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Original poster

Moving to a house practically nextdoor to a scholl but have been told there's no place........

27 replies

clutteredup · 17/09/2008 17:11

this school is a 3 minute walk away from the house . They have a place for DS but none for DD in reception. DD has been offered a place in another school, 25/30 minute walk away. Its possible DS can go there too but not guaranteed. The nearest school is oversubscribed, 31 in each Year R class because 2 extra got in on appeal.
Anyone else been in this situation - is it worth appealing or do we just have to put up with walking past all children popping down the road to the school nextdoor?

OP posts:
Original poster
clutteredup · 17/09/2008 17:13

oops...SCHOOL...DCs in desperate need of a proper education.

OP posts:
cornsilk · 17/09/2008 17:13

appeal

policywonk · 17/09/2008 17:13

Why not get on the waiting list - places might open up as the year goes on (our school is always oversubscribed, but about four places opened up throughout DS1's Reception year).

Don't know if you would have any joy with appealing - presumably you moved in after the application deadline?

LadyMuck · 17/09/2008 17:15

Stick your names on the waiting list. DD will automatically go to top of waiting list for reception if she has a sibling at the school. Places come up quite regularly during the year. Not sure that you have grounds for appeal (or at least grounds that would be successful). It may mean to short-term nightmare, but based on schools round here I'd say that you would get in by Christmas - especially for reception.

catweazle · 17/09/2008 17:15

You can try appealing but generally they won't take it past 30.

We did the same- ended up with a 30 minute drive (that or a really crap school) and years of other people from further away walking/ driving past our house to get to the school we weren't allowed in.

giddykipper · 17/09/2008 17:19

Appeal - we did and got a place even though oversubscribed. We played heavily on the idea that it would help DSD settle in at a new school if she lived close to the kids she was at school with.

TinkerBellesMum · 17/09/2008 17:23

We moved in opposite a school and they wouldnt accept my sister (I was in secondary school by that point) the next school wasn't that close so Mum appealed and got her in. Go for it, you'll never know if you don't try.

Original poster
clutteredup · 17/09/2008 17:25

Thanks - the danger is that if we keep her on the waiting list we might lose DSs place at the next nearest school if she doesn't get in at Christmas.
I like the idea of appealing on the grounds of helping them settle in to a new area, they need to be in the same school for that reason too.
What does the appeal process consist of and how long does it take.........and am I just being fussy as the next school is perfectly OK, its just I want then to go to the one nearest.

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SparklyGothKat · 17/09/2008 17:27

I have a school 2 minutes walk from me, my kids are at a school 2 miles away. DD2 has just got a place, am trying to get Dd1 in too. The school will not take more than 30 though

SqueakyPop · 17/09/2008 17:30

If you are so close to the school, there is a good chance you will get in on the waiting list. Check out how many people are above you. You don't have any grounds for appeal based on what you have said here.

giddykipper · 17/09/2008 17:31

The process probably depends on the area.

We had to get some forms from the education department at the council, fill them in, send them back with SATs results. We were then interviewed about 2 weeks later, heard within a week. I think the appeal interviews are on set dates though and we were lucky that our appeal went in a couple of weeks before one.

The school or the council should be able to tell you the process.

Original poster
clutteredup · 17/09/2008 17:31

Sorry to hear it Sparkly - I take it you have been there for some time. DH feels that children who live in the next town should be asked to leave in order to make a space for DD - the school is oversubscribed as it is more popular than the one in the nearest town and children travel up to 3 miles to get there. I think DH's attitude is a little unreasonable but it seems so unfair as if we had moved last year and not just now DD would have a place. Its so hard.

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giddykipper · 17/09/2008 17:32

Our grounds for appeal were that we were in the catchment area, presumably yours are the same.

Original poster
clutteredup · 17/09/2008 17:33

SATs results! Does that mean that the apppeals process depends on SATs results!!!
DD is in reception but had a 'good' report from her preschool would that help?
I think I agree that our grounds for appeal are weak I agree. The problem with the waiting list is that we could end up with the DC in 2 different schools which would be worse.

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giddykipper · 17/09/2008 17:35

Sorry, different age! I had missed that she is going into reception.

Have you looked on the council's website? There might be some guidance about the appeals process there.

NorthernLurker · 17/09/2008 17:36

I sympathise very much with your position but I think for your dh to expect children to leave in order to make room - is more than a little unreasonable!! I guess you just have to get on the waiting lists and hope!

Original poster
clutteredup · 17/09/2008 17:37

Thanks giddy i was just going to ask the Year group - recetion is a hard one and also I'm worried that if we do get given a place than it would make the class very big and that would disadvantage everyone. DH is keen to appeal as he is quite cross about the whole process.

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Original poster
clutteredup · 17/09/2008 17:39

NL can I just point out that was my DHs opinion NOT mine - I tried tyo explain that we would be devastated if DD was pushed out in favour of another child - he's just angry with the system at the moment. We just assumed that the DC would go to the local village school near us and not to one in the next village.

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SparklyGothKat · 17/09/2008 17:41

We have been here 2 years, the school opened in sept 2007, but was full before we even got chance to put the kids names down (and was open)
Stupid thing is DD1 has a Statement of Educational needs and the school HAVE to take her (even if it put them over the magic number 30) and the school were going to take her from this sept, but we had to refuse the place as I couldn't be doing 3 separate school runs (DS1 is off to secondary school in 2009) in a year if Dd2 hadn't got a place, then the admissions dept. phoned me last week and said they had a place for Dd2!!!! So now I have to get the school to take Dd1 as well again!!

SqueakyPop · 17/09/2008 17:42

In our LEA, there is no such thing as a catchment area, and they do not reserve places for families moving into the area.

The only thing to do in our area is to accept a distant school, and/or go on the waiting list for your nearby school. Waiting lists places are offered on distance from school, rather than time on the waiting list. If you live next door to school, you are pretty much at the top of the waiting list.

Distance from school does not figure for appeals when you applied after the closing date.

We got a rubbish response from the LEA when we moved here, so are now in private.

NorthernLurker · 17/09/2008 17:53

Clutteredup - I know it was his view - and I'm sure he is angry - I certainly would be. Good that he has you to moderate his anger a bit It is a nightmare for you no question. I'm not quite clear - should your dd being starting now - or Janaury or next year? How old is your ds?

Original poster
clutteredup · 17/09/2008 18:05

Sorry nipped out for some milk!
DD is currently in reception where we live at the moment and DS in year 3. we're hoping to exchange contracts soon but rent here till the end of term so DD can have a full term before moving school as we want to reduce the disruption as much as possible.

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Original poster
clutteredup · 17/09/2008 19:31

bump!

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Madsometimes · 18/09/2008 09:42

I would do the nightmare school run until a place came up for your dd. I know it is not ideal. If you are a SAHM you may consider home eding your dd, or if she is still 4 for some time getting her a nursery place. I would not want to risk losing the place secured for your ds. If he does not get a place, then you will lose sibling priority for your dd. Good luck, I am sure it will work out in the end.

AbbeyA · 18/09/2008 09:59

If the class is full there isn't much point in appealing. I have known similar cases and they have been first on the list, waiting for someone to move away. In the last case the YR 5 child got a place but the year 1 brother had to go to a different school for about 6 months and then a year 1 child changed to a private school and he got her place. They had moved to a house right opposite the school gates but it was a small school and when it was full it was full.

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