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Original poster

Late primary admission - what happens??

131 replies

tangledtights · 12/02/2012 16:50

We're moving down to the Teddington/Hampton area in June. HOORAY!! Its taken a year but DH has finally got himself a job and we can make the move. Completely gutted we've missed the primary admission deadline in January though and starting to panic about whether or not my daughter who is 4 in June will manage to get a reception place for September. Does anyone know what the process is for a late application?

We're thinking that we will rent whatever house we can get that is closest to one of the schools that we like. I have seen a couple of houses up for rent that are 0.07 miles away from one of the potential schools in Hampton (Stanley). How do waiting lists work? If we live closest does that mean that we go up the waiting list even if someone else is already on the waiting list but lives a bit further away?

How do you think I'm best finding out which of the primary schools in the Teddington/Hampton/Hampton Wick area are likely to have more space? If I can find this out, then I suppose the best thing would be to try and get a property next door to the school to try and get her a space.

What happens if she doesn't get a space in one of the local schools? Does anyone have any experience of this? How far out would she have to go and is it always to a school that isn't rated as well?

Sorry lots of questions but panic setting in. Confused

thanks

OP posts:
Kass44 · 10/05/2012 13:01

I asked about extra bulge class in Teddington and they said they were waiting for people who would go private and didn't think there would be one but were waiting until later on before making final decision.

Original poster
tangledtights · 10/05/2012 13:11

hey londoniana, nope I'm also not even on the list yet. We move in on the 28th. Feel a bit sick about it all really. I'm going to send my application in though with our move date on it and register online for council tax with that date as well and hopefully they'll put us on the wait list from then.

I just don't know though if most of the movement will be in the next couple of weeks in which case we'll miss out and really will be waiting on people to give up their place who are unlikely to. We're all in the same boat though.

OP posts:
playgroup · 10/05/2012 13:13

That is ridiculous as they will not know until September whether these children will go private as they will just show not show up at school that is leaving things a bit late.
Well they didn't rule it out so that means there is a bit of hope
Also most people who have decided to go private why would they bother applying for a state place anyway .You have to pay a deposit and then half term fees in advance why waste that money if you are going to go state ? I guess just in case ??

Teddersmum · 10/05/2012 13:55

The thing is in this economic climate, people who would normally go private and opting for state. I think the council are in for a shock.

Teddersmum · 10/05/2012 13:56

Have been trying to call admissions again all day, and it is straight to answer phone...helpful!!!

londoniana · 10/05/2012 14:02

They could send a letter in June or July to parents who accepted a school place, and say something like - 'there is no need to do anything if you are keeping the place offered, your place is secure etc. but please do let us know promptly if you do not intend to take it'.

How many can be in that situation? 5% in each school? That would be about 15 kids in Teddington who would get allocated a community place.

The other thing that seems a bit odd to me is this: Sacred Heart got allocated a bulge class and in that extra class some non-Catholic children were allocated places just because there was no other Teddington alternative for them. And from what I understand even some kids from other areas (Hampton) got in that class. Sacred Heart is a good school from what I know, but still it's a Catholic school, and some parents might not be comfortable with the idea. Not sure about the rationale of adding the bulge class there when clearly the demand is for community school places...

Teddersmum · 10/05/2012 14:15

Hmmm could be making the Catholic Primary schools bigger, so more demand for the catholic secondary in twickenham? I am just speculating.

I can't see who else has the space for a bulge class apart from Collis? HWI has already expanded this year.

playgroup · 10/05/2012 14:32

I have contacted Mathew Paul in that respect regarding the options for secular parents/non catholic parents in the area and the fact that he stated that a decision was made to expand HWI was due to the demand for community places Oct 2011.(As SJB is a church school also)
His response was that Collis already has an extra class in 2010 and to take an additional class in the same key stage would mean additional permanent resources

But I am sure Collis will be asked to expand for next year anyway due to the demand so they will be getting more resources for that anyway as there are no plans for any free schoole etc in teddington .

Also with Sandy lane and Gabriella Park Gardens completed where will all these children go situation only going To get worse and lets not start talking about secondary

Teddersmum · 11/05/2012 13:16

Has anybody managed to get through to admissions yet? I just keep on getting message saying that the lists will be ready on the 10th (yesterday)

As if it's not bad enough that they don't have any school place to offer, and now they just ignore calls.

Kass44 · 11/05/2012 20:00

I have got through but you have to leave a message and then they return your call.....some days later in my experience!!!

Teddersmum · 14/05/2012 16:36

So the admissions number STILL going to answer machine. I just called St Marys and St. Peters, and the very nice lady I spoke to informed me all the systems at Richmond admissions are down, and it will now be end of the week for the lists.

On another note, I bumped into a lady who lives in the next rd to us who had the same schools nightmare last year, ie offered diddly. They chose to go private, but when the council finally made an offer, in July, they offered a school called Heathfield near hounslow!

