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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Original poster

All a bit quiet considering today we find out about primary school places

170 replies

MindySimmons · 26/04/2011 12:21

Just thought it was quite strange that here and in the media, it's been rather quiet, considering there is a significant shortage of places and many of my friends throughout the area didn't get first choices (mainly in Bristol City, I'm out in South Glos and have been OK).

How did everyone get on?

OP posts:

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northernrock · 27/04/2011 17:48

Hi Mrs Moppet!
Just logged on to see how its going for everyone still waiting.
Feeling a bit more positive today as have spoken to various heads of various schools and have been told that there will be a lot of shifting about of places, and my chances are not hopeless.
Been to the doctor to get a letter for my appeal saying my ds's asthma will be triggered by such a long walk to school..I will stop at nothing.
Game on appeals board!

angels3 · 27/04/2011 18:13

Gosh you lot have to wait a long time. In wales the primary school reception places were advised on the 1st of April!

MrsMoppet · 27/04/2011 18:21

You go girl!

Sorry your ds has asthma. I'm sure you're right, walking for 2 hours each day is NOT going to be good for him ...

It's encouraging that you've been told that you've got a chance. I'm keeping everything crossed for you, and might even say a prayer for you in the hope that Him Upstairs would hear it as the honest, heartfelt plea it is

I have to go past 3 primary schools, all closer to where I live, to get to the one we've been allocated.

In a town where there is a shortfall of 300 Reception places, there has to be a REASON why the school we've been allocated actually has spare places, doesn't there?!

It was reported as early as 2007 that Bournemouth were facing a huge shortage in primary school places for this year, but the fuckwits people - no, fuckwits is fair enough actually - the fuckwits at the Council did nothing about it. I gather that there is a huge debate about this going on over at NetMums at the moment but I haven't popped over there yet to see what everyone is saying ...

izzybeebristol · 27/04/2011 18:29

as of yet i am still waiting to find out whats going on. were refused to even apply for our school choice 10min walk away as its in bristol council and i live under south glos.. told direct by school had no chance as turned people away last year. the 3 weve put down are 30min walk away... why cant they just set up a call centre for us to find out if they are taking so long in letting people know? so frustrating!!! does anyone know when south glos are supposed to tell us? going away fri and so dont want to wait till back to find out!

northernrock · 27/04/2011 20:18

Thanks Mrs
I called our council to ask if I could appeal for any schools not on my original preference list, and they said they thought so, but were not sure!
They dont even seem sure of the rules!

You can be on any schools waiting list though, and I am going to appeal to one that is nearer than the one we were allocated just in case.

I know what you mean about them not planning for the shortfall. There has been a massive baby boom in the last ten years, and yet primary schools keep being closed, or amalgamated, which means further to go for everyone.

I also dont think there should even be such a thing as "good schools" and " bad schools". They should all be good. I blame Tony Blair, and I say that as a Labour voter!

tallulah · 27/04/2011 20:31

izzybee South Glos emails went out yesterday and we got our letter today, so you should have heard already.

Apparently there were 108 applications for our first choice school. There were 15 siblings and 15 children got in on distance- furthest away was 0.642 miles. They do nearest walking route rather than crow flies. According to google maps we are just under 0.7 miles away (can't get the route to start from our house and seems to go past the school) so we were out by a matter of yards :(

We are 0.9 miles away from the school we did get

Panelmember · 27/04/2011 20:34

Northernrock - Sorry. I missed your comment earlier about listing the schools in your order of preference. You say 'silly me' but this is almost invariably the best thing to do, because if more than one school had had a place for your child, it would have been the offer from the school you liked more that was passed on.

I agree that the school admission process can be baffling and that's why (as best I can) I contribute to threads like this. There are so many misconceptions about (like the 'if I only name one school they'll have to give me a place there' one I mentioned earlier) and I hope people might get something useful from it.

MrsMoppet · 27/04/2011 20:46

Panelmember I have found your comments on this thread, and on others, incredibly helpful - just wanted to say a big Thank You

AlisonFinch · 27/04/2011 21:03

I live in Suffolk and found out that we never got any of our choices for my son, i have already sent my appeal forms off. There is no way i am sending my son the the school of their choice!!! I have no idea what do do next i need to find a school by september who has space.

