Nursery - Reception admissions question ( SW London and Surrey)

[lala21]

Just curious as in process of applying to local nurseries attached to primary schools. Where we are your child being at the school's nursery is not a guarantee they'll get into reception, you have to reapply again etc.

Just curious with others experience if your child went to the school's nursery when you re applied again for your reception place did you get in at the same school?

My son did he loves that school, it's not our catchment school but the same distance as the catchment 1. Ds2 will
Start at the nursery next jan school put him down for a place when he was born as we go to toddlers there and the numbers have increased dramatically, I never forkally applied for his nursery place like school.

Dd2 did but she was a sibling. Probably the most important thing to consider is how likely you are to get into the school based on distance criteria, and, if you know any parents at the school you could ask them for a guess about how many siblings there are there. Of course it will change, but parents often can guess whether there are loads of siblings, the school prob won't have/give this info.

If you live next door you would probably get in, if you live further away and there are loads of siblings compared to places available then you might find you need to change to a different school. If it concerns you that you might need to move for reception then look at the admissions criteria, talk to neighbours etc and think whether you have a realistic chance of getting a reception place.

The only way in which you might be more likely to get consistency is if you think your child might have need a statement of educational needs which states that they need consistency of provision and that the reception school is the best place for your child.

Having said that, situations do change, and the school may add a bulge class etc. I think if you do go there and you know that you may not get a place you need to make sure that you and your child are realistic when application time comes and you don't get too attached to that school as the only place to give a good education.

You can also ask the school how many places there are in nursery compared to reception, for example there used to be 52 nursery places, 30 reception places, add to that some siblings who go to full time nurseries due to parents work etc, people were disappointed.

Basically don't see it as a short cut to getting a reception place, but if you think you stand a good chance of getting in it might provide continuity. Having said that dd1 knew only one person when she started reception and settled really well although most had been in the nursery. Dd2 hated nursery, but loves reception, no one could quite work out why she hated it, but she does love structure and peace and quiet, so any preschool could have been a challenge. If she had been my first I might have reconsidered putting the school down, but now I am happy she is there. It does however give you some insight into the school, but you will find that going from preschool stage to reception may still be a shock to the system.

It's not worth the risk of just assuming you will get a place.

Look carefully at the admissions criteria for Reception class.

When DS2 was in nursery there was a high sibling intake for the reception year 75 out of 90 admitted to reception had siblings.

As he had 2 older siblings in school he got a place, but there were 9 children across morning/afternoon nursery who never got a place as the distance criteria was pulled in closer than usual as a result. There were a lot of other DC who hadn't attended the nursery but had expected no problem getting into school who were not allocated their first choice.

In my other DC's years, there were always a few who never got in, but not quite as many.

Not 75 out of 90, 47 out of 60 - don't know where thst came from

Going to nursery never guarantees a place in reception. In most cases going to the nursery does not give you any priority for admission to Reception, so it doesn't actually make any difference. You are no more or less likely to get a place than you would have been if your child didn't go to the nursery. Every year there are disappointed parents who thought their child would get in to a popular school because they attended the nursery.

thank you for your replies, i thought i'd ask and it does say being at the nursery is no sure sign they'll get in. To be fair the schools are all very good so feel lucky and as things financially have taken a dive for DH and me at least he will go to a nursery.
oh the joys again thank you so much

3duracellbunnies sorry pressed before I'd finished meant to say thank you very informative,
one mum's son i know got into the reception as one of only 2 non siblings imagine cheers

I know a couple of children who didn't get into the school from the nursery and one who did get in but only gained a place in the August.