Mid Term admissions

[mrsnec]

Hi everyone.

I have quite a complex situation. I separated from my DH. We were living abroad. He wants reconciliation. He is still abroad with the DC. I am back in the UK to sort accommodation and school places for the children. Just to give you some background. It's all been very stressful for me. I found a house and I'm settled. There are 2 school nearby. I decided I really liked one of them. I thought DH and I could bring the children to look at the school and at first they said yes but when I went to book they said they were possibly becoming over subscribed and I'd have to get an application in straight away.

I haven't agreed to DH living with me yet and he hasn't found accommodation and can't even finalise a date for bringing the DC over permanently.Anyway I felt pressured by the school. Put in an application to the council for as far ahead as their lead time would allow.

I didn't put a second choice as I was put off the other one because it is undersubscribed and not as easy to get to. Also the one I prefer is a faith school which is what they're used to.

Anyway my DS has been offered a place but DD hasn't. I've emailed the local authority and haven't had a reply and they just told me there's nothing I can do they need to wait for a response from the school and not to chase them myself and that all I can do is wait.

DH is coming over in a week with the DC and wanted to look at accommodation but I don't have school places lined up and there's nothing I can do. I said couldn't I just apply for the other school now too and they said no.

Are they right? Have I missed the boat? Will my DC end up in different schools miles away from each other? Should I just submit new applications for the other school. I feel stupid and anxious just because I don't know the system. I just wanted some reassurance.

Sorry this is long winded. Just wanted to give a back story about why I'm so stressed.

Mid year admissions are awkward, and often you can't apply until the children are in the country, so you have done pretty well and shouldn't feel stupid!

Are you wanting to apply for the other school for your DD or both? It seems strange you can't amend your application. Have they given a time frame for hearing from the first school? Unfortunately these applications are often drawn out. Can you manage for a few weeks whilst you wait for places?

I'm not desperate I just want them both in the same place and a confirmed start date. The response I got from DS's application also says if I don't accept his place with the school within a week he'll lose his place so there's a chance he could lose his place while I wait for hers. And then I will be back at square one when I could have applied for the other one.

I regret not applying for the other one and judging a book by its cover but the Local Authority wouldn't let me submit a new application.

The school I applied for is CofE aided. Very traditional looking really villagey feel. The other one looks like an Inner City comp. Is huge and at the back of a big supermarket so all the older kids hang around there. Both schools are offstead rated good.

I don't know what to do and its making me really anxious.

Are they secondary or upper primary aged? In which case with one in the school I'd have thought you'd have a good chance of getting the other one in on appeal given they're coming from overseas you could argue they need to travel together and be part of the same school community to enable them to integrate back into uk life and culture easily. So I'd say get one in, then appeal for the other.

If they're going into reception year 1 or 2 then the above won't apply I'm afraid.

I think it's DS in Year 1 and DD in either 2 or 3. They said DD would be Year 2 but I'm not sure. (26.09.2014)

In the country they're coming from DS would be starting school and DD in Year 3.

He is 6 and she is 7.

The other school just looks like an inner city comp because its huge and next to a big leisure centre. It might be a good thing. Both schools have an equal reputation locally.

Trouble is I live in a town centre and I don't have any other options further out. There are others but they're all full.

In Yr2 they have the 30 child limit, which makes it tricky.

Have you confirmed whether there is spaces in both years and year 2 at the other school?

Unfortunately the Council don't need to offer you two places in the same school.

Dd should be year 3. The limit of 30 for infant class sizes does not apply but there is still a capacity restriction which may mean shebis declined. Take the ds place and appeal for dd.

Ah no I'm wrong, she is year 3 in September not now. So ICS will apply.

They told me before I applied that the other school had 20+ places in both years whereas the one I applied for had a 'handful' in DS's Year and hardly any for DD and they said then that if everyone who booked visits in her Year took up places they'd be full and to get an application in ASAP.

The fact that the other school had so much space in comparison kind of put me off.
These schools are less than a mile apart.

Also for info I'm in the SW. There's an influx of people moving here at the moment being slightly up and coming and a little bit rural but still accessible and one of the most affordable towns in the county.

The person I spoke to today said there was nobody in admissions. ( the whole county was at a standstill today)so I could try and talk to someone else on Monday.

Or I just try and be patient then appeal

Or I just try and submit another application online and assume that school has vacancies just because it's bigger.

I'm so disappointed. They'll be here on Friday and I really wanted to be able to show them their new school

Are you aware that once you've been offered a place, you will have a pretty short space of time to take up the space. We were given 3 weeks. We were also asked to prove, via flight tickets, when we arrived, as applications were to be made once we were in the country. I'm not sure if you are clear when the kids will be living here.

FWIW, we took the pair of places at the only under subscribed school in town. It has always been under subscribed (we came back to the town we left 5 years earlier), and is currently in the process of dropping from a 3 form intake to 2 form.
It has been fantastic. I'm not sure why it is so disliked round here. I honestly cant figure out what is wrong with it. It possibly doesnt have the most convivial head, and its online presence is low, but it is great.

I would get tte kids into England, get a pair of school places (our council were very good at telling me where had spaces, and who had a pair that we needed) and take it from there. What your Ex wants to do after that is up to him, but currently he has the power having the kids with him abroad.

DD will be year 2.

@MaizeAmaze, they said 10 days to accept DS's place. It's been 4 days and the system today was still showing awaiting decision on DD.

I really wish I'd put the other school as the second choice but I don't know if I should just try and submit another application or call the LA on Monday. They're not very helpful though. And I'd be the same I'm not too bothered about what the head is like.

