Transfer application form - what to put in 'reasons for transfer/preference' section?

[SoftKittyWarmKitty]

DS is 6 and in Y2. When I applied for his primary place I put school A as first choice as I loved it, it had a great feeling to it, the Ofsted reports were good/excellent and it's within walking distance (in fact it's closest school to my parents who do school run 3x per week when I work). However we live a few streets outside the catchment area so were allocated school B, which is our catchment school. School B is ok and overall DS is happy there and is doing well (but not great). However the teaching standards are falling, they've had something like 7 heads in the last 4 years and their two most recent Ofsted reports have each gone downhill a little further than the one before - mainly singling out the teaching standards. They are currently being inspected every two years to check for improvements.

As a result of this I rang school A and they have a place free in Y2, although there are two people on the waiting list already (not sure if they've been offered this place or not). I want to put him on the waiting list even if he doesn't get this place, so I have a form to complete which includes a section on 'reasons for transfer/preference' and I'm debating what to put in. Once I've completed my sections I have to give the form to his current school to complete things like his absence/late record etc, so I don't want to slate his current school too much as he may not get a place at school A. I'll put that it's closer to my parent's house for the school run but not sure what else to put. I need decent reasons in case the LEA use the reasons as a decision as to who on the list gets a place (not sure if it's first on the list is offered the place, or the child that has the most valid reasons is offered it).

Just realised I've waffled a lot! Sorry, it's been a long day at work .

Any suggestions of valid, non-slating reasons that I can put?

This is I am afraid a Local Authority which is going out of its way to make it difficult to move schools and is acting beyond its authority.
If School A has a place in year 2, then if you ask for the place they are legally obliged to offer you the place. The correct process is that you need to ask the LA admission office for the place and this is the form you obviously have. There is no requirement for the current school to know that you are looking for another school place, though it is obviously sensible to have discussed any difficulties you are having with the school.
I would be tempted to put down "wish to move to school A, which was my original preference of a school" down as the reason. I would also send it straight to the admission office with a note on it saying you do not want school B to be aware of the request and you want the place at school A.
Asking for information on lateness and absence would be illegal if that was having any influence in whether the place is offered to you or somebody else. The rules are very clear, if a place in the year group is available then the place has to be offered to you if you are the only application. If there is more than one application, that is people who might be on the waiting list in that year group, then the person who gets the place is the person who is highest on the admission criteria for the school - probably at his time of the year that is going to be are you in catchment and then the distance criteria, how far away you are.

Thanks, for your response. That's a very good thing to put in that section as it's not inflamatory at all, nor is it 'begging'.

With regard to his current school seeing the form, the instructions on the form state that once I've completed DS's details and why I want to move him, I need to 'ask your child's current school to complete section 2' and the school has to complete a section then stamp the form. So I definitely have to give them the form. I assume I have to get the school to return the form to me (rather than the school send it off) because it then gives the address to return it to. So I'll complete it over the weekend and give to the school office on Monday and hopefully I can pick it up on Tuesday to post to the LEA.

I agree with Admission. Insisting the form is stamped by the current school is a clear breach of the Admissions Code as it effectively gives the current school a veto over your application. And the information on lateness and absence forms no part of the admissions process. If you don't get the place at school A do you really want the current school to know that you want to move your child?

I would do as Admission says and send the form straight to the admission office.

I suspect they will send it back though, which will be a waste of time and the place will go to one of the others on the list (which it might anyway, of course).

I would prefer that his current school don't know I want him to change schools which is why it's so annoying. However I think I have to get this form filled in by the current school as it states that any schools you are applying to move to may be shown the infomation (which is annoying as DS has had 4 days off sick - genuine - recently which won't look good). I'm going to approach the current school's office on Monday to get the info inserted onto the form, then tell them I'll collect it from them and ask when I can pick it up. I don't want them to send it off themselves in case the just file it under B for bin although I'd call and check that the LEA had received it, naturally.

I would follow the advice given by admissions and prh47 - thy are very knowledgable.
Actually put on the form that you understand it is in breach of the admissions code, and that you expect them to follow your wishes and not contact the current school, that you will inform them as and when your child has a place. If they know you are infomred, I can't see them risking going against what you are stating in writing.

If you lose out through not getting the form filled in by the current school you would have an excellent case for the Local Government Ombudsman.

The fact the form says that schools to which you are applying may be shown the information is worrying as it suggests they might use this to decide whether or not to admit your child. As Admission says, that would be illegal.

Is it really illegal/in breach of the admissions code? Will the LEA accept my form without the current school completing their bits, as I'm wondering if they'll just return it to me to get his school to complete, or send to his current school to complete themselves and I'd be none the wiser that they'd done that.

I'll draft a letter stating what's been put above and get the form filled in, then send direct to the LEA. Fingers crossed!

Having recently been through in year admission.

I rang school and asked if they had vacancies then went to look around and liked it.

I then rang lea admissions to double check how many vacancies the school had they said they had 1 school thourght it was 3.

I then asked if they mail me the application form.
for some reason they dont do in year admissions online very frustrating.

Going to council offices would have been quicker but they were miles away.

sent form back 1st class recorded. there was a section reason for leaving just said school a be better fit than school b.

left it 3days rang admissions see if they processing my form.
they said ohh yes we dealt with it yesterday offer letter in the post.

Also vy way we have emailed new school
and copies in old school who were not aware we were looking to leave.

tried to book appointmet with head as dident wish them to find out that way.

turned up head couldent see me saw deputy head who said of you unhappy just leave.

gave written letter of notice on last dat then told a rather cheesed off year 2teacher than we were going.

They then took weeks to transfer records school had to phone up old school for them. so ussure if latness or absence mattered they just needed her grades and reports.

The Admissions Code paragraph 2.21 says, "Any parent can apply for a place for their child at any time to any school outside the normal admissions round." If the LA says they will not process the application unless it is stamped by the current school they are giving the current school a veto over any move. Effectively they are saying you can only apply if your current school approves it. That is a breach of the code.

The law is clear that, in most cases, if you apply for a school and there is a place available you must be offered that place. You cannot be refused a place on the basis of your child's sickness or absence record.

It really annoys me when LAs do this kind of thing. They wouldn't do it for people moving into the area. Why do they insist on treating people who aren't moving less favourably?