requirement for the council or school to “agree” though councils and schools often misunderstand that.

The only decision the council (and it is the council, where it is the admission authority, not the head that decides - though heads should be consulted as part of the decision making) is whether the child starts in reception or year 1. In making that decision it must “take account of the child’s individual needs and abilities and to consider whether these can best be met in reception or year 1. In effect, this means that the authority is making a decision about whether it would be in the child’s best interest to miss the reception year. It will also involve taking account of the potential impact on the child of being admitted to year one without first having completed the reception year.”

@toomuchlaundry

Doesn’t say they will be accepted either *@ChuckBerrysBoots*. Anything to do with schools it is useful to have evidence to back any request

Of course, there are no guarantees either way, but I thought it was important to point out what the guidance says as council policies are often not in line with the guidance.

@ChuckBerrysBoots

I'd be interested to see which county, mine is 'supportive of delayed starts' but doesn't mean they'll actually let you delay

The question the council has to answer is not whether the child can delay their start to school. That is a given - summer born children have the right to delay their start to school until the term after they turn 5. There is no requirement for the council or school to “agree” though councils and schools often misunderstand that.

The only decision the council (and it is the council, where it is the admission authority, not the head that decides - though heads should be consulted as part of the decision making) is whether the child starts in reception or year 1. In making that decision it must “take account of the child’s individual needs and abilities and to consider whether these can best be met in reception or year 1. In effect, this means that the authority is making a decision about whether it would be in the child’s best interest to miss the reception year. It will also involve taking account of the potential impact on the child of being admitted to year one without first having completed the reception year.”

Before the option or suggestion of children deferring entry to school became a more 'official' thing, schools made the decisions anyway. I had a child start school straight into Year 1 once, and I had a child who had deferred a year with agreement from the school after lots of discussions with parents and other agencies. I'm not sure what then happened after that but I have also known children to skip a year group at some point because they started late. Another option is for the child to start school at the 'correct' time and then repeat the year, although that would have to be in the best interests of the child including whether repeating the year would really make a significant difference or not. Anyone considering deferring entry needs to have had conversations with the admission authority and schools BEFORE school allocation time! assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/921255/Guidance_for_parents_September_2020.pdf

@clarcats it isn't clearcut, you don't have to have the conversation at all before allocation time.

I have briefly spoken to admissions about it anyway but for our LA there is no official deadline.

@Whitecushion absolutely is a simple request for our LA, get support from one head (which I have) and then request out of cohort to the council, accepted done - for the whole LA too. This is from admissions themselves. It would be surprising to get a no from my LA. Don't think I haven't had conversations about it, given it was what I initially wanted anyway.

@RosstopherGeller thank you for understanding