Hoping to move to York - primary school issues

[Bathilda]

Hi Ladies,

My family and I are hoping to move to York. We've got family in the area and my husband has the opportunity to relocate with work. Does anyone have any experience with primary school in-year transfers?

I have a son about to start the Reception year and a son in Year 2. I wonder if a space becoming available in the same primary school is likely. I spoke to the admissions office at the council and was looking for information on how regularly spaces come up and how quickly they are filled but I mostly got vague answers about not being aware of that information. The schools I'm focusing on are St Oswald's, Lord Deramore's and Archbishop of York's Junior. The last school, although it looks fantastic, isn't perfect for us because we'll be renting initially and houses don't come up for rent in that area regularly, it seems. Plus, I would really love to be based within walking distance of the city centre. I read in the OFSTED report for St Oswald's that they have a higher than usual number of pupils moving in and out of the school. But the admissions office said that once a space becomes available through an RAF family leaving, then it is immediately filled by a family arriving. The aim is to get the children into Fulford School.

If anyone has any thoughts or experience of the transfer process (and our chance of success!) then I would love the feedback.

Thanks,
Bathilda

There are more children going into reception in York this year than there are reception places so most, if not all, schools will be full and exceeding their normal capacity.

However, we did this kind of move last year and found the key was to talk to the headteacher face to face. They can do jiggery pokery and offer places that the council would refuse e.g. ds2 is in a high birth cohort year group and we struggled to find schools that could take both ds1 and 2. Headteachers, though, would consider how many children they have per classroom esp if they are in composites and though technically full for y4 because there were 3 x y3/4 composites each not filling a 30 child capacity classroom (s)he would accept ds2 so that both could go to the same school. We were advised to ask the head for a place in writing and not go through the council system.

If you want Fulford for secondary then, at least at the moment, you need to be in catchment - they filled their y7 with only catchment children last year. That may change by the time you get to that stage, but it is worth bearing in mind bearing the increased numbers in your dc2 year group.

That is very interesting information, thank you! Had you made the move before you approached the headteacher? May I ask how you phrased your request?

Hi

Dh had moved to temporary digs and I spent a week here viewing schools and rental properties in the vicinity of all the schools I was seeing (and with a mindful eye on secondary catchment as ds1 only had 1 year of primary to go). The headteacher proactively offered that advice; I don't know how standard that is - I accepted his advice and proceeded on that basis once we had signed on a house in the area (all done within 24h). I made sure that I had his acceptance of both boys in writing (email). As it happened, by the end of the English school year 3 children in ds2's year left and there would have been space but this was far too late for the council to process (council advised that I needed to apply for primary places by the end of May or places wouldn't be allocated until the end of September after the new intake had settled into place).

Hi ladies I saw this old thread but thought I'd ask how you got on?

My family and I are moving to york next Month, we have found a rental property in Fulford and I am now in the process of trying to find a primary school for my y3 son. I am coming up next week in fact and am due to visit st georges, st Aelreds and Fishergate, although Fishergate have told me they are already full!! I am starting to worry that we won't find him a place! I've contacted the council and asked if they could let me know what schools close to our new house do have spaces to save me approaching ones that are already full, but again have had a fairly vague response. Although in my visits I will get to speak to the head teacher so the may prove useful!!
I'd be really interested to hear how you got on?

I'd also be interested in any news on this thread. We're planning a similar move at some point in the next couple of years and will likely have a year 2 child and a just about to start reception child. I know it's a while away but it's useful to hear the experience of others.

Christinew1, how did your trip go?

Hi sorry for delay. Trip went well and we ae now living in York and have been for last 2 months. I managed to get my son into St Georges RC school although all the ones we looked at were nice. we are living in Fulford which is lovely too x