Kass44 · 15/05/2012 21:02

Just wondered if anyone who hasn't got a place has appealed. I have checked it out and looks like for the past 2 years no appeal has been upheld. And not sure on what grounds I would appeal as the admission criteria has been upheld I am just too far from any school?

Teddersmum · 16/05/2012 20:16

We thought about appealing, but against what? Really no point.
We figured it would do more good to keep banging on at admissions to add a community bulge class.

Kass44 · 22/05/2012 21:15

Anyone heard anything or seen any movement in lists I was asked to leave it three weeks before calling again and that was nearly two weeks ago and itching to know if there is any progress?

playgroup · 22/05/2012 22:49

Collis has moved by 1 place !!!!

Kass44 · 23/05/2012 23:33

From reading this thread it appears there are 4 people (without including those about to join the area) without a school currently playgroup, teddersmum, Luciecamille and natalie with my two that is 6 children and that is only contributing to this thread. I was thinking of contacting the local paper to see if that would help put pressure to put a bulge class on as my counciller is not replying to my emails, neither is MP and admissions just keep saying wait however the positions I have on waiting lists mean this seems futile! So is anyone prepared to be named/quoted if the paper is interested if so drop me a direct email and does anyone have further figures on numbers in Teddington?

londoniana · 25/05/2012 10:29

We are also moving to Teddington next week, and Collis is our closest school. The council told me that they would add us to the wait list on our move-in date which is the 31st of May. We gave up our school place in Ealing.

And from what I know, tangledtights is also moving next week somewhere close to Hampton Wick Infant.

So two more children without a place...

Teddersmum · 26/05/2012 17:58

Hi, So we have finally been offered a place at Stanley (which was not on our list) we will probably except and then wait it out on our preferred schools lists.

TwoCotbeds · 28/05/2012 18:53

Teddersmum You said earlier maybe a bulge class had been added by council to try and drive demand for the proposed seconday Catholic school in Twick town centre.

Actually the reality is even more silly than that.

The council announced recently it is going to put a Catholic primary on the same site as the proposed Catholic 2ndry! Even though demand is way mostly for community places.

I have been really shocked at the actions of our council in

  1. the rubbish way it has dealt with shortage of primary places and
  2. It seems to care only about Catholic families and no 0ne else.
    .....of course its just a complete coincidence that Leader of Council is catholic and his wife leads a Catholic Charity!! ?? Shocking.

This council should be featured in the National press and 'Private Eye's "Rotten Boroughs" section as it is letting a lot of its people down very badly.

LottieProsser · 28/05/2012 19:29

Kass 44 - who are your local councillors in Teddington? They should be your first source of help in getting some answers so very bad if they are not responding.

Agree with Two Cotbeds about the odd way a bulge class has been added to a Catholic primary school and they are now soliciting people without places trying to persuade them to rediscover their Catholic heritage! I think the reality is that there was nowhere else they could put it this year as they had promised all the other schools in Teddington that they wouldn't have to take one again.

TwoCotbeds · 30/05/2012 14:48

It does mean it is totally ridiculous to build a new Catholic Primary School in centre of Twickenham, when it is a huge shortage of Commnuity places that is causing all the problems in the Borough.

Also apparantly the Scacred Heart Website says something about them having free spaces in years 1 to 5 !! and please contact them if interested !

Can't imagine any of the community primary schools being able to say anything like that for a long long , long time if ever.

Kass44 · 30/05/2012 22:25

Pleased to say both boys have been offered places at Stanley :-) we will stay on waiting list for closer schools but feeling very relieved!

londoniana · 06/06/2012 22:02

Hi all, and congrats with those who were allocated a school place! Is anyone else still waiting to be offered a school place? natalies0301, LucyCamille, tangledtights, did you get a place?

The council has finally accepted our registration when we moved in last Friday but we were advised to call back for wait list positions on Monday.

Thanks!

Original poster
tangledtights · 11/06/2012 12:04

hey londonania, sorry for slow response. No broadband since we've moved and I'd forgotten how much time a newborn takes up! We're all moved down and living in Hampton Wick. I sent our application off two weeks ago and provided proof of address last week when asked for it.

They haven't said when I'll be told our positions but I've just emailed the lady in admissions who requested proof of address to find out when I can expect an answer.

Good luck today, hope you're high up on the lists Smile

OP posts:
londoniana · 11/06/2012 13:44

@tangledtights, I'm glad that everything is in place for you.

I called this morning but they haven't processed the past couple of week wait list changes, apparently they're understaffed. No school offers were made in June, not yet. I believe all Teddington reception-age children who registered before mid-May were offered places, so it's just us newcomers to the area left to wait (together with those who already have a place but are not happy with it).

I was advised to call back on Wednesday for wait list positions.