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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

appeal on childcare grounds? Desperate!

41 replies

runningmom · 02/05/2012 20:49

Dear all,
We were offered our second choice at a good primary and our hearts sank as we were told the same week that despite being on the waiting list for a year for the after school club there are lots of children above us and no place is likely to be free until next Sept. I had childcare lined up for our first and third choice and have exhausted all avenues ie every single childminder on any list available!
What can I do in all seriousness? I read that you can't appeal on grounds of childcare issues but with no other options I am stuck. Neither myself or my huusband have the option to leave work that early and I can't go parttime or give up my job. I'm really stressed and just hoping that we get a place via the waiting list method at first choice school (ironically closer.)

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

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wishiwasonholiday · 02/05/2012 20:52

Not sure what you would say if childcare isn't already in place but I know someone who had used a childminder since their dc was a baby and she said she didn't want to unsettle her and appealed and got in.

Is a nanny another option?

Original poster

runningmom · 02/05/2012 21:07

I'm not sure nannies just do school pick ups and drop offs do they? ANy experience?

OP posts:

purpleroses · 02/05/2012 21:13

How much do you prefer your second choice over your third? If the third choice isn't over-subscribed you might well be able to get a place there instead. Or you could try hassling the after school club or the school head - my DS's club was in a similar situation a few years back and got loads of grief off new parents who couldn't get their kids in. They got more staff and doubled the size of the club by having half the kids in the hall at a time so everyone got a place.

It could also be worth asking around other mothers or putting up a notice in the school to see if another parent might be up for taking your DC after school, even if they're not a registered childminder.

purpleroses · 02/05/2012 21:14

Or would you have space for an au pair?

Original poster

runningmom · 02/05/2012 21:31

Au pair - no space I'm afraid
3rd choice - I think I may ring them in a few weeks when they'll know their numbers. It's fine just not as 'nice' in lots of ways as the 2nd. It just feels so unfair that in essence I am 'choosing' because of child care and am penalised for working full time (as most parents seem to be - gripe, moan etc.)
I will also try the notice thing; guessing I would have to send it via the school office? I will also write to the head as well. Good thinking.

OP posts:

admission · 02/05/2012 23:13

The simple answer is you will not win an appeal based on child care needs, you need to look for Plan B but not sure what that is.

clam · 02/05/2012 23:26

And the person wishiwasonholiday knows might have won her appeal on different grounds - not childcare. Or it might not have been an Infant Class Size appeal. Who knows?

BackforGood · 02/05/2012 23:58

When I couldn't find any out of school care for my dc, I put a notice on the Church notice sheet, asking if anyone would be interested. I got 3 offers -none of them anyone I knew, all people who knew someone who knew someone. Might be worth a try if you don't know anyone at the school to ask round other parents for you ?

panelchair · 03/05/2012 01:02

Even if it wasn't an infant class size appeal, it would be very, very unusual to win any appeal on childcare grounds alone. Generally the view is that it is up to parents to find a way of getting their child to school on time and make arrangements for after-school care. I imagine that there were other factors too in that successful appeal.

lisaro · 03/05/2012 01:30

To be fair - you're not being 'penalised'. If you got in ahead of children with a SAHM by your account then they would be 'penalised'. I sympathise but please don't say that.

PanelChair · 03/05/2012 12:00

Exactly, Lisaro. Arguing that parents with full-time jobs outside the home should get some some of priority for school admissions is doomed to fail and is also quite likely to alienate any appeal panel.

IndigoBell · 03/05/2012 12:05

I have a before school / after school nanny.

Put a sign up in the local news agent, and a lovely girl who has her own baby was very happy to do it.

witchwithallthetrimmings · 03/05/2012 12:11

My guess is that something will sort itself out between now and then. The first few weeks of settling are hard because they don't do full days but this does give you a chance to meet the other parents and maybe sort some kind of childcare swap. Advertise on gumtree and the like as well as there may be a student who want to work just a few hours a day.

