Moving area, no space at primary schools!

[kiwisbird]

WE are moving from Hants to Lincs in summer hols, we lok like like we have found the house, looking good for selling ours, but all the schools within an 11 mile radius of the area chosen have no spaces at all, several of them have already been to appeal and have maximum expansion already.
As ds will havw to sit 11+ in October/November Iam worried now... have spoken to the council up there for help they say just keep asking... something will turn up!!! Not good enough?
Anyone have any ideas? Am rethinking moving at all now!

But isn't this likely to always be the case unless you are in situ ? Presumably unless you move this summer he can't sit the 11-plus for the area in which case you'd have a bigger problem. Chances are quite high that a place would come up at at least one of the local schools, or they wouldn't be saying it. Most people with school age kids would move in the holidays. If not, are there places beyond 11 miles although not ideal ?

Think I'd still plan to move and hope. Good luck.

It may also be worth trying any faith schools locally (although I think you're not religious?) as the LEA wouldn't necessarily have up to date info on class sizes and they are likely to be flexible about admission criteria for a Y6 space.

I think it's very unlikely that no school at all will have a space, even if the travel does get a bit nightmareish, and i think the LEA would have to reimburse your petrol costs if there are only spaces more than 3 miles away (they would here).

Hi
Even the Catholic primary is over subscribed, bith my DH and I have been baptised so my son would be eligible to their admissions criteria.
If we are not moved by summer, ds can sit the 11+ in his current school, allwoing him to be graded for the grammar school . But we will def have moved one way or another by then.
And as for driving 11 miles plus... we'll see!
The next schools after that are in Lincoln itself which would be a 35 minute rush hour journey!

Eeeks

sympathy, it does sound horrible. I grew up in a rural area so I think of a 35min journey to school as normal. DH on the other hand thinks more than 5 min in a car is ridiculous!

Doesn't the LEA have a legal duty to provide a place? ....AND to provide transport if the school is more than 3 miles away?

will check it out janz, sounds perfect! You think they might have told me that easrlier, bloody buggers... don;t really mind th trip but has always walked to school. still its only one more year then he gets bus to close by grammar school!
the council is sending me a brochure and book about Lincs LEA so no doubt will be more clued up then!
Thanks y'all!

When we were moving we were told that ds1's school year was a large one in the town, and all the good schools were full and had waiting lists, and that basically we had no chance of getting in. But in the event we were offered a space for him at our second choice, and then on the last day of the summer term we were offered a space for him at our first choice school

So spaces do turn up; try not to panic. Have you visited the schools? School applications are supposed to be all 'fair and open' these days, but IMO it can't hurt to make sure you keep phoning the LEA schools application bod, and make sure they are aware that you're a very nice and friendly person, and that you are going to be an absolute pain in the neck unless they sort something appropriate out for your son!

Also, when you've visited schools, make sure they know how keen you are that your son goes there, and how much you like their school. Phone the school secretary and make friends with her too. Unfortunately people do get missed off lists, and forgotten about ... when a family suddenly tells the Head in the last week of term that they are emigrating, you need to make sure that your name is on everyone's lips immediately.

I don't know if this is true, but I've been told that you are better off moving in the middle of term, because schools have to keep places for... new people who move into the area. Therefore, you are more likely to get your first choice when you move in the middle of term, as that space is there. Maybe that's not true, someone else might know better than me...

Don't think that always holds true. I know of RC schools that will keep any "spare" places for RCs who might move into the area but they do this only if undersubscribed by RC pupils.

Funnily enough the Catholic primary has rung back today saying they have 3 spaces but I will need to speak to the head as my son is not baptised, although my partner and I are both baptised and both come from large irish Catholic families.
I am not sure how well it would suit my son as he has been brought up without a religion (but with Christian values) and I wonder if it might be a bit hard for him...
I am happy to get my son baptised if needed, it is something I was always going to do as it happens...

Does the Catholic school enter them for the grammar school exams though? Round here they don't - the kids are expected to go on to a Catholic secondary. (Or does the whole county do an actual 11+ like N Ireland?)

I expect they'll be quite accomodating. I think you may find they push for him to be baptised and have his first HC as he's Y5. The "religion" bit varies from school to school, he'll soon pick it up. Would you be happy with the school otherwise?

Oh and the RC primaries prepare the bright kids for 11+ (there are 2 RC grammars) but isn't your son a bit extraordinary Kiwisbird?

They prep them for the grammar school 11+ happily enough, they only had one child fail last year, all but 2 went on to the gramar school.
they have said him not being baptised isn;t a prob but I should think we will get him done anyway, we are debating about dd, but as my ds's dad is from firm protestant background I didn't broach it as I never felt it necessary, but now dd has 2 catholic parents it seems logical step...
thanks for all the answers ladies!

yep he's pretty smart Maria