Any Solomons about?

[bakedpotato]

I don’t know what to do. DD is at a nursery school attached to the local primary. We've just found out she hasn't got a reception place but is fairly high on waiting list. Various points:
a/ It's now all down to distance. All the waiting-list children are level-pegging on points.
b/ From glancing at the map it's obvious that one particular child, above DD on the w/l, actually lives further away. Like, a quarter of a mile.
c/ Council has now admitted that it hasn't been working to the 'distance' criteria set out by the school (this will not have affected the quarter-mile issue, btw): they've been measuring from different points on the school grounds
d/ Council won't remeasure without school's request (not forthcoming so far). School has told us we have grounds to appeal.
Is this really our only option?
Any advice?

ooh bp, making me nervous just thinking about it. i assume the other options are no-nos...
lots of people take places and don't actually take them up - or don't turn them down because they're hedging their bets. i know someone who appealed in haringey (which was a disaster zone last yr) and won.

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Press school to request remeasure. Contact Governors if necessary, via school or via local authority. (I am Chair of Govs and would respond to such a request myself).

Good luck!

Thanks, BT.
You've put some lead in my pencil.

Let us know how you get on! :)

Definately appeal! Good luck.

I would appeal

I'm surprised the council have admitted their error - surely this will affect other people aswell? I think our school has 2 measure points - a top gate (where the infants go in) to the north and a main gate to the south. It's worth finding out exactly where they are supposed to measure from (in case they are allowed to use multiple points).

I also think if you can get a place now it will be so much easier. If you're high up the waiting list then you probably stand a good chance anyway but there's always the added factor of people moving near the school and going higher up the list etc. to deal with.

The council has confirmed, to me and to the school, that it has not used the school's official measuring criteria.

how astonishing! you've definitely got grounds, so I would appeal. Also, ask the council if they are going to redo the waiting list anyway.

Do you know people near you who have got in/not got in? I seem to remember a case where a woman proved that a child who lived further away than they did had got a place and the council had no choice but to offer her a place when one came up.

Update for those kind enough to offer suggestions.
DD has got a place waiting list shrank so we don't have to appeal.
I know the school asked the council to remeasure (I got in touch with governors as bushytail suggested), but I don't know the result.