In Year Admissions in Bromley

[YogaPants2441]

We have finally had our exchange of contracts and now can make steps in order to move our DC in a Bromley school. Do you have experience how long does it take for the Admission team to process the application and whether we need a signature from our current school's Headteacher (different borough) or not? Much appreciated as it takes ages to get in touch on the phone.

I did an in year application the Thursday before the half term. I rang on Monday to find out how long and they said it would take 10 school days which does not include the holidays for the application form to be processed.

You do not need a signature from the head just a recent school report, utility bill and child benefit letter.

May i ask which schools you were applying for as not sure if you know but every school in the Bromley borough are full for years 7-9

My next door neighbours moved into the borough 18 months ago and couldn't get a place at our local popular primary of Crofton. They got places at a primary which involved a drive rather than a three minute walk for two terms while they waited for spaces but they did eventually come up, partly due to Crofton being such a large school. I think it happened quite quickly, within a couple of weeks. So if you don't get first choice you can wait it out, depending on likely churn and how geographically close you are, but it is a lot of upheaval. For Secondary I know people still on waiting lists for places, it depends where you live as if you are not ultra close, then every time someone new moves close to the school and wants a place then it can even push you down the list rather than up...

Thank you Miillicakes and PettsWoodMum. We are aiming for Scotts Park. It is very close to us and I hope that we will get a place as within 2 miles from us the rest of the schools are whether private or catholic. We are Christian Orthodox and won't get there anyway. If they allocate us a school too far I will probably withdraw my DC and home tutor them as DH and I work in the city and leave the house very early, the childminder is not driving. It is appalling how education system in England is. My country may be very small but we have schools for everyone and pupils who apply abroad to universities always get accepted.
The next school not far from us is Bickley primary. I am also aware of the situation with the secondary schools, my son is already on the list for this in case he does not make it for grammar. We are on 0.4 miles from the secondary, much closer for the primary.
Extremely stressful!

You may have more luck with primary getting a space. Although there are no spaces in secondary school if your child school is in a different borough and you remove them the council by law would have to put them in a school in the borough regardless whether the school is full of not.

Good luck with it all and hope it goes well.

According to the Bromley booklet www.bromley.gov.uk/download/downloads/id/2034/starting_primary_education_in_bromley_2015_booklet Scott's Park went out as far as 0.91 of a mile in 2014, that will most likely have been less this year so depends how many have requested to stay on waiting list and how much closer they are to the school than you. Good luck!

Pettswoodmum the distance 0.91 just means the furthest it went out but that person could have been a sibling. When I visited the school they said catchment is usually around 0.6

We are 0.4, I will keep my fingers crossed!

Thanks Millicakes, I always thought distance was based on offers that were non sibling related so it is interesting to know that isn't the case.

I would not chose Scott's park it is awful. My son is in reception there and several of us are considering trying to change schools. I am activity trying. Since he has been there the last 10 months he has had 2 head teachers, soon to be on the third. Teach left mid year to go on maternity leave they have a student teacher who is rarely in and a series of supply teachers. It's been very upsetting for my child who dislikes school
To begin with. And now he's acting out its his fault !! Awful awful experience I never thought the transition to school would be so upsetting and have such a negative impact on my child's personality

Beccalj, thank you for your feedback, good to know. Unfortunately we are quite far from Bickley primary school and I have requested opinions from parents and received 2-3 positive. Have a neighbour who is a teacher there. We are coming from a horrible Launcelot Primary in Downham. I hope this one is better. The same issues there with my DCs. Luckily DC will be leaving for secondary, but DD will commence year 4 in September.
You are very right, it is now a good sign thad HT are changed so often. I quite like Bickley Primary and Red Hill but doubt it that we will get spaces.

