Primary schools, deferring etc, think may have messed up a bit!

[christiana]

Message withdrawn

I can't help with most of your post, sorry, but do know that they rarely refuse to subsidise a second nursery year.

My nursery lied and told me that we definitely wouldn't get another free year but I think that was because they didn't want my DS1 to stay another year because they felt he was ready.

I sent in the form anyway and DS1 DID get a funded place! (which we aren't using as he is now HE but it WAS offered)

Message withdrawn

Hello, if you buy a copy of Edinburgh Nursery & School Guide which costs £2.50 and you can get in some Tescos and School Uniform outfitters, this will give you all the primary school attainment results or I think you can also get this online at the council website. Of course this doesn't give you the full picture about the school, but most will be happy for you to visit if you ring up in advance.

good luck.

He hasn't started as I home educate instead. He is 4y 10m just now and I defered his entry until next year when he'd be 5y 10m but I wont be sending him at all.

Message withdrawn

Sciennes & Preston St primary are both good.

I thought that if you lived in catchment then they had to give you a place. Is that not right?

Stewie - interested about your comment regards catchment schools being legally required to offer a place. My catchment school had 80 in catchment applications for 50 places last year and expect similar this year so we have been told that we may not get a place - is this incorrect?

If I could chip in ? Not sure about the legal requirements but - if a school hasn't room for 80 P1's then it hasn't. I think this happened at Gillespies this year - they were over subscribed with catchment children so parents were offered their first choice of alternative - these children would get priority over say, non catchment children but with siblings at the 2nd choice school.

Re the deferment, you don't have to start your child in Primary education until the August after they are five. However, for deferrment, only children born after February of the year they could start school have the right to deferrement or not. If your child is born before that then the nursery have to apply to the council for the funding for an extra year and make a case for the child's deferrement.
It may be getting late now to defer with a funded place, but still possible, definitely try to get the nursery place organised sooner rather than later as the whole deferrment process starts now.
I deferred my LO, started the process in November and heard it was accepted the following March.
Most popular schools are over-subscribed and often have large class sizes and are pushed for space, so it might be worthwhile considering less popular schools which have reasonable reports, there are some rather out of date reports on the HMIE website, which might help.

We use the wholeshebag from Midcalder, deliver on a Thursday. They do a small bag for £13 and can do eggs and milk or cream.
Nice friendly people.

The cut off date for applying for deferral is March so lots of time. if nursery support you then I think is just a rubber stamp for funding , if nursery don't then may be refused - but I have never heard of anyone being turned down......