Primary school places !!!

[Mrsmost]

Is anyone getting nervous for the primary school places next week? It's all I can thunk about now , the 18th simply can't get here soon enough , I would be happy if my DS got any of his 3 choices but does anyone have any idea of his chances if getting in one of them if they are all within a radius if one and a half miles from our home. My ideal choice would his first choice which is a catholic school which is 0.6 miles from home but is always oversubscribed, we attend mass every week and had all forms signed by the priest etc but don't know how much of a chance he has if getting it , any advice would be great as am worrying alot now the date is getting nearer.

Thanks for reading and sorry for rambling xxx

Letter arrived now, all the distances demonstrate that they've done it right.

There is are no places at all at any of the 20 schools in our town.

We have to wait until 7th May till we're contacted again.

hope you get some good news in May

Hi everyone. many thanks to all of you who took time to answer my issues and also to all the advice received in this forum. It is very much appreciated in this uncertain and stressful time.

My story so far. i live in North London (Haringey borough). On 18th eve- the eadmission portal says exactly these words:" the above child has been offered a place at :xxxx. We have been able to allocate a place at one of the schools named on your application form".
The issue here is that this "offered/allocated school" was NOT in my list of 6 choices!

The following day I received the famous letter and this time huge shock it says that it is not possible to offer a place to my child at any of the schools listed on my application form. It also adds that they are working with local schools to offer additional classes for Sep and they would let us know from 21 May. They confirm that they put my childs' name on the waiting list of my listed schools and after the 7th we can change our preferences on the remaining spaces they will publish on 7th May.

Issue 2 : Huge inconsistency.

I contacted the council - between waiting a long time, having a rude customer service person and then someone else who stated that we cannot meet anybody from school admissions and they can answer the questions on their behalf: litterally it was "read the letter everything is there , wait for the 21st May.

I managed to have some info though:
-he couldn't say if I was on the waiting lists, neither he could say in which position I was. I insist that I want to be in lists but apparently I can only be in the ones I listed and not in the lists for other schools. WHY NOT? I have seen in the forum that parents seem to be able to be added in any waiting list they want.

-the appeal packs are not ready (weird they should know that parents will appeal. it is not a new process!). I can't make an appeal because no offer was made to me. I stated the inconsistency. he says it is an allocation not an offer something to do with the waiting lists. I say to him that on the portal i have the option of accepting the offer. Why couldn't I appeal then?
He still says that I cannot appeal because no offer was made and I have no grounds !!! For the inconsistency I should contact the helpline of the eadmission as the council doesn't deal with the data there but by some governmental agency!
The other issue is that I don't know the outcome of the 21st May and I won't be able to exercise my appeal right (18th May 2012)

Am I OTT here or is there a real problem?

I want to appeal because my first choice has got 58 spaces rather than 60. I don't think they would have made an error of measuring the distance. They do from my door to the centre of the school (straight line). I am at 0.050m from the last offer on distance. I hope my son can go the my 1st choice and not that school they gave us an offer or allocation which is not good (based on some people I know, they are not happy).

Has someone been in the same situation? For the experts out there is there a difference between "offer" and "allocation"?
I am going to send an email later on to the primary admissions see if I can get some more realistic answers.
As some of you said it is just the begining of the process and not the end.
Thanks in advance for any advice.

Cerinthe Congratulations,my boys went to Bathwick St Mary 20 odd years ago.It's always been a lovely school

That's nice to hear issyocean, I don't know anyone who's children go to Bathwick St Mary's; only moved to Bath last November. We're renting in Larkhall and everyone we meet is evangelical about St Saviours and my DH prefers it there (despite the poor offstead). I preferred St Mary's because of the academic record, and the behaviour we observed on our visit was exemplary (less so in St Saviours). But my DH is now having a downer on St Mary's saying it will all be pushy parents and snobbish kids and I am getting cold feet.

It's a relief to hear someone saying it's nice.

chouilla my DGC faces the same Haringey nightmare. The information my daughter has received seems somewhat different than yours.