By law if the journey exceeds 45 mins (considering it will be a peak time in the morning and the children could be late for school) can we appeal?
The LA advised we should stay in the current school in Lewisham until offered a place in one of the local schools. Can I refuse it as the journey is not convenient, too stressful in a packed train (commuting on the train to Cannon st)? Also it takes swapping buses/trains and walking which is too stressful and the children will be already tired by the time they reach school? Furthermore it will involve additional travel cost for the person taking them? Thanks.
The government does not encourage working parents who are working their a*s off to provide a better future for their children, does it?

I don't know the recommended maximum travel distance / journey time for primary schools. Check with Bromley admissions. Re transport if you are more than two miles from the school and DC is 8 or under or 3 miles over 8 but under 11 then there are certain qualifications (eg you don't qualify if there was a closer school but you chose a more distant one) for free transport but haven't a clue how that changes when you move. I believe free transport only extends to the child. Again school admissions should help. I've seen appeals reported on here in the past and sadly inconvenience isn't usually a consideration and panels will argue that crowds on transport or complicated journeys can help develop a child rather than be something to avoid. Sounds nightmarish and I would hate to be in your position. Try posting a new thread on the primary education thread about your challenge as your scenario could be repeated in any part of the country and people more knowledgeable than me will be able to advise. One in particular I've seen is tiggytape who is very well versed in all things school admissions. Good luck.,

Thanks PettsWoodMum. They haven't declined formally, but I have a funny feeling this is what they will do as we have been waiting for 2 months now. I read that I can de-register my DC from their current school and home tutor them?

I will raise my query with re: your recommendation.

Funny enough we moved because of the schools and we are 0.4 miles from Scotts and 2.8 miles from the current school.

I'm really sorry but if you're that close to Scotts Park there must be other near-ish schools.
They may not have a space but are you too far from Parish, Bickley, Raglan or St George's?
You've probably got into Princes Plain?

If you have moved to Bromley borough then by law they have to offer you a school however they may not if ilyout dc already attends a school whether in it out of the borough. They are only obliged to find you a school if your child does not currently attend one.

I'm assuming the schools you are interested in are full as they are highly oversubscribed schools. It may be best to find out what schools have spaces in the borough of Bromley and then pick from them as many schools in Bromley are quite good.

You need to find out what number you are on the list but unless your first the likeness of getting a place in your chosen school is lie but you can appeal for any school you want but winning an appeal depends on the strength of your case

Pettswoodmum, vanilla would only be eligible for free transport if Bromley find her a school and the nearest school they find is more than what ever the miles is which I think is 2 miles but double check that figure. Because her child is already in a school not provided by Bromley she won't be eligible,

Best thing is to ring Bromley and ask which schools in the borough have space and take it from there. Parish and burnt ash are not too far but the waiting list is usually at a standstill and not many children leave.

The only other alternative if no schools with spaces is private education

We listed 5 schools. Burnt ash lane is quite bad area, I will rather opt for private tutor at home until they get me a space in one of the desired schools. My both DC have been working with a private tutor as their current school is rubbish and they have achieved more in an year rather than 4 years in this school.
I have de-registered them from the current one, so they are without a school right now.

I don't think we can qualify for Parish, we are not Catholic.
The whole story is really stressful.

Just saw that Burnt Ash is an outstanding school and journey is via one bus only.

Unfortunately all schools are closed now and we are unable to enquire until after Bank holiday.

I can imagine this must be terribly stressful. Try to breath and take it step bu step - harder done than said, I'm sure.

Parish isn't a catholic school. It's run by the CoE but you don't need to attend Church; like in most parish schools.
St Joseph's is Catholic.

An outstanding Ofsted report means rather little on its own. You need to view it in the context of your kids and what works for your family.
And Ofsted report only tells you what happened at the time of the inspection, not now.

Also Burnt Ash isn't a terrible area. It is quite a mixed area, good and bad pockets around.

If you are going to pay for a tutor, wouldn't you be better off trying an independent school? Lots around you: Ashgrove, Breaside, Bickley Park and Bromley High. At least the kids will benefit from the social environment too?