I just want the DC here. They say things to me like 'I wish I had a teacher who speaks in my voice '

And DH doesn't see the rush and thinks we should just let them enjoy the summer and sort it out in September. I have been here since October!

There may be 20 spaces in a three form intake ie. 90 capacity but 70 pupils. Max class size is 30 so they run three classes of 23/24. The three forms may be due to anticipated increase in pupils due to development in the area or fluctuating birthrate. So it is currently undersubscribed. There may even be benefit in those lower class numbers.

It could be the council are finding the nearest school with a vacancy for your daughter, slightly delayed by half term.

Yeah, not just accept, but have the kids in school was our requirement.

It worked really well for us joining mid year - all be it after May half term, not feb. The kids had chance to settle, we got to discover the gaps in their learning, work on it over the summer, and they hit the new year running. That might be even more important if ive understood you correctly, and the kids are currently being taught in a second language.
I hope it all goes well for you.

@LIZS I did consider that. I felt pressured into applying for the CofE school and didn't even get the chance to research the other one properly and I made the wrong decision because I didn't understand the system.

@Aroundtheworldin80moves that could be the case but that's not what I was told today and got no reassurance whatsoever. I was basically told to just sit it out and whilst I'm reflecting on it all I'm not happy with that.

If you’d put the other school down as second choice, they wouldn’t have offered you two to choose from. They’d have offered you the first choice if it has space and the second if not. You know the other school has lots of spaces so you’re in no worse position. If you decide that’s what you want you can decline the first place for DS and apply for the other school for them both. So don’t beat yourself you over that.

When your DC come over next week, is it just for a visit or will they be staying? As others have said you need to actually take up the place within a short time so if they are just coming for a visit you won’t be able to sort school places now. You’ll need to wait until they’re here. If they are coming and staying then personally I’d call the Local Authority again next week to find out when you can expect a decision on DD’s application. If she doesn’t get a place at the same school as DS, ask what position she is on the waiting list and how much movement there typically is. That will inform your decision on whether to chance it and wait or to ask for them both to be placed at the other school.

Good luck.

@123walrus it was a few weeks ago when I was told the other school had lots of space. Now I'm thinking what happens if that's filling up too.

My DC are over for 10 days from next Friday. Then im going to collect them for the permanent move mid April and put May 2nd as the start date on the application. It actually stated a 14 week lead time to process applications.

And those were exactly the questions I wanted answers to but was told they couldn't answer so yes I probably do need to try again and speak to someone else.

I'm in South Devon it feels like they do things differently down here sometimes!

Just been having a look online at the other school. It has a big online presence and very strong community links by the looks of it. Very tempting to put in new applications now but I do realise it's probably best to wait until I can speak to someone more knowledgeable at the LA.

I said couldn't I just apply for the other school now too and they said no.

Assuming you are in England, this is wrong. Paragraph 2.23 of the Admissions Code is clear that "a parent can apply for a place for their child at any school, at any time". If they refuse to allow you to apply, they are in breach of the Code. Remind them of this.

It is possible your children will end up in different schools. Unfortunately, with your oldest going into Y2 (she is a few weeks too young for Y3), infant class size regulations apply. They cannot have more than 30 pupils in a class with a single teacher. There are some exceptions to this, but none of them seem to apply here. However, if you do end up needing to appeal, this is an area to look at in more detail.

@prh47bridge Thanks for that info. In that case I may as well fill in an online application for the other school over the weekend then while I have the time.

This may be a silly or ignorant question, but I am probably going to be a single parent. How on earth do single parents cope with DC of this age in different schools?

Also I'm not worried about DD being in Year 2. The age cut off is different where she is now and thankfully she has been doing really well at English this year where she is so she should be OK but may have struggled if she was going into year 3

This may be a silly or ignorant question, but I am probably going to be a single parent. How on earth do single parents cope with DC of this age in different schools?

I'm afraid I can't answer that question, never having been in that situation myself, but I would imagine childminders and schools offering wraparound care (i.e. before and after school clubs) play a large part.

I thought they were coming on Friday permanently. Now you have clarified they won't be here permanently until April, I think you will have problems with the place offered for your DS. As Maize said, you usually have to actually start at the school within 3 weeks of being offered the place. This might be why you were told you couldn't amend your application to apply for the other school. Although you should be allowed to apply, you won't be able to take the places up quick enough.

I would probably just wait for a response for DD. You can easily apply for school 2 in a few weeks if school 1 say no. I would find out when school 1 want your DS to start. If they will keep the place for him until May, then accept it within the time frame. You can always apply for school 2 for him too down the line if needed.

So, the CofE school that offered DS a place want me to confirm ASAP but acknowledge a start date of May 2nd.

I can't find any information at all that this school provides clubs or wrap around facilities of any kind.

The other school has Breakfast clubs, sports clubs, after-scool care and summer/holiday school!

Dd's place officially refused.

The other school has space and has offered but now she needs to be 'panel approved '

If she gets approved and then I want DS in that school too I apparently have to refuse his place at the CofE school and reapply and then there's no guarantee even though they are showing places available.

Why is this so stressful and is every LA like this?

@mrsnec

Dd's place officially refused.

The other school has space and has offered but now she needs to be 'panel approved '

If she gets approved and then I want DS in that school too I apparently have to refuse his place at the CofE school and reapply and then there's no guarantee even though they are showing places available.

Why is this so stressful and is every LA like this?

Yes, coordinating siblings during In Year admissions is tricky everywhere. They see them as individuals not a set. First time we did it took going to Appeal for them to be together- elder DD was out of school for half a term. Second time we got lucky and after initially being told no spaces locally for elder DD, our nearest school had a child leave in the correct year group so she was offered that and was only out of school a few days.

We aren't moving again until they finish Secondary now!