Relocate to Bristol, Please help!!!

[Yoomaa]

Hello to everybody!I am a new arrival in this forum. My husband just got a new job offer in central Bristol so our family are planning to move from Scotland. I am very stressing about getting a place in the Reception class of an excellent school for my boy. I would appreciate any help from you all.

My 3 and 9 month old boy currently goes to a good nursery in Scotland. He has several really close friends there. He wants to still stay with them until he need to join in Reception 09/2014 in Bristol.

However my husband has to start working for new boss this October. He will come over first and rent one bedroom flat or share accommodation with somebody else. Then He will organise another place to live for the whole family next year.

There are several questions that have been rattling around in my head:

1.The 2014 info is not out yet. I think normally Local Education Authority accepts applications between September to the beginning of January. Is it running with first-apply first-considered policy? Or they will consider all applications at the same time after January? How does it work?

2.How can we know the schools we prefer have places available for 2014? I am just worrying?. Even though my husband rents a flat in the catchment of our first choice school, it still can not be guaranteed as sibling rule. Is there any way to find out the catchment for the current year?

3.During the submission time, my boy will be still in Scotland with me. We will use my husband?s address in Bristol to apply. My husband will try to rent as near as possible to an excellent school. But we can not afford two big houses rent, one in Scotland, and the other one in Bristol. So he will only get a one-bedroom place or accommodation shared with someone else. I am not sure that the LEA will consider our case according to father?s address or children?s address?

4.Making an application to LEA is the only way to get a reception school place, isn?t it? Do we need to also contact the schools we prefer? Or fill in some application forms from schools straightway?

5.Which area is good to live? Our decision priority is my boy?s school. We don?t mind how far to city centre. I know some schools like Bishop Road, Ashley Down, Westbury Park, any more suggestions?

Many thanks for any kind reply.

Bristol is a great city but traffic is a NIGHTMARE. Don't look too far out unless you are on a train line. Redland is good for commuting and schools, plus lots of great parks for kids.

Primary schools are generally oversubscribed, the LA planned really badly for expected student numbers.

Ashley Down is the best school on your list. Westbury Park has serious issues & I would avoid like the plague. Some people say Bishop Rd is good,read the Ofsted though, the parentds feedback is massively negative.
Elm Lea & Henleaze schools are better schools in this area.

Bishop road got outstanding in its ofsted report in 2011 it is in the top 5% in the country so don't know what others are talking about. Having taught there it is a good school with very friendly staff but I feel good academic achievements are met by vigorous amounts of writing and quite back to basics gramma/writing work.

Depends what your budget is. Moving near bishop road is more affordable moving to Clifton, redland and henleaze or stoke bishop are more expensive. Elm lea has a very good reputation I think.

In answer to your questions:

1. Information about how to apply for a primary school place in Bristol will be on the council website in early September. The deadline is January 2014 and all on-time applications i.e. those received on or before the deadline are treated the same way. There is no advantage in applying early!
2. Bristol schools operate a distance policy for admissions and information about how near to have to live to each school in previous years is available in the admissions booklet. Some schools are quite small (one class of 30 intake) and others larger (3 or more classes of 30). applying to some larger schools would increase your chances of obtaining a place.
3. You can contact individual schools and look round before applying. This is really valuable as it gives you a good idea about what individual schools are like. However you do usually apply through the LEA not the school.

The address that you apply from should really be the one where you will be living next September and it may be a good idea for your whole family to move before the deadline to ensure a place. Perhaps your OHs employer will help with a relocation package?

Thank you all very much for your valuable suggestions.

To UnexpectedItemInShaggingArea
What about public transport? Is the bus on time and frequent during the peak time? Thanks

To SuperStrength and cleoteacher
I think Bishop Road is a good school in terms of exam results but it is situated next to a prison. I am just wondering it is safe if moving near this school. Cheers

To crazymum53
I am trying to persuade my boy to move with his Daddy this October even though he is not happy with that. At the same time, I am looking for a good nursery in Bristol for him. Hopefully we can move together smoothly. Is there any good nursery around central Bristol? I contacted one but no places available. Many thanks

Hi - I am not an expert in nurseries as my dcs are now at secondary school so am a bit out of date. Depends on what type of nursery you mean. There are some "state" nursery schools and you apply direct to the schools for places - look on the council website for details. There are private day nurseries and pre-schools which are often part-time but help to prepare children for school. Sometimes places do come up during the year as parents can move their child from one provider for another. A good source of information is the "Titch hikers guide to Bristol" which is a local guide for parents of under 5s in the Bristol area.

Thank you crazymum53. Where can I get this local guide? It sounds very useful.

Hi Yoomaa, Last Feb I was in a similar situation. We were relocating to Bristol with our three children and I needed to apply to schools. First I came to Bristol for a couple of days and visited 8 schools. Spoke to the receptionists, walked around to have a feeling about the areas, spoke to letting agencies to have an idea about costs of properties, etc. Then, after further research about the schools, I made an appointment to visit 4 schools. Last June I submitted my application with my 3 preferred schools but by then, my husband was already renting a flat round the corner of Westbury Park school. His company paid for it. We are in a lovely house in Henleaze now, so far it is all great, and my older boy will join Henleaze school. I would definitely recommend you to come to Bristol, visit schools and visit areas. Then you will know what is right for you and for your family. Once you know that, then, your husband can rent a flat/house as close as possible from your preferred school.

Buses are mixed, and can be expensive. The new(ish) mayor is making lots of promises re public transport but tbh if the roads are snarled up it slows up all the traffic, including buses.

There are second hand copies available on Amazon (11th edition) . May not be fully up to date but lots of useful information about living in Bristol.

Thank you all for your reply. Sorry for popping out late as just back from holiday and took the driving theory test couple days ago. Is there anyone can recommend a driving instructor to me in Bristol and how much per hour normally? Many thanks

To Tombokola, cheers for your message. So when you submitted the applications, you used the single flat address where your husband lived (your 3 children were not there). Is that right? We are still struggling with this. Probably, my husband will get a one-bedroom place or accommodation shared with someone else first. Then he will look for a nice house for all of us. I am not sure that the LEA will consider our case according to father’s temporary address in Bristol?

Hi Yoomaa, yes, we used the address in Bristol but we also included our address in London as there is one part in the application in which they ask you for the address where the children are living at the moment of the application. In the application we mentioned that children were moving to the address in Bristol as soon they have finished school in London (so don't mention anything about temporary accommodation!). However, make sure to get a place as close as possible to the school of your choice.

Hi there, my daughter has just started at the Dolphin School on Cheltenham road, it is a new primary school that they are filling from the bottom up (it currently has 1 year1 class and 2reception classes). We have been really impressed by it and so I would recommend it in your shortlist, you could then live in Redland/Cotham/St Andrews/Bishopston/Montpelier. They will have a new build school in 2015 behind the current site. As a new school the parents/teachers are all working together to create the community- it is fab! My son will go next year so if you end up there let me know!
There are lots of nurseries but they all have long waiting lists I'm afraid. if you aren't working then you could consider a preschool. My son is at Lantern preschool on Redland green and I know there are a couple of children relocating from Brustol so there are spaces coming up. I looked around alot of preschools and this one stood out above the rest, the space/garden is wonderful and the staff commmitted and caring - it is an excellent environment.
Good luck with the decisions/move!