As we are in admissions season again...some top tips for first timers

[BetsyBoop]

On this thread a while ago, I posted some top tips on the admissions system, which people found useful, so here they are again...

1. Visit every school local to you & make your own mind up - don't go on reputation/gossip/Ofsted reports/league tables
2. Find out how likely it is you stand a chance of a place by looking at the last few years admissions (eg what category & distance)
3. Put the schools in your genuine order or preference (schools are not allowed to operate a "first preference first" system, despite what people tell you)
4. Use all your preferences - but be realistic about your chances of getting a place - don't waste a preference on a hell-will-freeze-over-first option.
5. Always include one "safe" option (even if it is as last preference) which you are okay with & are pretty much guaranteed to get into (ie "catchment" school) . (Or you run the risk of getting a random "worse" school miles away if you don't get any of your preferences)
6. You will not be able to bully the LA/school/appeals panel into giving you the school you want by only putting that school on the application form & refusing places at other schools.
7. Read the admission code - you need to know the "rules" as if the rules are broken it gives you a valid reason to appeal.
8. Submit any exceptional social/medical circumstances evidence with your initial application, whether or not you are fairly confident you will get a place anyway - much easier than trying to win an appeal based on this later (which will typically fail if it is an infant class size* appeal)

• "infant class size" =YR/Y1/Y2 classes can have a maximum of 30 pupils per teacher

I am feeling more positive, we are definitely in the admission zone for the CofE school, and so we would fall under Criteria 4 (live within admission zone). Last year, there were 45 places, 14 fell under cat 4 and there were admissions from cats 5,6 and 7 as well. So unless there was a major baby boom 2007/08 we should be guaranteed a place here.
The other school in which we are in the admission zone is RC and I feel quite strongly that I don't wish DS to go to an RC school - I was raised as a Catholic and converted to Anglicanism as I disagree with the Pope's stance on many subjects.
I going to look at the other 2 schools that are very close by (only about 0.5 of a mile further than the CofE school so that I can feel confident about putting them on the form).

drcrab - spurred on by this thread I rang four local primaries to arrange visits, and only one of them had got dates in the diary for tours. Applications open here (Herts) on 14 November and the rest of the schools said they were fixing dates now or over the next few weeks. So either none of the schools round here are interested in having parents visit, or rather the ones which have already arranged dates are just the ultra keen exceptions. So hopefully don't panic that a school you are interested in hasn't yet arranged dates for visits. .

wigeon thanks so much for that. We're in Kent and they also open in November (get the booklets, online info).

What if you don't want to send your DC to school in the September after their 4th birthday, but want to wait until they're 5? Do you still need to apply as if they were going to go into reception class and then decline the place you're offered, or just wait until the applications process is open for the next year?

Your child must start school in the term following their fifth birthday. A child who will be five in October must therefore start school in January (unless you intend to home educate).

If you want your child to start school in January or after Easter you must apply as if your child is going to start in September. DO NOT decline the place offered or it will be given to someone else and your child won't have a school to go to. Accept the place and inform the school that you intend to defer entry.

If you want your child to start school in the September following their fifth birthday, assuming they were born in the summer, you should not apply for a place in Reception. There is no point. You don't want the place and it won't get you a place for starting next year. In that case you apply next year. However, note that in most areas your child will then go into Y1, missing Reception completely. Note also that most schools will already be full so it is unlikely you will be able to get a place for your child at a popular school. There would be a significant chance that you could end up with an unpopular school that is a long way from your home address.

Hi my daughter will be 4.4 if she starts Reception in Sept 2012. I have read on the LEA website that I can defer entry until she is 5. I was wondering what are the pros and cons. She started nursery when she was 1.5 and is doing really well. The school that I want her to go to is right opposite my house. Are most people here sending their kids when they are 4 or waiting until they are 5, and why?

Hmmm - just tried to register online with my LEA's Admissions department and the first question it asks is ''Please acknowledge that you pay your Council Tax to x Council'. Well technically I don't pay Council Tax because my DD and I live with my parents - who own the house and pay the Council Tax :/ Can I still tick yes?? It says to contact them if the answer is 'no' but so far their answers to any query I've asked has been confusing!!

They are only asking to ensure you are making your school applications to the right authority citrusmom, it is not to check you are paying as such they just want to make sure people who maybe live near the boundary of the area who want to apply for a school place do so to the right place, if you want to apply for a school in a neighbouring area you still have to apply through your own area and they pass on the application so don't worry, if the authority is yours and the council tax (who ever pays it) is paid to them go ahead and tick yes.

should look more closely, sorry I meant citruslemon not citrusmom,

citruslemon I would ring just to make sure. They check this so people do not make fraudulent applications. Are you listed on the council tax bill? Our school asks for proof which they photocopy to prove your address.

