Anyone in Manchester not been offered a reception place?

[OzBrit]

We received our email yesterday informing us that we got no offers at any of the 5 schools we put on our application form. There was no indication of alternative offers and after numerous discussions with admissions they didn't indicate we had offers elsewhere. Interestingly our "letter" is yet to arrive yet everyone who got offers seem to have received theirs on Thursday! I assume however that if an offer was made at an alternative school it would have been on the email????

The 5 schools were our closest school. We know where we are on waiting lists (9th, 13th & 19th - other 2 are church schools and we are further up their lists) so there is a chance we may get a place after 11th May.

Is anyone else in the same situation and if so, what are your next steps?

Article about this in the daily mail. One boy has been told he will have to attend a sure start centre for lessons.

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2140782/Boy-forced-start-school-Sure-Start-Centre.html

Thanks VivaLeBeaver - this is very close to us and we have not been offered schooling at a Sure Start Centre.....find that an interesting comment from the LA.

Yeah, i thought it was a bit odd that you didnt seem to know about it. Hope something is sorted for you.

Have to agree with Schoolsnightmare that the admission rules do not allow those with no school places to get priority over those that request another school. Because anybody on a waiting list has to be in admission criteria order you will probably continue to be well down the list on most schools other than that which is your local school.
The onus has to be on the LA to try and plan better. I find it hard to believe that the LA did not know there was going to be an issue in the south manchester area given that it has always been a difficult area. They must have known by Christmas time as admission applications came in that they were struggling and they should have been much more pro-active in looking as to where "bulge" classes could be accommodated rather than leaving it till now to think about.

Good luck! I honestly wouldn't sit and wait. The council might offer you a spare place anywhere, in a rubbish school miles and miles away and expect your child to go by taxi daily. Campaign for the bulge classes where YOU want them. Councils are ultimately political entities and pressure can be applied by the electorate. I'm sure there was another thread recently where someone did this and they were successful.

Our council started planning for the required extra reception classes over 12 months in advance based on local birthrate data.

Also, another thought... have you posted in the relevant MN local section? I imagine you might fairly quickly track down other parents in the same position if there really are 160 waiting.

SchoolsNightmare & admission - Here is what Manchester are proposing re waiting lists for next year (Pg 3&4). It is a consultation document so not sure when the consultation phase ends
www.manchester.gov.uk/.../primary_admissions_arrangements_2013...

I also found this document www.manchester.gov.uk/egov_downloads/7._Allocation_of_School_Places.pdf which outlines numbers etc from Sept 2011 intake - it is an interesting read, particularly seeing how many people do not respond to the offer and also shows that they are aware of the situation

PestoPenguin - I am really new here on MN - how do I post in the relevant local MN section

It is a wait and see game now as to what we get offered. The Manchester Evening News had the same story that was in the Daily Mail, except with the street they live in, so that has been interesting to see. They are further away from the Didsbury schools then us, but seem closer to Burnage schools.

Thanks again for the ideas and support

OzBrit

You go to 'local' on the top blue row
Then within 'north west' choose 'manchester'
Then near the top in purple 'join in local talk'

here for manchester

Don't suppose you know what the catchment radius was for beaver road this year, just out of interest?

I'd consider putting up a notice in the sure start centres (esp didsbury park) if you want to find others in the same situation.

Thanks for that

Catchment for BR was 0.457....we are 0.47....arghhhhh!

The newspaper article said that that little boy had been rejected by something like 126 schools how can that be?

I'm amazed at this. I used to teach near where you are (but nearer to the Sure Start Mum). When I started at the school, it had a 3 form entry. By the time I left, we had split age classes (due to falling roles- not a popular school, not a popular area). The classrooms were all turned into 'spare' rooms- we had a library, a music room, ICT room, 'spare room' for breakout groups, mentoring room, etc.

I can't help thinking that, with all that space, more classes could be acommodated. But sadly, I imagine all those classrooms are still sitting empty, whilst all these children are without a schol place.

Hi we are just over the border in Stockport- I think most of the schools in this bit are pretty good- any chance of you being able to apply to them? Happy to give you a heads on what I know schools wise.My DS now in high school- I can't believe that people now don t get local schools!

thegreylady - because of oversubscription all schools had to follow their admissions criteria. For us this meant it came down to distance and we lucked out this year. This has been the same for the newspaper/surestart lady. The LA then feel it is reasonable to offer a school within 2 miles....again no vacancies. They can then offer places beyond 2 miles.....again no vacancies

amistillsexy - 2 schools within South Manchester have had extra classes etc over the past few years, but none within the area we are in - these could well be the ones you taught in.

I have been speaking with a number of Headteachers in another area of Greater Mancs - they are having the same issue (on a smaller scale though) and breakfast club rooms are being made into classrooms etc. I suppose this is what they will be looking at across Manchester

Tiddlymum - I have head that Didsbury Rd and Tithe Barn are quite good? The problem with going to Stockport is that it is the complete wrong direction for work and also we would be way down waiting lists there. We are considering it though so any tips would be greatly appreciated

Will pm you

Some help needed from the experts please

I know appeals are being heard under the new Appeals Code (Feb 12), and there is also a new admissions Code, but this doesn't apply for us (but will for those starting school in Sept 13). Where can I find a copy of the Admissions Code applicable to our case??

I hope I have got this right - I am sure I have read this on one of the threads but can't seem to find where it is!
Thanks

i taught in a dining room of a school... that was still used for dining at lunch time...

when i left teaching 9 years ago , schools were closing and amalgamating due to falling roles. the situation has turned around rapidly since. it did not seem feasible then that i would be worrying about getting places at a school for my children.

When I was at primary school over 20 years ago half our dining hall was turned into a classroom, and by the time I left our 2 class entry school had 3 bulge years with an extra class. Mind you, none of our classes were bigger than 25 pupils, which is practically unheard of now. I don't think matching capacity to demand is entirely a new issue.

I have just come across your post, and was wondering what was your outcome? I have just received the application for a primary school place and looking at the distances for 2012 we would not have got any of our preferences, as like you we live are in a black hole, we are 0.5m from St Pauls, 0.6 from Beaver, 0.7 from Cavendish (they are our closest schools). Our closest school is faith school, but we don't practice so out of question. Any suggestions?

Hi Boso - I have sent you a pm

Outcome - still on waiting lists and currently at an independent!

I'm surprised - I wouldn't have thought the demographic of Dids had changed much, so why the shortage? It was always a young family area, surely?

Baby boom, high number of sibling places, more families in the area, immigration and general poor planning from the LA. It was a very big shock for us and a stressful experience, but unfortunately one that is likely to happen again

Agree with OzBrit - 2012 was a tough year for lots of people (especially it seems around Didsbury) I have two friends (in Didsbury) who didn't get a place in a preferred school - one of whom was allocated a place at a school in Wythenshaw. They have also told me of many others in Didsbury in a similar situation -some of whom have gone down the private route and a couple who have delayed their children entering reception (not sure how this will have helped). We are lucky that we got a place (Trafford) although even here I know of some children who didn't. Lets hope that this year the LA have planned things a bit better and learned some lessons from it all (doubtful though).

Hi, I'm the sure Start mother who didn't get a school place. I've just found this link as I was trying to find advice for my friend whose child has not been offered a place. What happened with your child in the end? Did teu get a place? My son was offered a place in a bulge class at Mauldeth Road a week before our appeal. He started in September but was really unhappy. Fortunately he slowly moved up the waiting list for St Paul's and he started back 6 weeks ago. He's over the moon. I think the situation this time round. So many children without places. Unless you live on the schools doorstep or have a sibling there you're in trouble!