Considering Primary Education... What would you do?

[dontcallmepeanut]

OK, I still have over a year til my son starts primary school, but I'm already thinking about what school to send him to.

I currently live in a small town. We've lived here for about a year, but as I'm at university, my son attends a nursery in the same city as the university I attend. He has not had a chance to socialise with many children his age in our town, and the friends he does have are at least three years older than him.

Now, I have two years of university left, possibly three, and am considering moving to the city when I graduate , as I'd have better job prospects there. Would it be wiser to apply to schools in the city, with the hope that firstly he ends up with some of his friends from nursery, and also with less chance of disrupting his education? Or would applying to a school closer to home make more sense, even though it poses the risk that he'll have to move schools if I get a job in the city after graduating? Also, does anyone have any experience of applying to schools whilst living outside of the catchment area? If so, what happened? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

You sound like you live a long way out of the catchment area of the city schools, so I would be surprised if you were offered a place at a good one, although you never know.

I would apply to a school closer to home, as at the moment there are a lot of if...if you get a job in the city, he might go to school with some of his friends....also it would be better for him not to commute, wouldn't it?

In the university city where I live, most of the schools near the University are very oversubscribed so you would need to move close by (often 300m or less) to get a place for your ds. However the population in these areas is fairly mobile so places do often come up in other year groups.

So I would apply for primary places where you currently live and consider moving him later.

Unless you get into a faith school where they give priority to your (specific sect of) religion with proof of attendance required etc. then you will have to apply to a school next to where you live. This means that at least 1/3 choices should be a school close enough to make sure you get a place just in case! In some places you can live within walking distance to all 3 schools but the population has grown so much (e.g. newly built "luxury" [may God make them!) flats) that you have no chance of getting to any of them! To be honest you are not obliged to apply to the closest schools but you have to be realistic.

Schools or LEAs should be able to tell you how har the last person to have be admitted last year lived from his school. Even if you appeal against their decision you will still have no chance.

You see councils deserting whole areas with shops having to close down so new flats will be built. But they NEVER build new schools to support the growing populations (or hopsitals etc.) instead they close down old schools, shops, universities to make space. Obviously the couples moving in might already have or could have children in the future!

It can be terribly hard to get your child into a good school if you live out of catchment. It can also be just as hard if not harder to get a place if you move when your child has already started school. If you are planning on moving anyway in a few years I would strongly suggest that you consider moving sooner, before your child starts school if that is at all possible, it would take the stress away

I would also double check by putting a notice on the local board to check what the situation is like in your area as there is considerable variation between LEAs.

Hi - look on the relevant local authoritiy websites whiich should give you info about which schools are full - this year anyway - but what is usualy is that any school which is considered "good" is only possible to get in catchment/living close to the school - I don't think moving school is the end of the world and I don't think its a problem to start school not knowing anyone - what would probably be good is that when you know which school he is going to then maybe see if you can find a child that will be in his class for him to meet before hand

You'll be assessed against where your DC lives on a fixed date (usually January before school entry), and that assessment will probably determine placement (especially if he is an oldest child). Some schools will offer preference on faith ahead of distance. If there is such a faith school in the city you wish to live in, get to its temple of choice in time to meet its admissions criteria, which will give you the flexibility you want.
Otherwise you would have to apply to move in year. This may not be as hard as you think-and there is no 'waiting list' as such determined by time on list. So if you subsequently moved next door to the city school you would be top priority for any gaps that emerged. But you couldn't guarantee they would.
Given you are living and working in different places, and you are moving him to and from, I assume a commute is possible. Do the 'non-city' schools have the sort of wraparound care that would make it feasible to collect from there but work in the 'city'. Maybe think about that come admissions time.