do you think school secretaries at different local schools speak to each other regarding applications - in particular regarding change of school mid term.

[yulebesorry]

If so should I inform present school that I am applying to another school. The change is not based on problems with school. Also in your experience would the fact that you are intending to move impact on the child at all in present school? Actually am more scared of the secretary than approaching headteacher!

Message withdrawn

Its none of the secretary's business, I would assume you would only have to tell the head teacher if you had got a place with another school.

forgot to say I dont think they do talk as when dd was in nursery I secured her a place in another school in another borough and only told the present school on the last day of term that my daughter wasnt moving up to recption after the summer holidays, they didnt know anything about it and was surprised even though one teacher was negative about my dd every time there was a parent/teacher meeting

I work in a school office one day a week - in our borough all admissions are handled by the borough, but that's not the case everywhere.

You don't need to tell your current school that you are intending to move your child until you've got the place confirmed at the new school. It would be polite to tell them before you actually move them - you may think I'm joking, but we have had a child 'disappear' before & not know why until we were contacted by the new school....

If you did let them know I can't think of any reason why it should have a negative effect.

But if you decide to withdraw your child on January 16th, don't be surprised if the head is a little pissed off - the School Census on which funding for the year is based is on the 17th!

My sister is a teacher, and she says that if a child is going to move schools the schools in question do talk to one another - got the impression it might be informal, via the secretaries, at last in her school's case. Was a long time ago she mentioned it, but as far as I can remember it was generally the new school trying to get info on the prospective new pupil.

They do talk to each other after the move to get info - all the records are transferred, personal information is sent via the school management system, but tbh I can't see any school office having the time or inclination to bother contacting another school about a possible transfer unless the parents requested it to help the child settle or, possibly, if SN were involved.

Thanks, all very helpful. I would tell the school if offered a place but didn't really want to say I had applied just yet.

Well, we do have an ASD unit at our school & there are all sorts of induction programmes etc to help the children settle in, but that would normally be in association with the parents (and a mid-term transfer would be very unlikely anyway.)

btw yulebesorry - what is so terrible about your school's secretary?

Rustybear, she does a great job but is just such a forceful character and appears to be in control of everything and therefore knows all there is to know about children and family.

Our Education Authority handle things the same as RustyBear. If we get parents enquiring about places we have to direct them to Admissions. We do talk to each other after the fact though - sometimes rubbing our hands together in glee that we have 'lost' a more troublesome child to another school

yulebesorry - in control and knows all about the childrn and families is good I think. Behind every excellent head there's an even better school secretary IME.

You're not my sons' school administrator are you SBMK???