How to get your child into your preferred primary school - myths and tips

[KingLooieCatz]

www.mumsnet.com/education/primary/getting-your-child-into-primary-school

Is it just me wondering if it would have been appropriate to say which parts of the UK this applies to? Certainly none of it applies to Scotland. Don't know about Wales and Northern Ireland.

It doesn't apply to Scotland as everyone is guaranteed a place in their local primary.

I live in Wales now (Sob! sorry Wales but I much, much preferred the education system in Scotland. Kids start ridiculously early at School and the nurseries are much more 'schoolified' in Scotland. IN fact I find it so bad here I wouldn't have moved with young children if I truly realised what it is like). That article applies here, no guaranteed place at any school you put down as a 'preference'. I think it is the same in England.

Should have said, much more schoolified THAN in Scotland.

Yes, the article should have said which parts of UK the article applied too. It is most grating when media types assume all of UK is like the bit they live in. A quick google search of the four countries of the UK to check out differences is surely not too much to ask.

Thanks playitnow. The England-centric-ness irks me, but then I wonder if I'm being precious.

We moved from England to Scotland and very glad we did. Not only are we spared 11 plus angst and grammar schools vs comps but we don't have ludicrous uniform policies which we apparently cannot find ludicrous as we "chose" the school, however Hobson's the choice was.

What is more school don't seem to give a stuff if you are still visiting family overseas when term starts, to the point of reading out the postcards from absent children. And school has excellent attainment.

A friend of mine moved from Scotland (which when I was growing up had a much admired education system) to England. She found out in England her kids were very much 'behind'. She was not impressed and says now she thinks its good that there are SATS tests in England as in Scotland there is no way to measure the quality of education. Apparently thanks to the SNP the education system has got worse. Its a real shame, it used to be the best in the UK.