DD is due to start school in September 2011. What am I supposed to be doing?

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The local authority website informs me that the forms were sent out from September (they haven't arrived yet).

We are in the process of buying our first house. Where we are moving to there are several local village schools. I have a fair idea from talking to people, looking online, reading ofsted reports etc which school I would like dd to go to. And a couple of back up options.

Can I go and look round them? Do I email the school and ask or is that frowned upon?

And if dd doesn't get into any of the three schools I apply to (they aren't oversubscribed, shouldn't be a problem), do I have to do another late application or will they allocate something else entirely?

course you can look... best is to contact them tommorow morning or when you can asking for prospectus if they have open day, book appointment to look around. when its results day, normally between end of jan-may next year, you will be told if your child has got a school or not then if not, how to appeal.

Firstly, usually when they say they've sent them out they mean to schools. You usually pick them up from the school office. Every school office in your LEA will have the same form so just pop into your nearest one it doesn't have to be your preferred option.

Are you currently in the catchment for the school you want or are you buying in that catchment? Your LEA booklet should have a map or their website should have a postcode allocator to let you know where each address falls.

If you're worried about not getting into your first choice you can ask the LEA if children from that street got in last year and how far beyond.

The booklet/website should also tell you their published and legally binding admission policy. Some LEAs place siblings above catchments and others the reverse so check this out too.

As for visits; schools are used to visits from prospective parents at this time of the year. Some heavily subscribed schools may hold open days to get it over with in one go. Call up all the schools you are interested in and see if you can visit. Personally, I'd discount any that don't allow you to come and look around but that's up to you.

If the LEA don't give you any of your choices they do need to legally offer you something. I think at Reception age it needs to be within 2miles of your home but I'm not 100% on that so double check.

HTH

The results are in April. All the dates for application are on the website, just no info on how to make the decision other than a strong suggestion to pick your catchment school.

I will email the schools individually and see about having a look round.

And, er, is it normal to feel a bit wobbly about the whole thing? She's a baby fgs.

you can apply online too, you can start to apply online now if you like, just basic details and then when you know the schools you like then carry on...

None of the schools I'm applying to are oversubscribed. They aren't even full in two of the cases.

I won't be applying to the catchment school for the new house but the three schools closest after that. I know people who live on the road we're moving to whose children go to other schools. It's normal. Most people apply out of catchment. Thus far I don't know of anybody who has been unsuccessful.

So I need to wander into any primary school and ask for a form?

I can't apply for a few weeks anyway as we haven't moved yet and apparently we need to prove where we live.

you can go into the scholls ask for the form, if a catholic school they will normally have supplementary forms that need to be filled in to, its best to apply online as you can change deatils, schools as many times you like before you sumbit.

oh yes to need to prove where you live!! council tax statement utility bill, child benefit proof, bill, childs birth certificate..

bills have to be withnin the 3 month stated.

They are quite though on proof of address, as it has been in the news numerous times that people move house so they can get the best school for thier child.

You will need to prove where you live but not always at the time of application. Usually by close of application so depends when that is for you.

If you don't want to pick one up in a school I'm sure they'll post one out or, as mentioned, you can apply online.

Oh okay, will apply online.

When we moved here (rented) we kept getting post for the previous tenant (she upped and ran away to Australia with her ds, leaving the bills unpaid and the house in a terrible state, we still get debt collection letters now). Anyway, they sent out forms to the house for school applications for her son, along with a booklet with all of the schools, criterias, numbers, contact details etc. I guess they don't do that anymore then?

We don't move for another 7 weeks, applications close in 12 weeks.

And we aren't moving to get into a catchment area or anything like that. As I said, we're not applying to the local school even. I have every intention of being utterly honest on the forms, don't worry!

they still send some authoritys but its best to call the education authority up and ask for the booklet/forms.

Thank you.

Just to clarify, the schools aren't out of catchment. My head's spinning. They're just not the closest schools. All within 2.5 miles though.

I'll try the lea again tomorrow (they haven't been picking up).

Oh it's such a minefield!

I've applied for my DD online but I've got a feeling that I might have done it wrong I haven't sent any proof of where I live. Do they ask for this when they look through your application? I've put down three schools and third choice is a Catholic school. I've only out it down because it's the third nearest and I'm hoping that DD will at least get into her second choice as I don't drive and it would be really difficult to get much further in time for 9 o clock with DD and a baby in tow!

Our CofE village school had a separate form to fill in, as well as applying online.

Our first choice is a CofE school as it's where DD already goes to Pre-school. I've filled in a separate "interest" form for there. It sounds like we haven't got a cat in hells chance of getting in there though as it's always over subscribed and they like you to go to church (obviously as it's a church school), which we don't. It's ashame as it's our nearest school (less than 10 minute walk) and DD really loves the Pre-school.

oh and yes totally normal to feel all wobbly about it. They ARE so tiny arent they?

Do phone and ask to look round- probably easier than emailing in all honesty, as until you do that you really wont know which school you feel most comfortable with

Visit, visit, visit. It really is the only way to get a feel for a school.

Check out the council's website - everything should be on there.

Our LA sent info and forms, but this was a few years ago.

I talked it up obviously.

The forms and booklets arrived this morning!

You don't generally have to give proof of address at all - they could ask you to provide it but I haven't had to for three applications (DS, then DD in old house and DD for this house - we moved in between getting place at old school and reception starting).

And just to add, make sure you put down three choices.

Thank you for all of your advice.

I'll definitely put down three. We're going to look round 6 altogether. All v different, from tiny primaries with 15 pupils in total to bigger schools with 100+ pupils. I'm not sure how to make the decision tbh. They're all equidistant but have pros and cons. Our number one choice is just a lovely school, we know the head and she's brilliant. The second choice is good, great ofsted reports, not keen on the head but the school feeds into the secondary school we want dd to go to whereas the first choice doesn't.

Oh gawd it's a minefield.