Don't Know What To Do - Mid Year Application For Reception Place - No Places Anywhere

[CuppaTeaAndAJammieDodger]

We're moving at the end of the month to a different part of the country. As soon as I had proof of our new address I applied for a reception place for DD at the school closest to our new address (we're in the priority catchment area for it) plus 2 more. None of them have been able to offer her a place due to availability. So I frantically called up about 4 more (I've called up every school in about a 5 mile radius) but also no joy by the looks of it; one wasn't 100% sure but thought it was a no, one was a officially yes but they've had lots of applications so thought the place would go within the day, the other 2 were straight nos.

Spoke to the council who have added the 2 schools who were a bit ambiguous with their response to the application but they didn't hold out much hope to quote the lady I spoke to.

I just don't know what to do, they've suggested that they will provide transport if she ends up in a school miles away (not that it looks like they have places anyway) but we both work full time and 4 out of the 5 days she will need to go to breakfast and after school club - so transport not much use to us. I can't give up or loose my job, we'd be utterly screwed financially.

I just don't know what to do or where to turn next. If anyone has any experience or advice I'd be really grateful.

Infant class size rules mean there is a limit of 30 pupils in any reception class with one teacher, so the LEA cannot admit your daughter as the 31st pupil in your local school if it's already full. The LEA has to find you a place somewhere and (as they have already indicated) fund transport if it is more than a certain distance from home. Look up the LEA's Fair Access Protocol and tell them that if they can't find you a place through any other route you want them to consider your application under that.

Exactly how old is dd? Is she 5 yet? If not then I would look for a nursery place as a stop gap till a school place somewhere comes up. Don't panic.
There will be childminders doing afte school care too as well as clubs and surely the council transport can accommodate at least the need for breakfast club? Won't it be a taxi?

She's still 4, 5 in July so in theory could go back to nursery I guess? Although as she's already started school (started in September 12) I'd be loathed to take her out.

Thanks for the details about the fair access protocol, I wasn't aware of that - although I'd like to know what a "reasonable distance" is :)

DP and I were talking last night and absolute worst case scenario we will have to bring her to her current school until a new one is found, this will mean a 4 hour commute each day on the train .... hardly ideal for a 4 year old.

I looked at their transport policy and in exceptional cases they cover petrol (not that I drive!), other than that it looks like a contracted bus which I assume goes at normal school time rather than breakfast/after school time, although you're right, a childminder may be the way forward.

If there are absolutely no places within a "reasonable distance" which is measured by travelling time on council provided transport, then the LA can force a school to admit over 30 to a class.

What you need to do now is get your DD on the waiting list of all schools you would like. Then when you move get your address changed. You can apply for schools in the new LA via your present LA even though you haven't moved yet. Then is a place comes up and there is no one else on the waiting list they have to offer it to you.

Good luck.

Thanks mummytime, she is on the waiting list for all the schools I've spoken to so fingers crossed - I know that she's number one (at least for the time being) on the list for the priority catchment school.

This is ridiculous,how on earth are people meant to move for work etc!

This is what happens if you prioritise financial efficiency over flexibility. As key stage 1 classes can only have 30 children in a class, and as there are financial penalties for having spare places in schools (also LAs shut schools if they have too many spare places); along with a rising birth rate in the South East among other places. This means that there is a huge pressure on places anyway, and no capacity to accept new pupils. Which the only provision for is the "fair access protocol" which can among other things allow class sizes to temporarily go above 30 pupils.

It's the same as the problem that occurs every winter when hospitals operate at 90% or more capacity, so it doesn't take much before they are full.

What you need to do is unfortunately wait and see what happens. The structure in place on in-year admissions will have to be followed and in effect the LA will have to confirm that there are no places anywhere within reasonable distance. Reasonable distance is a bit like how long is a piece of string. In terms of the LA having to provide transport to the school, the normal distance is 2 miles. However in a purely legal sense a school a reasonable distance away can be over an hour's travelling time. In law there is no consideration for the age of the child or the work issues of the parent.
Some LAs will latch onto the fact that your daughter is still only 4 and therefore does not legally have to start school till after Easter. They will therefore feel quite at ease about not finding a place for your daughter till after easter.
All you can do is wait, give them a couple off weeks and then start chasing them hard, asking them to invoke the Fair Access Protocol. But you need to be aware that the FAP does not mean you will get a place at the nearest school, just one that the LA decide is reasonable for your daughter.
Nor does every school have breakfast and after school clubs, the only requirement is that they can tell you where they might be!