We thought she can change the 6 schools on her list - will read that again. (Would change some choices because the 'last admitted distances' are so different from last year's. Are desperate to get a school where she won't be miserable in September. Both parents work. Have given up on the educational aspect for now.)

Also, my understanding is that my DGC (and your child) do have an 'offer' but because the offer/allocation isn't any of our 6 choices:

• they go on the waitlist
• Haringey says they can appeal (it's unclear on what grounds!)

Feel free to PM me. I think it might be the same school.

Adding - our first choice also has admitted 58 not 60. I believe 2 are special needs children who each count as 2 places. One is probably wheelchair, not sure about the second one.

Can any of the experts here advise on appealing on the grounds that these children should count as 1 place not 2? And even if the appeal won, would the new place go to the child bringing the appeal or to the top name on the waitlist?

Cerinthe When we lived in Bath Bathwick St Mary catered for children from all social back grounds. They were very hot on good behaviour, but that's not a bad thing is it

oops typing on phone

Hi All,

I've read most of the posts on this thread and whereas I was mildly worried before, I am now insanely frightened about this entire process.

My situation is tough to try and get a decent primary school place. My husband and I work for the Foreign Office and we're currently overseas. Our daughter will be 5in OCt 2013, so we're heading back in Aug 2013 for her to start school in Sept. We want to move to Earlsfield, but will be renting. We won't have an address there until June 2013, 6 months after the application deadline. Wandsworth Council has said they'll accept an "intended address" as we're crown servants, but this basically puts us at the bottom of the pile with those that already live there (rightly) ahead of us. Friends have said both Earlsfield Primary and Beatrix Potter are excellent, but I've no idea the streets to target to improve my chances of entry, and also, I imagine rental properties around there are few and far between.

Any advice would be warmly welcome, both on applications and other schools in that area to put down.

Thanks,
Charlotte

issyocean yes, I agree. We spoke about it last night and he's come round to the idea. He's just concerned that she's happy, and frankly it was a shock she got in. We're really excited about it now. I think Bathwick St Mary is a wonderful school and I can't wait for DD to go there.

Hi, thanks to those who answered my question about waiting lists. MN is amazing for advice. Will certainly be putting my daughters name on the waiting list for the first choice school and a school we didn't even apply for. This whole process is a horrible complicated nightmare. Well done to those who got what they wanted.

Oh, we haven't been told our school yet. Just not expecting to get what we want. Anyone else still waiting to find out ?

Hello all,
Birmingham is finding out today by email and tomorrow by post! We received our email this morning and my twins got their first choice of school - an over-subscribed catholic school in Birmingham.

There was another really good school (where they go to nursery) that I wanted them to go but from research, I knew we wouldn't stand a chance as it is a CofE school that require you to attend any church regularly or at least be a recognized contributor to the area e.g. by volunteering and doing good deeds - which I didn't do much of as I work full-time long hours. I heard from a friend that over-subscribed schools don't even consider second choice places as obviously, there aren't even enough spaces for those who choose them first.

I wish every one best of luck!

Really? Well, thanks for clearing that up.

With all the drama and sleepless nights of trying to get your child into a good school, I can understand then how people imagine all sorts of scenarios and reasons for things going right or wrong.

If only ALL schools were very good, we wouldn't have this problem at all - you'd just plunk your child down at the closest school to you. If only though.

First choice.

Aaand breeeeeathe!

Quick question, if you are appealing not getting your first choice, do you accept your second choice place and then fill out an appeal form too?

We're due to find out this evening (Lancashire), is anyone else still waiting?

Sorry to hear of the nightmare some of you are going through.

I'm Lancashire too! Have you any idea what time? I'm guessing 5pm just as the telephone lines close. Eek. I'm East Lancs!

Gladyoucame Lancashire places are on the website now. We got our first choice where dd is already settled at nursery. Phew. I wan't worried until the playground scaremongering started. Hope you got what you wanted.

Nomorecake thanks we got our first choice too, very relieved

Hi,
Anyone knows the catchement of Tetherdown this year?
I emailed Haringey but I think they are pretty busy at the moment...