I know this has been done several times (a week) before! School applications.

[Galena]

I can't find it though - I couldn't work out what to search for. Sorry this is long, but I want to give the background too...

Is there a way of finding out how far away the distance criteria has reached in previous years for different primary schools in Gloucestershire?

We can put 4 schools down in our application, but we only have 2 choices - the school we want her to go to (539m as crow flies) and the school round the corner (374m as crow flies). Other schools are further away and we really don't want her to go to them.

Hopefully between now and Sept she will end up with a statement (She has a mild disability) and hopefully we'll be able to name school 1 on it. However, I can't imagine she won't get into School 2 if we fail to get a statement and fail to get into school 1. Do I really need to list a 3rd and 4th preference? Unfortunately they have removed the medical criteria from the primary school applications this year.

Background to schools:
School 1 was in special measures 4 years ago. Now is good. It's not a very popular school. They have a PAN of 15 although the last 2 years they have taken above their PAN because of 'unprecedented local demand'. They are a small school, with no steps, so great for DD. They are very keen for DD to go there, and have started conversations with other agencies about any adaptations needed for DD. The head told us that we 'should' get in just by putting it as our first choice - although I know that is no guarantee.

School 2 is good. It has a PAN of 75 and again, took over their PAN at least last year because of demand. They have a few steps, but not too many - it would be 'doable' if DD went there. They are, however, a big school - with separate junior school, and DD gets very scared with lots of people moving around her as she feels so vulnerable. It is obviously very close.

School 3 is Outstanding. It was originally our first choice. It is the church school linked to the church we attend. If we want her to go there we need a letter of support from our vicar, which he would provide happily. However, their attitude towards her disability was definitely one of adapting her to fit the school, rather than the other way around. It is also an old Victorian building with more steps that you can imagine! We really don't want her to go there, and so don't want to go to the bother of getting the vicar to write a letter of support, IYSWIM?

Have you looked on the council website? I know Bristol publishes all the furthest distances for oversubcribed schools.

I've looked, but Glos website is rubbish. I can see how many people applied and how many got in on each criterion but not furthest distance, as far as I can see...

It does look like they might not publish it, but someone made a freedom of information request for the schools they wanted here www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/school_catchment_areas_in_glouce

Maybe you could contact the council and ask?

Thanks that would have been great, but I don't think I've got time, unfortunately - bearing in mind it's Christmas and that we're away for 2.5 weeks between now and the closing date of 15th Jan, I think I'm just going to have to assume it'll be fine... :)

I have looked on the gloucestershire site and would have to say that I cannot find any distances either, which is a bit disappointing, as it is such a vital piece of information for many parents.
Could i suggest that you send an email to the two schools that you prefer and ask them what the furthest distance was that was admitted in september 2011. You could also send the same email to the admissions office of the LA and hope that they will reply promptly. Any distance that you get will be the furthest distance on the initial allocation. This may not be that accurate for the two schools that you prefer as they both admitted pupils over and above the agreed PAN and that was probably after the initial allocation had taken place.

Thanks, admission .

I will do that, although I'm sure they could do without me bothering them right now! In fact, I might wait until I hear about her statement - I should hear either today or tomorrow whether she'll have a statement, and if she will, that will take a lot of pressure off anyway, because we'll hopefully be able to get the school we want named in it...