Moved house and desperate to change DD's allocated school - any tips??

[minko]

We moved house recently and DD was allocated a place at the only school in the area with a space. It seemed OK when I looked round but since she has started there I quickly came to realise it is a school with many many problems. Parent apathy being the main one eg. the school trip had to be cancelled as parents weren't prepared to pay £10.

I am DESPERATE to move her but all I can do is join waiting lists. Private school is an option but not a long term one, and I really don't want to have to move her more than once (ie into private until a space on a waiting list comes up).

I am tearing my hair out. I don't even like leaving her at the new school it makes me so uneasy...

Are you in a position to home educate in the short term? Some parents do that while waiting for a place at their preferred school. The requirements are straightforward and you have great flexibility in what you do.

How old is she? Is she making friends? If she is settling socially why don't you pay for a tutor? Cheaper than private. If you HATE it and want to go provate till a place comes up elsewhere...well you are not the only one...my DD is at an independant school and there have been 5 kids come and go as plces at good state schools come up...they settle quickly usually...it's a stress thinking about changing again...but if it is a bad school in every way then it may be better long term. Also ask about bursarys..loads of private preps offer them.

I would consider appealing for places at the schools where you feel that she will get a betetr education and you have her on the waiting list. You need to check if the classes are 30 to see if the appeal would be under the infant class size regs. If they are then your chances of success are minimal, if they are not then you have nothing to loose by appealing.

However you do need to have some more appropriate reasons than the schools are better and that parents would not give voluntary donations for a school trip, very few panels will admit for these reasons. Look for after school clubs, what the schools are renowned for etc, positive reasons rather than negative reasons.