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Forces sweethearts

If you have a family member in the Royal Navy, RAF or army, find support from other Mumsnetters here.

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Original poster

School placement - military kids priority?

17 replies

philosophersstone · 22/05/2011 08:38

Can anyone tell me if it is true that UK schools are now obliged to provide a placement for a military child in the 'school of choice'.... including making up to 8 extra places available? It sounds a little too good to be true.

OP posts:

vintageteacups · 22/05/2011 14:47

Let's hope so!!!

However, it is true that schools with military children are going to get even more than the £200 per child that they currently get, meaning schools with a certain % of mil children, will get more funding for better pastoral stuff too, including services for dependents.

LeonardNimoy · 22/05/2011 14:54

As far as iknow it's def not true philosopher! I think Ofsted have been doing some studies on service chidren and how they are affected by moving schools though. How can they make 8 more spaces available if the class is already full, particularly primary.

LeonardNimoy · 22/05/2011 15:03

There is some stuff here about a review of the School Admissions Code.

wheresthepimms · 22/05/2011 15:16

I was told by one school that they were allowed to go over their class size by one pupil if that pupil was a military child and they were the catchment school. Not sure how true it was but they did give my child a place, although this was before the new everyone goes through the LEA and admissions so it takes a month to get a school place

Original poster

philosophersstone · 22/05/2011 17:35

It did sound a little too good to be true! We may/may not be moving back to the UK this summer (ie September - my DH is then off on deployment in October!). I am starting to panic that if we do get posted, we are going to have no choice where we send the children. Leonard, thanks for the link, I will keep an eye on what the consulation produces!!!!

OP posts:

mpsw · 22/05/2011 17:42

One thing to remember is that, unlike anyone else moving into an area, military families do not need to have actually arrived and have proof of address. You would however need a posting order or CO's letter. But this can be very useful in over-subscribed areas to get you the right priority for admission to the main entry years (ha! As if anyone's move ever fitted the admissions timetable) or the right place on the waiting list.

Not all LEAs are sufficiently aware of this. SCE can be very helpful (and are bound to have the latest on admissions issues.

scaryteacher · 22/05/2011 20:05

Cornwall for example places military children high on the list of those needing help in finding a school.

MayDayChild · 22/05/2011 20:23

Well our new vicar Miracously got his kids into yr 1 and nursery. At a very oversubscribed school mid term.
Some people do seem to press the right buttons.

fivegomadindorset · 22/05/2011 20:27

Dorset does as well, all three of teh schools that DD could have attended have a fairly high percnetage of military children, The first school she attended went over their amount by one, DD moved in January and second school still has places. When I was a governor in one of the meetings they did say they were holding a certain amount of placements, However they did have someone from the military on thir board of governors and they had up to date info on families moving into the area.

fivegomadindorset · 22/05/2011 20:28

Any vague idea wher you may be posted?

penguin73 · 24/05/2011 22:39

I also don't think it's true - I believed it was obligatory that a reasonable place was found within the LEA but not necessarily the school of choice.

scaryteacher · 25/05/2011 00:38

Cornwall will try to get a service child into the school of choice under the Fair access protocol stage 1.

Gooseberrybushes · 25/05/2011 00:47

I don't know who does it at the moment but it was definitely on the news that they were beefing it up along with putting in law the military covenant.

I'm not military family but I support this all the way. Have been an expat and the schooling thing is a nightmare. Last thing your husbands/wives should be fretting about while on duty.

Good luck to you all, hope it works for you.

Original poster

philosophersstone · 25/05/2011 15:40

Thanks everyone for your replies! Chances are we could be going London.... only the most over subscribed place in England probably! I guess I will just have to wait and see if we do move and then what school we get given and then go from there.

OP posts:

ScousyFogarty · 25/05/2011 16:36

MayDay...yes, pressing the right buttons is some peoples gift

wheresthepimms · 26/05/2011 00:04

For what it's worth since it was in the news last week we have found shouting "military convenant" has worked really well, we have had money back, charges dropped and even a game reduced, not sure how much it will work to school admissions but good little words to remember

meditrina · 27/05/2011 07:21

The new admissions code is out today - the BBC is saying in the early news that there is likely to be changes for Forces children, including admitting an extra pupil even when infant class size regulation would apply.

This might go some way to mitigate the problems Forces children: you might like (?) to read this article from last week's TES about how the current system fails Forces children.

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