Original poster

runningmom · 03/05/2012 17:15

Thanks for the replies. I didn't mean to berate SAHMs. It's just that (as a teacher myself) there's no way I can have any time off/work flexible hours so I could get son. I won't even be able to take him to settling in sessions or his first day at school. I'm not looking for sympathy here as it's my choice (although really it's my bank's choice) that I work in the sector I do. I just underestimated how hard it would be to get childcare and I began looking in Sept of last year! I certainly don't say that I should have more say over schools than others, it's just that I feel I am being forced into 'choosing' a lesser school solely on childcare ( ie there is quite a poor primary which may have spaces and childcare nearby.) Surely nobody should 'choose' a school solely on the basis of if you can get childcare or not????!!
I will definitely advertise DS (could I put posters up at the school gates? Contact the school??)
How much would after school nannies be? Any reputable websites?
Thanks

OP posts:

purpleroses · 03/05/2012 17:24

I would contact the school first and check that they don't have any plans to expand their after school club. Also check what the notice period is when kids leave the club. They've probably accounted for kids that will be leaving going up to secondary school, but some tend to drop out before Y6 as they start getting old enough to walk home on their own, etc, so whenever these parents give notice (might well be half term) then that's when they may have a better idea if they can get your son a place. Also find out what kind of waiting lists system they operate and where he is on it. Some after school clubs are run rather informally/chaotically and places that come up will go to whichver kid's parents have been on the phone lately begging for a place.

kla73 · 03/05/2012 17:37

Try www.childcare.co.uk. Also the local boards on mumsnet and netmums are good. I found a nanny through both of these routes in the past. I would also second giving gumtree a go and checking that the after school club aren't considering expanding considering the demand. I know its a cliche but these things do have a habit of working out in the end - good luck with it.

3duracellbunnies · 03/05/2012 17:59

As a teacher you may be able to offer someone reciprocal childcare in the half term etc. Maybe not your ideal way to unwind, but it might help you and a few part time parents out.

Also as he doesn't HAVE to start until the term after he turns five, i.e. Jan or April, could you leave him where he is until either he has to start or you arrange childcare, whichever is sooner.

Original poster

runningmom · 03/05/2012 20:59

Thanks all.
We're 4th on list for the club and have been told 'no chance' until next Sept! I've written to the head in the hope she may shed some light and will pop into the school to 'advertise' my son.
He turns 5 in the January so he could start in April. Will the school hold open his place until then though?

OP posts:

wedoNOTdothat · 03/05/2012 21:40

They will hold his place although they may not be happy about it. It may be different where you are but I was under the impression that a child had to be in school by their 5th birthday. This is what we were told when we deferred dd's entry to reception.

prh47bridge · 04/05/2012 00:40

The law is the start of term following the 5th birthday. That is the same everywhere. Of course, some schools and LAs have long tried to push parents into starting earlier.

lisad123 · 04/05/2012 00:44

Have you really tried EVERY childminder?

3duracellbunnies · 04/05/2012 11:33

My understanding is that they have to hold it open until April, but can't hold it until Sept for a summer child. They won't be happy, but you're not happy that they don't have space for him in wrap around care, make it clear that is the only reason and that you would be happy for him to start sooner if space is available sooner.

Also by april space may be available at your first choice (if that childcare option still open). At least that would limit your time to have to cater for him. Maybe a 3 month nanny, or if you have a younger sibling can one of you take some unpaid parental leave?

MOSagain · 04/05/2012 12:06

Have you tried private nurseries? Several near us offer after school childcare. They pick up from school and take them back to the nursery, give them tea etc.

purpleroses · 04/05/2012 12:27

If you were to delay starting him the school would stand to lose a lot of money for the two terms he's not there. Threatening to do so may help put some pressure on them to extend their after school club.

But personally if I was in your situation I would send him to a different school rather than keep him in nursary. He would find it much harder starting two terms later than everyone else and probably won't get that much out of nursery when he's a year older than all the others.

Rosebud05 · 04/05/2012 13:43

A friend of mine advertised on Gumtree for an after school nanny - she found someone who is really lovely and lives locally, and their arrangement has been in place for about 3 years now.

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