2 tips for first timers: Don't assume that a church school places much importance on religion/church going in admission priorities, check it out. Our C of E church does use religon as a criteria but as the absolute last thing on the list, so in practice noone is admitted in that catergory. I have heard people say they didn't apply as they wouldn't get in as they are not religous which is not true.

Second, if it is an infant school, look at the linked Juniors too, chances are your child will be there longer!

Mooma - totally correct, my local CofE school uses the same critera as the non-faith school as it is not voluntary aided. So no need for an additional form.

Thank you all for your advice - will be checking my parents Council Tax bill to see. I can't believe my baby is all grown up!! Lol.

make sure one of you preferred schools is in your catchment, we came unstuck didnt get any of the preferred schools and because we didnt put our catchment school, they put us to the bottom of the pile, as the deal with all other applications before ours and we are still waiting for a school place for this year

jbl2312 - I hope they haven't put you at the back of the waiting list. They aren't allowed to do that. And it is appalling that they still haven't sorted out a school place. Even though you applied late they are supposed to find a place for you somewhere. I would complain loudly and threaten to refer them to the Local Government Ombudsman unless they come up with a place quickly.

Kara Starbuck I noticed you said you felt quite strongly about not sending to a Catholic school. I'm not Catholic, but just wanted to say I've done lots of supply teaching including in Catholic schools and always found them especially friendly and nice places. Went to another nice one during my training too.
In my experience there's not much time devoted to any heavy doctrine, it's mainly quite light school assembly stuff and a bit of encouragement towards good behaviour towards others. But we all have to make our decisions somehow, and I understand if you've had less positive experiences
Generally I guess I quite like a school to have a bit of soul

My experience may well be coloured by the fact I was badly bullied at school and we had a teacher who was hell bent on teaching fire and damnation.
But thank you that is worth considering.

Hi Kara - I'm sorry to hear of your bad experiences at school. I wouldn't be happy for my DC's to hear any fire and damnation either. I wonder if it's legal in schools these days ? BTW There's a great medieval wall painting in Chaldon church in Surrey showing heaven above and the tortures of hell beneath - but at least they were kind enough to include a ladder between the two !

Question- Ive overheard a few mums lately sounding smug because they have already filled in the online form and 'got in early' so that will get the school they want.
Its not like that is it? Its not first come first served but after the deadline they start allocating.
Im pretty sure they are wrong but just wanted to check. Both the school open days im attending aren't till Nov!

Pigley - no, it's irrelevant for state schools. All applications received by the closing date will be considered together, applying before the closing date confers no advantage.

Been to see my local CofE school, it is lovely. They have confirmed that despite it being our closes school, we are not in the admission zone. We are actually well inside it, we are less than 0.5mile from the school walking and 0.3miles by the crow flies distance but as our street is not specifically listed then we aren't inside it. Think it is because it is a new build estate. FFS update your records, we lived here 5.5years and they first started building the houses 7 years ago!!
However our neighbour across the road come up against this and appealed and successfully got a place for her eldest, so that gives me some hope!
The school for which we are in the admission zone is twice as far away!
Oh well, just have to wait and see!!

Good luck with that, Kara !
Have you been to see any other schools yet ?

Kara - belated thank-you for the advice re: admissions. It's a very long time to be paying for childcare (sighs, considers selling kidney). We're hoping for St M or St O but NC would be fine. Ugh. Can't believe that you're not officially in the admissions zone for that reason - how frustrating!

First timer here too, and thought we had the school thing straight in our heads, but there's been a last minute curveball! DS is at nursery in school no 1. An outstanding lovely infant school where I am building relationship with SENCO re his speech delay and communication problems - so obviously we want this as our first choice for reception. We would probably scrape into one of the 90 places, given that around 60 will go to siblings !

He would then go to a CofE school as the linked junior school, which is just around the corner from us.

However, we have just found out that from Sept 2012, both of these schools will become full primaries, taking 60 each. It's in reaction to the years of oversubscription in this area.

So the CofE school, which I know nothing about really as it wasn't really on the horizon, is our nearest, but the school attached to his nursery is where he is settling and (hopefully) getting more confident to communicate. But there's no way we will get in on catchment with even smaller numbers being accepted in 2012.

I don't know what to do now - is speech delay a valid medical reason to continue at one school? How can I find out about the 'new' school when it doesn't really exist for 4 year olds yet?

For a medical reason to justify entry to a particular school you have to show that the condition means this is the only school for your son. If other schools are equally able to cope with his medical condition it will not give you any priority.

As for finding out about the "new" school, I would suggest that if it is good for juniors it is likely to be good for infants as well. You could also talk to them about their plans.