Primary placement - advice please! is this common? DD doesn't get into any of the 4 schools we applied for (in our area) but given a not-very-good school in a rough area miles away from where we live.

[greenday]

Our 1st choice was a church school (and we attend the church regularly) and the rest were schools where we live. We didn't mind which school she was given our of the 4, but never in our wildest dream did we think she would not get into any of them and put in a school so far away.

Obviously, I'm new and inexperienced at all this as she's our 1st DD.

So, I'm wondering, is this common? It all feels so unjust and apart from appealing, what else can I do?

Words of wisdom .. anyone?

Gawd, I think tis bloody ridiculous if we love in the catchment area of the schools we want but still have to go through the fear of being rejected!!
I am outraged by the whole thing ... and feeling really really sad for my DD who has already settled in to the nursery of that school and made good friends. I am outraged that the coucil gave her a school that is not even in the neighbouring area ... I would have to take 2 buses to get there - what chances are there for her to integrate smoothly and be part of the whole community?!
But I need to be rationale and plan back-up actions if our appeals aren't successful.
No, we cannot afford private as we have just moved and have a big mortgage.
I'm thinking of home education now - I've read good feedback about it on MN forums. Should revisit them again soon!

I meant .. live in the catchment .. not love! Although I do love where I live!!!

did you actually put your 'catchment' school down, there are a few close to you but one must be your actual catchment school? because I know if you don't put your actual catchment down they can send you anywhere.

Hi, you can appeal the decision. There's a really good helpful website (I think its schoolappeal.co.uk - but am not sure). They are really helpful and you can download info for a fiver.

Secondly, sit tight on that waiting list. Places DO come up. When we didn't get in I made the decision to homeschool until they did. I spoke to the school I wanted DC to go to (he'd been at nursery there) and asked them for their support, which they were happy to do.

The travelling alone sounds like a nightmare. You don't have to take it.

If I get a mo I'll check that website. Smelly baby needs attention.

Thank you foxy. I look forward to checking out that website on anything else I can do.

Chocm - the school closest to me was the church-school that I put as 1st choice and attend the church regularly as well. I was sort of relying on that to be successful. The other schools were in my area but not as close. So, when DD didn't get into her 1st choice, we were buggered. But still didn't expect to be buggered so badly as to get a school miles and miles away!

Do you know where you are on the w'list?

would yo home school her yourself or pay someone because that would as expensive as a private school
I do hope you get something sorted as a two bus journey every morning would be a nightmare

Was it just density then? By which I mean distance from the school. Ours is SO over subscribed that its questionable whether people two streets away can get in.

Don't panic. I really feel for you. I was positively obsessed. I appealed, badgered, called every day to find out if the waiting list had moved. Total nightmare. Thankfully they have a sibling policy so I only had to do it once

It may be easier to get in in Year 1 or higher. If it is the right school for you you can always homeschool or do the travelling and change later on. At least two children I know got in on the first day of term. Some people just don't bother to turn up or let the school know.

thats true ...just after we moved in here a letter was sent offering the previous child a place at the local (very good) school and obviously they had gone and we know they moved out the area

Is it your LEA who allocate the places? I'm in Surrey and it's been a shocking year in our borough due to high birth rate.

I got my DH to ring up our first preference school and also the LEA to get a good understanding of how it all worked and he got a huge amount of info from them. Much more I am sure than I would have gleaned.

Here, you are automatically put on the waiting lists of your higher ranked preferences but the list is not available til April sometime once acceptances have been collated. Then you are only on it until July when it ceases and you have to write to the LEA to request remaining on the list.

If your appeal fails then staying on the list and be willing to do a mid term transfer is your best bet.

we are getting our results tomorrow (from 5pm online) and i am panicking!

we're in Richmond Borough and 230 children last year didn't get a place in the borough... i'm not sure what happened in the end but i guess it all worked out (people have private places so release the state school place, others move, a few new classrooms were built).

Oh, and we know that Surrey allocations have been a nightmare as they are filling up all our private school places.

Why on earth isn't there a "national" allocation day?

Tell them you don't drive.

