How would home education affect application for school place???

[CSLewis]

Hi, I'm wondering if any experts on this board might be able to clear up a disagreement between myself and my husband. Our eldest is home-educated, our second was also initially but then went to a very nice Infants' School. The Juniors' School it feeds into, however, is a bit rubbish, so we're applying to transfer her to a different school (she's currently in the middle of Y2, so would be leaving Infants this summer anyway).

I think we're more likely to be given a place at this other, good school, if she's not going to school at all: i.e. we don't send her to the rubbish less salubrious Juniors' school in the meantime, whilst waiting for a place at the other to become available. My husband says it will make no difference (plus is totally opposed to my home-educating her as well as her sister. Long story. Grr. I would, happily).

My gut feeling is that LEAs hate children being out of school, so would be more likely to stretch class sizes/bend guidelines for a child receiving 'education otherwise...'; does anyone have any hard facts to support this view, or to show the contrary? My husband's demanding proof!

Many thanks.

Sorry but your husband is right. If there is a natural re-application for junior schools your case will be decided strictly according to the admissions criteria. Otherwise it will depend on if there is a place, and the admissions criteria to decide between multiple applicants. If you appeal you need to show your DD would be more disadvantaged in not getting a place than the other children in the class would be by having an extra person there. You need to show the new school offers you DD something she need which the other one doesn't.
Saying one school is less salubrious won't help at all.

Because the 'good' school is a straight Primary rather than Infants/Juniors, we would be placing an 'In-Year Transfer application'. It's very likely to be over-subscribed and have waiting lists; I'm just wondering if, privately, the LEA may have their own set of criteria (as well as the school's own policy on Catholicity, for example), by which they assess a child's 'need' of a place, and whether the fact that the child was currently not attending school (SHOCK HORROR!) might affect their evaluation of such an application.

Obviously we'd have to fit all the other criteria as well. I'm just wondering if we'd be in a stronger position if she was out of school rather than on roll somewhere else - it would mean we were serious, rather than just fancying something a bit better...

If the LA offers you a place (at any school in its area) and you turn it down, they don't have to find you another place. They have carried out their legal responsibility.
In some areas there is such pressure on school places, that it probably is a relief for the LA if you HE instead, as otherwise it gives them a head ache trying to provide school places for everyone.

Officially it makes no difference whether the child is being home educated and there will be trouble for the LA if anyone finds out the rules have been bent.

There are stories of LAs being so desperate to get the poor unfortunate misguided home educating families into school that they bend the rules (or offer to do so, which is not the same thing), but I don't know how often that actually happens.

As mummytime says, it could equally well be the case that they will be relieved that you are prepared to HE and take the pressure off them to produce a school place. There are several people who post on the other mumsnet boards who sit on admissions panels, and they claim that home educating would prejudice the LA against you! The idea being that they'll think you are trying to manipulate them or force their hand and they won't like that.

So, I expect it all boils down to the particular prejudices of individuals. It is a gamble. You could perhaps get some idea of how things work in your own area by talking to people who live locally to you.

But I doubt it will actually make much difference where your children are being educated. The LA knows it will be in big trouble if it becomes known that they have incorrectly favoured your children when this contravenes the official admissions policies.

We had a thinly veiled offer to bend the rules if DD1 wanted to get back into school. I'm not sure whether it would have worked in reality had we taken them up on it!

The only thing that would make a real difference, though, is if you home ed, you have time to go on a waiting list without so much pressure/ worry that you will have to uproot them from one school to another etc.

don't think it makes any difference as they stick to the admission criteria and if over subscribed other parents are likely to find out and LEA would be in trouble. Tbh i think its shocking if you did get any advantage given it would be your own choice to home ed - taking your child out of school to simply gain advantage later on is working the system and very unfair imo.

If you post in primary education you may get some good advice from panel experts in these sort of things.

"The only thing that would make a real difference, though, is if you home ed, you have time to go on a waiting list without so much pressure/ worry that you will have to uproot them from one school to another etc."

That's an excellent point. Perhaps this argument might sway your husband, CSLewis? I think it is hard on kids to settle into a school only to change soon after. Even outgoing children put a lot of energy into adapting to a new place, so why do it twice if they could do it just once? If they don't find friends at the first school then that can be awkward for them, and if they do make friends at the first school then it will be hard to leave them behind.

Do you think he might agree to HE for a term or two, with the understanding that you will put them into the second-choice school if a place has not become available yet at the preferred school? If a place at the preferred school hasn't materialised in the meantime, it is just possible he will have been won over to HE by then anyway and will agree to continuing HE for a while longer rather than sending them to the second-choice school after all, so that could also be a satisfactory outcome from your point of view.

Most people's objections to home education are long-term, and few people would think that a short while out of school would do any major damage to the kids. So maybe that would work.

Thanks for your replies. Just to clarify, sunnyday, I already home educate one child, and would love to do so for this one too. I'm not suggesting using home education as a weapon to force the LEA's hand: it is genuinely my much-preferred option. However, my husband is opposed, so my next-best option is the 'good' school, and I don't really want to consider the 'bad' school at all. My husband's best option is the 'good' school, then the 'bad' one - and doesn't want to consider the home ed option at all.

Saracen and Musicposy - that is a good point, thanks. I'll try to point that out next time we have an argument discussion about it

I would actually work on your husband's preconceptions a bit. Are you a member of any local EHE groups? Has he met any home educators he can relate to? Are you a member of Education Otherwise or HEAS so you can read about news and opportunities for EHE families or children? Where in the country are you??

Is he opposed to you home educating the child you are already? If so, why? If not, on what grounds does he oppose this one?

Not sure if I can offer any advice even if you can answer! But I am always amazed about the number of people (including relatives grrr) who comment on how happy, outgoing, sociable, polite and articulate my children are, and then in the next breath say it would do them so much good to go to school. I can never understand why, but I don't think I am unique in finding this.