Bury St Edmunds - got to relocate there this summer. How do i get a school place?

[GhostOfTheRobot]

I will have missed the deadline for Sept 2013 Primary school admissions for dd1.
What happens if all the school places are taken? Do the LEA help? Or do I have to lobby schools myself?

Also, we don't know exactly where we'll be living yet so I guess no school will give us a place now even if there was one available.

I know I'm being a bit wet behind the ears! Online (have looked at Good schools guide) said this is a hard situation and I will have to make do with where ever they can offer. This makes me nervous as I need to be able to walk as don't have a car.

There must be someone who has been through this or knows how to tackle this.

Would really appreciate some advice from those who have been there!

Have you had a look here?

Suffolk gov

booklet on admissions

Thanks Maybe, I've had a quick read and it looks like after 16 April I can apply late.

Only trouble is I won't have an address in Suffolk until July/August time.

I wonder if they'll consider my situation afterwards? Mil has told me I can home- school but I don't think that's really my skill set. I will if I have to but am really hoping I can squeeze dd in somewhere.

How old are your children? Bury St Edmunds still has the three tier system (but it is under review) with middle schools for years 5 - 8.

Hi, Maybe. Dd is 4 so it would be reception class. Is there slightly more scope to negotiate with reception?

If you've missed the closing date for Reception places you will need to contact the local authority to find you a place for September and you will have far less choice.

Some of the town's primary schools will be full, with parents also having been to appeal by then. There will be a place somewhere, but maybe not at what would be your first choice or catchment area school if it is Bury itself you move to. But it is worth going on waiting lists as there is movement.

I don't know if you've thought where you want to live. We used to live in a village just outside the town and were very pleased with the village school.

Sorry, Maybe. Dd2 has been ill & kept me busy!
We don't need to be living in town but as I don't have a car/drive I need to be able to walk dd1 to school. If a village had a decent bus service I could do that.
The trouble is not knowing Suffolk at all makes this so hard.
We only found out about the relocation last week so feeling a bit thrown.
I think I will be ringing the LA and see what they can advise.
Thank you for your help.

Hope DD2 is better soon.
There are some very nice villages around Bury. I found it a bit of a shock compared to SE as many have no shop, PO, library, etc. and bus routes are variable. So check that carefully or you could feel very isolated.

Yes, am concerned about being cut off.
I will just have to research as much as possible. I'll see what the LEA say.

Many thanks for taking the time to help me & for the kind comments for my dd2. She's grumpy but on the mend!

Thanks Tiggy, sounds like I'd be better off focusing on Bury itself then.

Can't help with technicalities but we live in village next to Bury and DD goes to school there. It is a wonderful market town with load of things to do and all the schools have a good reputation.

Let us know where you end up living and which school so we can advise further.

Ah, Butkin, sounds good. Not Sudbury us it? It looks nice there.
The job doesn't start til June. I know people move all the time and have to get school places.

Sorry, didn't finish that!

I meant to say I just feel a bit flumoxed by the timing if this. Still, that's life I guess!

No Sudbury is 16 miles from Bury and would be considered to be a long way away in the great scheme of things. It is a market town in it's own right.

We live next to Ickworth Park in Chevington.

By the way The Apex is a new concert venue which has a wide range of entertainment in the heart of Bury. I'm off to see Dexy's there tonight!

Ah, I see.

The Apex looks great! Rollerskating & zorbing looks great fun.

Rollerskating is at Curve Motion which is also a popular soft play centre.

Ah, mixing the names up! Sorry. I need to get my head round it all.

Wish I could download it all to my brain in one go!

I agree with Butkin - I've lived in and around BSE for over 12 years and now live in a village a few miles to the south. Many villages have their own Primary schools which have good reputations.

I work at one of the middle schools in BSE, but we are changing to 2 - tier from 3-tier in the next 3 years so things will change.

Once you know where you will be living feel free to PM me and I can advise you about the schools that will be local to you. There are some good independents too if that is of any interest.

It does sound as though you would be better off living in or near BSE as the public transport in some villages can be erratic or non-existent.

Thank you very much, diabolo. That would be fantastic!
I reckon we will be moving roughly end of May time.