ds still not in school

[gottasmile]

Hi all,

I need some advice about finding out about a place in primary school. We moved from Canada in July and as soon as we had a tenancy agreement, we applied to our LEA for a place for ds in year 2.

They still haven't let us know anything because they say they're waiting for the 1st preference school to let them know.

So I think I should phone the LEA and ask them to phone the school. It just doesn't see right that ds has to sit at home and wait for the school admin. to get its act together. I'm getting a little stressed.... should I phone?

Thanks for any help.

Our son did one complete term in the allocated school, but that was because we ended up having two appeals, both of which we had to refer to the Local Government Ombudsman. It shouldn't take that long normally. If you appeal, the hearing must take place within 30 school days and you should hear the result within a week of the hearing.

The change of schools wasn't any problem at all for our son. He didn't seem to miss his friends from his original school and quickly made friends at his new school. It probably helped that his older brother was already going to the preferred school but they are 2 years apart, so they generally only see each other during breaks.

The LA is required to inform you in writing of the fact that your son isn't being admitted to your preferred school. They are required to notify you of your right to appeal at the same time. If they haven't done that they are in breach of the relevant codes and you should complain.

kmilbra - If your LA said that an appeal would take at least 30 school days they need to take a look at the Admission Appeals Code. That states that appeals MUST be held WITHIN 30 school days of the appeal being lodged.

Hi prh47bridge, I suppose kids can be very adaptable, my ds seems to be too. You had the extra motivation that your other son was already at your preferred school, which I imagine influenced your decision.

Thank you for your very helpful replies, they've definitely given me something to think about.

I think at the moment, my feeling is to go with no. 2 school and see how it goes. I also have to wait for the offer in writing so I'll see then whether they talk about appealing or not.

Thanks again everyone!

Thought you might be interested in this in Mail on Sunday today.

Thanks EmEyeHi,

Very interesting, I feel for everyone else who had to go through this. My ds is finally in school and even though it's not our preferred school, it's a nice school and I'm sure he'll be happy there.

The new rules are really stupid. We moved across the country over the summer, so we had to sort out a new school for DS1 (who just started year 6). We applied for a school's place in early June but still hadn't been allocated a place on the day before term started (despite my having escalated the matter to the head of children's services). I eventually heard he'd got a place at out 3rd choice school at 4pm and then had to go out and try to sort out a school uniform for him before school the next day. Apparently it took all this time (and multiple phone calls from me) for the school to let them know. It's a pretty unacceptable system and extremely stressful for parents. It was particularly bad here because there really are very few decent state secondary schools* and you can only get into them if you attend a feeder primary. I'm not sure what we'd've done if they'd come back after all that time to say they didn't have a place.

• By 'decent', I don't mean anything particularly special. I really don't think that schools that are in and out of special measures regularly, with GCSE pass rates as low a 3%, and which have persistent absence rates over 25% are acceptable (for any child). And, believe me, that description fits far too high a proportion of the schools around here. Of course, this means that it's very difficult to get a place in anything decent because most parents want to choose a school where the kids are at least vaguely motivated and the teachers are able to concentrate on teaching them.

Gottasmile - great news

daymonkey - * agree

Hi Gottasmile - I remember seeing a post from you before. Did you end up moving to East Sheen?

Hi SlightlyJaded,

Thanks for remembering me!! No, we ended up in Wimbledon. We couldn't find a house within our budget in Richmond/East Sheen.

I like Wimbledon though, lots to do with the dc.

I wonder if getting ds into school would have been as difficult if we'd stuck to East Sheen!!

Wimbledon is lovely - village especially

I PROMISE you Sheen would have been just as bad, if not worse. My DD has just started Y2 and is very happy at her school but we didn't get a place for her until really late last summer despite being walking distance to East Sheen Primary, Barnes Primary and Sheen Mount (just about) and also being on waiting lists for Holy Trinity and Marshgate. It was a nightmare, although it all worked out in the end. Hope you are happy in Wimbledon :)