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Original poster

Catchments (again!) (Sorry!)

15 replies

BeansMcCready · 12/01/2017 15:50

We are moving from London and I'm wondering if anyone can tell me what happens if...

We have found a school that we like that has a place for my son, but we are struggling to find a flat to rent in the catchment of that school. There is a flat which is really close to the school with a place (two streets away) but in the catchment of another school which doesn't have a place. In London, if you moved into an area, you would simply be allocated a school which is the closest to where you live that has spaces as the council has a responsibility to find you a place and handles admissions for all schools. (Unless you had a preference for another school with places) What happens in Edinburgh? If we took a flat two streets away from a school that has places surely we would get one anyway if the catchment school is full?

Any insight would be great, trying to minimise moving stress!

OP posts:

Starfish347 · 12/01/2017 16:48

The council here also has a responsibility to get you a place but I think you would still have to go through the process of applying for your catchment school, and also applying for an out of catchment school (the one that is closest to you). If the catchment school is full and you are keen to go to the out of catchment one that has spaces anyway, then common sense says that should be the case. But you'll need to be in the system and go through the applications before the council will entertain looking into it. Have you spoken to the council at all about it?

badguider · 12/01/2017 18:49

Here you go. If there's a place in a non-catchment school you will get it unless somebody else applies for it and is in the schools catchment.

badguider · 12/01/2017 18:49

Forgot the link www.edinburgh.gov.uk/info/20256/school_places/1374/join_a_school_after_the_start_of_session

badguider · 12/01/2017 18:52

The only issue is if you have a younger sibling hoping to follow they will not be automatically entitled to if you are still living out of catchment.

Original poster

BeansMcCready · 12/01/2017 19:14

I haven't. We are moving for my husbands job and have relocation consultants but I think I need to start making the calls myself! Thank you for your reply, much appreciated!

OP posts:

Original poster

BeansMcCready · 12/01/2017 19:16

Thank you! That link is really useful. We do have a younger sibling but as we are hoping to only rent for a short time and then aim to buy in catchment we might be ok.

OP posts:

Buckeyedjim · 12/01/2017 20:22

It's different if it's a p1 place (when everyone applies at the same time) and other years, the school themselves will deal with that and can tell you if there is a space. My experience is only of being offered a space mid year, I don't know what they would have said if there wasn't one but the city can't wash their hands of you! Even if you started at another school you could be on the waiting list for the catchment one, if that is your preferred school.

Charliebrown27 · 13/01/2017 12:21

my advice would be to ring your chosen school, ask the likelihood of you getting an out of catchment place. At some it's v unlikely, at others it could be OK. And also gauge how much of a disaster you'd feel it was if they had to go to the catchment school for a while until a place came up.

Haggisjack63 · 16/01/2017 15:26

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

coffeeCamelCase · 16/01/2017 15:51

Wrong thread, wrong board, wrong internet, Haggis?

Haggisjack63 · 16/01/2017 16:18

Ok accept.

I apologies .

Was reading stuff. Thought it had relevance. I agreed not on this board.

Haggisjack63 · 16/01/2017 16:54

I am leaving thread. Due to inappropriate message on thread.

Pressure of work. Signing off mumsnet for a few weeks.

Starfish347 · 16/01/2017 16:56

eh? what on earth happened there?!

stenna · 17/01/2017 09:39

I have recently been through this. Our catchment school was full, tried another one and was offered places for my children. I was sent the application form by the school, returned it and confirmed again when the house purchase had gone through.

I didn't need to apply to the catchment school as there were no places.

Basically it's for you to find the places and ask the school to accept you. I presume you can go through the council but this seems to be an easier route.

Original poster

BeansMcCready · 17/01/2017 14:01

That's really useful Stenna, thank you!

OP posts:

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