Hove primary admissions - HELP!

[rkw1]

Hi,
We currently live in a primary school 'blackhole' just by wish park. Our nearest school is West Hove on Portland Road. Judging by the admissions records over the last 10 years we are not close enough to ANY primary school to get a place, so what happens is that they find a school that is under subscribed (ie failing) in any location and send you there. Most families in our road have either moved out or gone private (financially this isn't really an option for us, plus I really prefer state education). Having looked at a few schools so far, some have suggested that children on their waiting lists often get a place eventually (specifically West Hove Connaught and Portland Rd), however if you are not close enough, you may never reach the top of the list as again proximity is key. Does anyone have experience of being on these waiting lists? Or the system in general? I really resent becoming part of the race for school places, I just want my child to go to a local school and have friends nearby. Very frustrating!
Thanks for reading!

Hi, I would not rely on waiting lists to get your child into a school you want. the list tend to be pretty long and the likelihood is you will still end up with an undersubscribed school and unfortunately the only undersubscribed schools tend to be the ones that do not perform so well and parents are not keen to send them there.
When is your child due to start reception? I donot how you feel about going down the church route. An awful lot of people do this just because of the blackholes around the city.
However you do need to be going for at least 2 years before school application time.
Really donot mean to bring you down but people go to lots of measures to ensure they get the school they want.
People also rent really near a school and register that as their address!
it is crazy and maddening and frustrating and brings on all sorts of anxieties.

I know of someone at our school who lives pretty much where you describe who was and still is a long way down the wait list for West Hove Portland road from this years reception intake.
Also with the new flats being built directly opposite I imagine that the distance offered will shrink further this year.
Not west hove but our nearest school we didn't get a place at this year as again the distance shrunk massively and we have since allocation day bobbed about between 4th and 7th on the list.
We did however choose and get our second choice which is one of those 'failing schools' I suspect you are thinking if. It has in all honesty been amazing for our child so far and the school is improving so rapidly.
You do need to be realistic about your options, put down the schools you do want but do name one that you would be ok with getting to and you can be certain you would get a place at if all else fails, heads off the possibility of having to trek across town to a school you hate every day.
I would be happy to talk to you about our school if you pm me, don't want to name it on here to out me, honestly if a place came up now at our first choice we wouldn't move we are that happy.

Thanks for your replies, it's really hard to find people to talk to about this as DS won't start school until sept 2017 (currently 18m). My partner and I aren't religious (he is atheist) and I work every other Sunday, so the church route doesn't work for us. Plus a neighbour did 2yr church attendance at St Andrews and didn't get a place last year - I think their sibling admissions are particularly high. The reason we are looking into this so early is because we are mid house renovation and having another child, so if we do need to sell up we need to get organised! Nightmare!
Tinkitonki I'm trying to work out how to pm (not used mumsnet) before, but really interested to hear about your experience.

Got it, I've replied but just seen you have time on your side so that changes things slightly, anyway good luck next week and let me know what you think of our school!

Your neighbour would have needed to attend church at least twice a month for a minimum of two years.. If they did, they would of got a place. That is a fact.
You do have sufficient time to make a decision but the sad and honest truth is how things currently stand you are in a black hole and wouldn't get a place.
Very slim chance of hove connaught site but that school is becoming more popular each year.
St. Andrews looks like it may be expanding which could take the pressure off other schools a bit in the future.
But as the previous said lots of new flats being built right next to school road site so distance for school places will shrink even more.

Hello. We live in the catchment area for our local school but I know which area you are referring to. It seems like such a crazy system and you hear stories of people renting houses in our road/next roads during the application period just so they can register at the school. After that they move back to their house/previous location. For the amount of kids in Brighton and Hove it seems that they're aren't enough government schools and so many black holes. A couple of people suggested the religious route for us, before we moved, but that seems absurd as we're also not religious and I wouldn't dream of going to church just so my children could go to local religious school!

Tinkitonki really pleased to hear someone have a positive experience of a 'failing school' I do think people generally are quite snobby in this area about ofsted/school rankings etc. I've had the experience of working in a 'failing school' and have to say that was the best school I worked in - ethnically diverse, different cultures, great interesting mix of people, staff & children :)

I'm an expat on the east side and am having trouble finding a spot for my 5-year-old. We are practicing Catholics and can't get into a Catholic school. This is all new to me since it doesn't happen in the States. I'm beyond frustrated right now.

It is frustrating I agree but it is the fairest system and the only one we have to work with. Have the council offered you anything sukieiup95? Are you near the top of the waiting lists for the Catholic schools you like or is it not looking likely at all? I guess you could always start at what you have been offered and look to move when a place comes up?

I'm still waiting to hear back from the council. I'm going to have to spend literally hours a day with my 2-year-old transporting my son to and from a school in the city since I don't have a car. I'm ready to go back home!

*in the city bus

Have they not offered a school at all yet? The trouble is if you turn down the one they do that's it they don't have to find you another option, you are kind of in your own after that.

The other thing is depending on how close you are to the East Sussex boarder ie the next LA along it might be easier/closer to look at schools that way, not saying that's a better option but if it gets you closer to home, perhaps worth a shot?
I'm the other side of town so I don't really know schools that way at all, but good luck with it all I hope you get something sorted soon.

Thank you! They did place Patrick in a school today. St. Margaret's. It's only a 1.2 mile walk from our house. It's Church of England and we're Catholic, but I'm fine with that. I'm just so happy that he will be in a school!

That's great :) pleased it's all sorted for you.