What to tell current school when applying to move child

[puddingandsun]

Hi,

I've just filled in an in-year transfer application for my child. There's a form I also asked the current school to fill in as part of the application.

I don't know if I will be offered a place at this other school - there are vacancies but not sure if there's kids on the waiting list.

I am not happy with his current school and I haven't actually spoken to the teacher about wanting to transfer him (she's big part of why I'm not happy).
We haven't moved address. The reason I've put on the application for the new school is 'nearest school' which is true but the main reason is just the current school not feeling right for dc (Reception).

I'm a bit worried that my child will be treated differently as soon as they find out that I'm trying to move dc. If asked for reasons - what shall I tell them, given that the transfer may not even happen.
I'm sure my worrying will sound a bit silly but I'd like to prevent my child being treated differently as a result, like paid even less attention to as a 'temporary' student, etc.

If the school that you want has spaces in the year group you want, then the school has to admit you. Only when the school year group is full do you get into a situation when the school can refuse admission.
So I think you just need to go with what you have already said which is nearest school

Thank you!
Also, the current school has now come back to me after getting the link for the form for LEA saying they don't fill those forms anymore as they are now an academy and can choose not to!
The admin also had asked me a few questions 'are you moving?', 'what school are you going to?'.
I only said we'd be looking to transfer to nearest school, without giving more details.
It’s not a big school so I'm sure by the time I go to pick up lo staff will be aware of my application.
(And, I informed them needlessly, as they are not even helping the transfer by filling in the A1 form.)

I think and hope you're worrying about nothing. I think you need to be reasonably transparent with the school you're leaving, and trust that they will be professional with you and (especially) your child about that.

I moved my son in Y2 as I was unhappy. Before moving I'd tried to resolve the issues at his current school, so it wasn't 'new news' to them. The admissions process was entirely handled by the LEA (new school had advised they had space in his year group and talked me through the process of applying online) and I didn't have to contact current school directly at all, but I did email the head with polite and honest feedback explaining the decision I'd made and why. Credit to the head, he replied promptly and politely, and came over in the playground to say a nice goodbye to us both on DS' last day a week later. I didn't (and still don't) generally rate the head's judgment at all, which was a large part of why I moved DS, but he handled that fine.

I can imagine there may have been some gossip and may well be for you - but I think it's an important lesson to our children to hold our heads high and be transparent (and polite) with people in situations like these, rather than slip away quietly and hope nobody notices. Your child presumably is looking to you in order to know how to explain to classmates that they're leaving etc, so what you're saying needs to set up their narrative too.

Good luck with it all. Moving wasn't something i did lightly, but looking back it's one of the decisions I got really really right for my DS.

I’ve know heads admit into YR when they have a vacancy. They just check with the LA there’s no one else in the pipe work. Have you visited the new school and looked around? Did they say they weren’t full? It really should be ok and what your existing school do or don’t do us irrelevant to the new school. I would now try and push it through asap!

Ok, so I phone the new school prior applying. They had two vacancies for dc' year. The LA website showed vacancies. I applied on the Friday. On Tuesday I got an email from LA saying the school no longer has vacancies in dc's year.
He's on the waiting list but no idea when next they will have vacancies. It's very annoying. I've only alerted the current school that we would be looking to transfer but it looks like we won't be.

They may well have had vacancies then but most School Admission departments do their IYA in order when they were received so if someone else had an application in for that school before you did they place would have gone to them.

Yes, I've deliberated over my decision since Feb when they first showed vacancies. Feel so unlucky that two others seem to have applied just before I did.

The 'new' school is not much better in all honesty, which made it hard to decide, but hopefully would've been a better fit for my child as it's smaller. He went to nursery there last year and was happier.

I'm anxious all the time at the moment feeling like I'm doing him a great disservice taking him to his current school everyday.
Do mums ever stop worrying?!

Your current school really won't care that you want to move schools and your child won't be treated any differently

Speaking as a teacher, there is absolutely no need to tell your child's current school that you are moving schools until it happens. In fact you are not obliged to tell them anything at all, although you would probably want your child to have a proper farewell with their present class. As to the reason, the fact that it is the nearest is reason enough, and keeps speculation on the present school's part to a minimum.

And as a mum, I never stop worrying about my own DC!

Sorry I’m back late to this. My LA updates the vacancies list every 2 weeks. Sometimes more often. I think deliberating since Feb has not helped. As I said before, other DC might be in the process of applying. Schools usually know who has looked round but would not admit without checking with the LA. There’s always people looking to move schools or folk who move into an area who also need a school. However if there is a vacancy, act quickly.

I had to tell DS's old school so they could fill in the form. It took 6months to get a place at the school we wanted to move to and he wasn't treated differently in that time, though our move was due to a house move ( as we'd only moved 3 miles we were happy to wait).

Thanks to everyone responding.
It's been a bit crazy here. I applied on the 6th to transfer, got a letter from LA rejecting due to no vacancies on the 8th. The LA website no longer showed vacancies for the school. Then on Tuesday, 17th the school called me to say they are offering us a place to start asap. On that they also got the LA confirming the offer.
So on Monday we are changing schools!
Dc is nervous but excited. I hope with all my heart he's going to be happy here.

hello @puddingandsun ..did it turn out to be the right decision for you in the end?