Help-panicking! Confused about school admissions process

[Midge25]

Am really hoping that some level-headed and knowledgeable people out there can help. DH and I are totally confused by the school admissions process. Dd turned 3 at the end of Jan this year, and is currently in nursery.
At the end of last year, I rang our local authority to ask about school admissions - we moved to our current area when DD was about 5m old, and I guess I had the fear that they somehow 'wouldn't know about her'. In addition, parents at nursery, some with children of a similar age, were starting to mention looking at schools, and filling in paperwork, and we hadn't received anything from anyone.
I was told by the lady at the LA that they would automatically contact us about 10 m before DD is due to start school (which, I think is Sept 2012), so would be in touch Sept-Nov 2011 - does this timescale sound roughly right? And how do they know about us, iyswim? We're wondering what triggers them to get in touch...
Feel like a total dimwit for not knowing all this!!! Just don't get why some parents are 'on the case' and we aren't, and have got frightened we're missing something. Fwiw, the parents who are mentioning schools are talking about state-run primaries in the same LA as us...
TIA

It's fine - no need to panic yet. You apply for schools for the Sept after your child turns 4; so that will mean Sept '12. You can apply between 1 Sept and deadline which is usually some time in January. Your nursery will probably speak with you about it in the autumn; you'll be able to look at your LA's admission booklet online or pick a copy up locally.

its the September after your child turns 3 down here, so as your dd turned 3 in January 2011 you would apply in Sept 2011 for her to start school in Sept 2012.

But now would be a good time to start visiting any schools you are interested in. Start by going on to the ofsted site, which will show you all the schools near you, and allow you to read the inspections (I assume you are doing state schools), and start asking around other parents to find out what the word on the street is about catchments, popularity, strengths and weaknesses etc. Your nursery should also be able to give you advice. Visiting the schools in the summer term, if possible, will give you more flexibity for a second visit/ follow up questions etc in autumn.

Noone contacted me. If your Dd is 3 now I am guessing she will start school in sept 2012 - the academic year she turns 5. So you apply this autumn. I just called the schools to find out open days mid sept. At the open days they handed out primary school admission packs for that year. You will probably have to apply online and the web address will be in the pack but you can find it on the LA website. Nothing for you to do until sept :)

They know where you are, don't worry. They'll send info through the post from Sept onwards. Deadline will be Jan next year. Here you can do it all online once you've had your letter. It's surprisingly straightforward. Some schools will have open days if they're large but they won't be until the Autumn term. You can contact schools individually and get put on mailing lists for these or otherwise organise a tour with the head later in the year.

I'm with Nikki - no-one contacted me, and I had to do all the chasing. Check your council's website - they'll often have a copy of the material that gets sent out on there as well as details on all of the local schools.

We didn't get sent anything. in our borough you could get the school application forms from the library or the local council offices, I think we applied in the November for a place the following Sept/Jan (we have 2 intakes a year here)

We had nothing sent to us through the post - there was a poster on the nursery door. Forms are filled out online.

Check your county council's website. Find out when the local school's open days are - they might be this summer for those applying this september.

No-one contacted us for dd and as she went to an independent school we were never sent forms.

With ds we received a letter after the deadline date saying we have not received a school application please contact us urgently.

But the timescale sounds about right. Forms are available around September with a deadline of somewhere between October-February (each area has a different deadline) for admission September 2012

Thanks all for your swift and reassuring responses! Phew. Will definitely start thinking about school open days soon though, and may give the LA a ring this week just to check they know we exist!

You'd be wise to double-check the advice about the LEA contacting you. I've never heard of LEAs doing this. The LEA here certainly does not contact parents - it is up to parents to visit schools and submit applications on time - and nor does the next borough.

If you are applying on-line you don't need a paper form but most LEAs produce an admission booklet for primary schools with details of schools and catchment areas etc. It may be possible to download a copy of the booklet from the LEA website and there may be other information about applying for schools there as well.

its different where ever you live here the pre/nursery are given paperwork which they pass to you you return to them they send/take depends how far they are to the first school same thing happened when they transfered to middle first school get sent forms from lea give to you you fill in send back to first ect ect then when time for secondary/hgh school we did on line but you had option to form fill if pref but you get to find out earlier if done on line as no waiting for post they give you a special code to type in and you make up password so confidential and also your advised to print it all off but they still send you replies by email & a letter too as nice to see in black and white

oops forgot to say most councils websites have an admissions helpline if worried give em a call they can let you know they have your dc o their computer sysyem and tell you their timeline ect

Are you talking about applying for a RECEPTION place? Then this is the academic year during which your child turns 5. If your child attends a public nursery (usually attached within a school) then they will give you a form by next December I guess. Children who don't go to nursery? I don't think they LEA tell the parents anything. Private nurseries? I have no idea!

You could definitely get an application form to apply for 2012 from the civic centre or something like that. Phone your local council and ask them if you are unsure. They might give you even more information, like where the last person admitted to each school lived, admissions criteria etc. Now if the school your daughter is in gives you an extra form there is no problem with it, as long as you only send one form!

I think when children have the 2-2 1/5 year developmental check (or maybe even earlier 8m-1y) the health visitor SHOULD tell the parents (hours certainly didn't) because nobody else knows where you live and how many children people have. I had no idea how the system worked and many children do not go to nursery because nobody tells you anything (and of course due to the lack of nursery places!!!!!!)

We moved into the area, so had to inform the LA and get the paperwork done. We needed proof of address and ID (I think a child benefit letter was fine). This delayed things a little, although only took a few weeks. You should do this now if you have to.

Beyond that, no need to panic, and perhaps make school visits in September so you can see just how they are treating people at the level your DC will be when going to school.

Except if you're going to want to 'fiddle' a place on religious grounds, in which case it is probably too late, but might still be worth a shot...

Hi - thought would check back in. Thanks again for all your replies. Rang the LA yesterday and they confirmed the timescale I outlined in my OP, which was a relief. But...they had no idea my dd existed! So was worth the call just to let them know about her!
Ninani - she's at a private nursery so am looking at a reception place. Defo nogt interested in a church-aided place, Adela!