If you are near Scott's Park, you are about 2 miles from Red Hill. You really are very unlikely to get a place there, although, as it's a big school, you might get casual places throughout the year.

Are you far from either Elmstead Wood Station, or Sundridge Park? Each of these is only one stop away from Grove Park, which is about half a mile from Launcelot Road, which is where I think you said they currently are? Two 10 min walks, with a short rail journey wouldn't be that bad, and trains go direct from Grove Park to Cannon St, so easy for you to get to work, then.

You could stick with it, and move them if places came up. But you might have to consider accepting one place at a time, bearing in mind that if you have one child at a school, their sibling is automatically boosted up the waiting list. (Doesn't guarantee a place, of course.)

Or have I got completely the wrong end of the stick?

I think she said they she didn't have a good experience in Launcelot and her kids are no longer there though.

I reckon your safest bet is go private or tutor them until a place comes up - but be open to as many schools nearby as possible. Being where you are I would have thought Scotts Park, Parish, St George's, Burnt Ash or Bickley. Others could Raglan, Valley or Red- a bit more of a treck though! Or the new Harris Academy in B South? But I don't know what their plans for the future are.
Speak to the schools themselves when they open next week

The new Harris academy in Bromley south only have year 1 and reception children due to start this year as its a brand new school and I think vanilla dc is in year 4.

I totally agree with the others about looking at your options as there are many schools within the burnt ash/ sundridge area but again it's just whether they have space.

Again private education could be a last resort. Bishop challoner I found to be a very good school not too pushy with excellent pastoral care and not as pricey as some of the other independent schools although it's more geared towards shortlands.

Another good state school is rangefield. It's on the same road as burnt ash but comes under lewisham borough

Hope you find something by early September

Tavelling by train will be costly. 15 minutes to elmstead woods andthen another 15 to launcelot, that is already over 30 minutes at least (+the train 35-40) which for launcelot is not worth. Also I leave quite early and cant drop them at school, it will be almost 2 hours wait for them.
School shouldn't be a torture :-)

as previously mentioned I don't consider any of the schools in lewisham. nothing before plaistow lane at all. we have been living in this area for the past 8 years and it is horrible.

Indie is a long term commitment which we cannot afford. Tutors are not coming every day and will cost less and this will be until waiting for place. DC has improved so much within a year with 2 hours tutoring per week plus homeworks.
Scotts park and Bickley are our favourites, I'm not familiar with the parish school, is it a good one? I keep my fingers crossed and call them next week.

I understand you wouldn't do the train. I also understand how stressful this must be. But since you have moved recently, I would think you need to keep your options opened to more than two schools.
Parish has a good reputation and so does St George's now - if you don't mind your kids going to a religious school; although none of them are very religious, just run by the CoE.
Valley, Highfield, St Mark's and Raglan aren't too far off. They would probably be 10min drive - although I see your CM doesn't drive so I'm not sure how long they would take to get to on the bus.
I would think you moved to Bromley because of the good schools. So do most parents. Therefore, it is only normal that most schools are over subscribed. Especially, after reception. They wouldn't be able to afford having lots of spare spaces waiting for kids to move as that would cost a lot to tax payers. I know that's not what you want to hear but I just wanted to put the reasoning for this across.
I think you're right to tutor them for a while and I'm sure if you open up to a few more options you will eventually get a space. Good luck.

Thank you Patry. Yes, these two are ideal, but I am happy with the COE schools. St George's is not far from us and I am happy as long the schools is decent and not another LA. We were about to move to green lane on the border with Greenwich but decided not to go ahead because we would have been closer to mottingham and eltham.
I made my decision now and will wait. Tutor is available and working with DC and I would prefer that DS concentrates on 11+ prep for 2 weeks instead of wasting time at bad school.

Do not get me wrong, I believe children have to be in school environment and be among their peers to be happy, not isolated. However on another note a bad school could cause more harm than be useful.