Surrey has been a real nightmare this year. Luckily I was not affected (dd in reception already and ds in Y4) but I have various friends who had to apply for reception, Y3 at junior school, and secondary school. All these intakes were filled very randomly. People living in areas where historically they automatically went to the local secondary suddenly found themselves being sent miles away. Families who already have children in the school unable to get places for siblings, and it all seems to be on big mess.
One friend told me that it is because this year for the first time ever the application form was NOT ranked in order of preference, instead you just listed 3 schools you would consider. Is that right??

Ami, hope you get your choice. I was completely naive about the whole thing! I started off being disaapointed that I didn't get my first preference but since hearing others with situations much worse, I feel quite lucky to have been allocated a good school that's in walking distance and not one in the next town. OK, it's not in such a desirable area and has a different demographic but I think DS will be fine and learn that life is not entirely white, affluent, middle-class.

Interesting about the private schools. We only have 2 in the immediate vicinity and they are quite small and now have huge waiting lists. I know some parents are planning on keeping children at home.

I can't see how this situation is really going to improve in future years without the provision of additional classrooms. So many new houses being built.

Hippi, yes all changed this year and preferences were only taken into consideration if the 4 higher ranking criteria had been fulfilled and spaces left. Criteria in this order - looked after children, special circumstances, siblings, nearest school, preference.

Some schools didn't even get as far as offering on preferences. I know of one where the furthest from the school gates that a place was offered was 200 metres! We missed out on the distance thing depite it being our closest school.

Meant to say that yes you did still have to list 3 schools in your order of preference though I think the form may have said 'Choice'. Can't quite remember. Form to be handed into your first choice school if delivering in person.

Thanks for that deux!
No wonder there were so many disappointed parents this year....

I have a few years yet, and we have an excellent secondary within walking distance. So I just hope we get that one...

and amida, how carefully timed is that? Right at close of business before a 4 day weekend so no-one can ring them up and complain until Tuesday!

ladygrinningsoul, i know - that's what dh said! give everyone the weekend to calm right down!
and then half the schools are closed for easter hols anyway.

Greenday the really important thing you need to know is waiting lists are not managed by the LEA but by the school. Very important to make sure that your first choice is aware of your situation and that you are very anxious to get a place. Explain that you are willing to home school until you get one. Ask them for advice on home schooling. Lobby the Vicar, making the point implicitly that you ARE observant members of the church and not tactical members.

Be visible. Keep going back.

so i don't totally hijack this thread, Richmond admissions stress has been transferred here

Hang in there Greenday - this usually does all work out in the end, but you need to PUSH. Don't be polite, well be polite, but don't hold back iykwim. Good luck and i'll keep an eye on this thread to see how you get on.

Our list is managed by Pupil Services at the Council. After term has started it is handed over to the school.

It is early days, a lot can change between now and September. You have options and don't have to use any up yet. The waiting list might move quickly initially then slow right down. We got in sometime in July, just before the end of this term.

I called Pupil Services almost every day to find out if we had moved up the list. I wrote to the Headmistress just to let her know I was going to appeal and homeschool until we got a place (actually, just to make her aware of us) appealed and generally pulled my hair out everyday. Everyone knew who I was, and that we were going to be going to that school anyway. Very hard not to come across as a pushy parent though. Stay calm, pleasant and friendly. And don't panic!

Thanks Nlondondad! I have been doing that - but you've fired me up and I think I should be making myself more obvious shamelessly. I haven't lobbied the vicar. I will.

By the way, just to clarify what you mean by observant members and tactical? Did you mean the difference between members to go genuinely as opposed to those who go for other reasons?

We got our results today and didn't get into any of the schools we put down, none of which are more than 1 mile away. Nor did we get allocated a place at any school, which means there are no spare places anywhere in the borough.

Hearing about the Richmond problem makes me worry that we are in the same boat this year(Sutton).

What makes it worse is that I have spent years wondering if we should move closer to a school, but my upstairs neighbour got two or three offers only 2 years ago.

How things change.

I am gutted, but I guess there is nothing we can do except wait.