I am so upset by all this :0(

MissAnthrope · 27/04/2011 21:20

We don't find out until the weekend, but given that we moved in March (and distance will have been assessed on Our old address) I'm really quite concerned.

It's such a ridiculous system.

Panelmember · 27/04/2011 21:23

MrsMoppet - You're very kind but I do want to add my personal disclaimer, that these are my views but I don't want to deter anyone from doing what they think is in their child's best interests. As I have said, some things (like only naming one school) are almost certainly not in the child's best interests, but I remember how nerve-wracking the school application process can be and if anyone is determined to appeal, even on the flimsiest grounds, I wouldn't want to stop them.

Original poster

MindySimmons · 27/04/2011 22:02

Izzybee, Tallulah is right and if you haven't had anything, try giving admissions a bell - although it's all a bit of a mess and I expect they are inundated, you can get through

OP posts:

ABouttoeatalltheeggsGIRL · 28/04/2011 07:33

Hampshire emails went out early this morning, we have our first choice [csmile] which was no surprise as it was a sibling application and we'd already heard from the school as it's in Surrey. Good luck to other hampshire parents hearing today...

MrsFruitcake · 28/04/2011 07:41

Hampshire here too - got our first choice thankfully.

Whatevertheweather · 28/04/2011 08:06

Hampshire here email arrived at 06.44!! Got 2nd choice suspected we wouldn't get 1st choice but very gutted as logistically will be a nightmare and school we got feeds in to an awful awful secondary.

Can I ask how everyone is finding out who the places went to I.e sibling, catchment and also does anyone know if I can find out how far down the waiting list we are for 1st choice?

Hope everyone else got what they want

Meglet · 28/04/2011 08:11

Hampshire here. Got our first choice. Its not the best school in the area, but its very sweet and ds should like it.

Good luck to everyone else.

Bunnyjo · 28/04/2011 08:23

Just got our email through and we got our second preference. DD is a little upset as she loved the first preference school, but I'm happy we've got one of our preferences. Going to find out where we are on the waiting list for our first preference school, but I'm just so relieved... PHEW! [csmile]

Sidge · 28/04/2011 09:22

Hampshire here too - got first choice for DD3 which was no surprise as it's not a great school but DD2 is there with a statement and it's not oversubscribed. (Also the YR teacher said "see you again in September" about 2 months ago!)

However it's a lovely caring school doing a good job in a very deprived catchment area.

Interestingly when I was a school nurse covering a huge patch, my favourite and IMO the nicest schools tended to be the ones in the 'worse' areas. Many of the Ofsted Outstanding and highly coveted schools tended to be a bit up their own backsides and coasted on their laurels of their Ofsted report a bit.

Whatevertheweather you could get the info you want by phoning the school directly as they will hold lists.

moomaa · 28/04/2011 09:42

Hampshire here, and got first choice (catchment school), which I am pleased with, seemed a decent school when we looked around. Now have a tantruming DD who wants to know why she has to wait a year longer than DS to go

lillypie · 28/04/2011 09:59

South Gloucestershire here - got our first choice school but we are amazingly lucky in the fact that all the schools around here are good

xstitch · 28/04/2011 10:12

I am reading this and getting worried and confused. DD will be ready to move onto secondary by the time the baby is ready to start school. Are some children really ending up with no school places at all? . How can you home school if you work. Don't the councils have an obligation to offer something?

GiddyPickle · 28/04/2011 10:17

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

xstitch · 28/04/2011 10:29

I hope not if I don't get a place at the school (which I would be able to see if the house across the Rd was demolished then there is a Catholic school with a strict baptised catholic preference or a journey of 7km or more as that is generally oversubscribed. The bus there doesn't start until 9am so it would mean walking to get there in time

GiddyPickle · 28/04/2011 10:32

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

xstitch · 28/04/2011 10:36

I am 280m away and last years intake there are a few children from 1.2KM so hopefully doesn't change too much in the next few years.

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