year 6 school places mid term move

[loopydoo]

Hello -

We're possibly moving back to our own house at Easter next year and the middle school my dd would be going to have said that there is a max of 28 per class. The school has said we need to have a visit and apply feb. time.

Firstly, I didn't think there was a maximum (unless classroom shape/size matters) and secondly, the middle school has a sister site 8 miles away where numbers are much lower.

This will be DD's 5th school move since reception and she suffers from low self esteem and anxiety issues. I really don't think she would cope being put in the school 8 miles away, only to be moved when a place does come available later in year 7.

I have called CEAS but lady said she would get a family support person to email me back with an answer.

What I'm asking is say if I went to visit on feb 10th and there was one place before I visit and then someone visits on 9th and gets only place. How is that a fair way of doing it. that person could live out of area and our house is about 10 mins walk from school.

It all seems a bit hit and miss but now I'm going to be stressed (again!) until next Feb!!

Can anyone a plan of action to get her a place. All of best friends from primary (the school feeding into the middle school) are there as we only left there last summer.

Forgot to say - can a service family not have a place no matter what? Or at least be allocated a place in advance of feb?

Speak to CEAS, ask to advice on how to use the Fair Access Protocol, which has specific provision or Forces families. You can apply on strength of posting order, but I think expecting a school to hold a place until next February would be considered unreasonable.

You should have a strong case, given the friendship groups, and FAP means you can be allocated a place in a school normally deemed full (unlike non-Forces families, this irrespective of whether there are other schools with vacancies in the area). CEAS are experts on how to put this over persuasively.

That is great QueenEdith thank you.

Only issue I see being a potential problem is that the sister site is, I believe, to be classed as the same school.

The sister school (years ago) was being closed down but villagers kept it open by linking it to our preffered middle school - they share teachers and head but not entirely sure how they say a school 8 miles away is the same school!!!

There won't be a posting order either as DH is actually leaving. His leave date won't be until the end of the school term though so at Easter when we mvoe back, he'll still be serving.

You are entitled to the FAP even though your DH is leaving, one of my DHs soldiers just got a place for his 13 year old DD this way in a grammar school where he is finally staying put as when they were applying for a place he was still officially in the army (even though he was on his resettlement and terminal leave).

You already have the address so you can apply for the place in Sept saying you want it for Easter, state the FAP.

CEAS are really helpful they can take a while to get back but they are very good when they do, they helped us loads last year finding an alternative school and giving advice on our rights to take DS out of school in between finding a new school for him. They will be busy at this time of year though with all the new CEA claims ready for September.

Thanks Pimms . I thought you'd know lots too.

Think they said I still can't apply until 2 months before we require the place though as it's an In Year move not the usual school year start.

Seems odd to me but there we go.

you could apply saying you will be arriving in Nov and just keep saying sorry not there yet!! A boy in DDs reception class has done that this year he went to Australia for 4 months with dads work and so kept differing his place and apparently the latest rumour is he will be in after half term

They hold a school place for 6 weeks where we are, which seems fair