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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

Waiting Lists - London Reception Admissions - feeling sick

18 replies

leeloo1 · 16/05/2013 15:04

I just spoke to our home borough and apparently DS has gone down on the waiting lists - he was:

4th (1 form entry) - now 6th
18th (3 form entry) - now 21st

for our neighbouring borough he's still

8th
11th
12th

We were offered a place at an unsatisfactory school, which we rejected. Its a stupid mistake that we even put it on the application form in last place, but on their website they said they were 'an Ofsted rated good school' and linked to their old report - so I put them down... then realised my mistake after applications had closed.

So we have no hope of winning an appeal, as you can't appeal against a school, no school for September for DS and I'm due to give birth in mid-Sept too, so its not looking like it'll be a fun month really! Realistically home schooling is going to be our only option, but I'm worried its not going to help DS socially, as he took a good 2 terms to settle properly into nursery and even now loves the staff but doesn't really socialise much with the children as far as I can tell. :(

I work from home (childminder), so can't even easily move closer to any of the schools we're trying to get into.

Sorry long post and there's nothing anyone can really do to help. I'm just feeling sick at the whole situation.

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FadedSapphire · 16/05/2013 18:50

Right, calm down. .
Can you accept 'unsatisfactory' school and stay on all the other waiting lists? Is school really so awful as a temporary measure if needed? Have you visited 'unsatisfactory' school?

FadedSapphire · 16/05/2013 18:51

Ok, sorry I see you have rejected the school....

FadedSapphire · 16/05/2013 20:02

Hopefully someone helpful will talk to you soon.....

RandomMess · 16/05/2013 20:04

When does he turn 5, he doesn't need to be in school until the term he turns 5?

Original poster

leeloo1 · 16/05/2013 20:46

Thanks for the replies. Calming down is probably a very good plan! Dealing with the admissions people just really stresses me out. :(

The school we rejected really is pretty bad - Ofsted refers to bullying in the playground and children not being challenged or stimulated! So we didn't feel we had any choice but to reject the place.

DS won't be 5 until Nov, so doesn't need to be in school until January then? Academically I'm sure he'll do fine not being in school - I'm really not boasting, as its just luck that he's really interested in learning (the other day he told DH 'tell me more, I want to learn everything as quickly as I can!' - when they were talking about how car engines work) and he can read, is starting to write more, can count (in 1s, 2s and 10s), add up and take away, knows number bonds to 10, loves ICT, is getting better at drawing things that actually look like something... and is way too articulate!

But, I think I'm more worried about having him home and bored after (finally) settling into nursery a couple of days pw and losing whatever gains he's made in getting on with other children. When he first started at pre-school the teacher said he was like an anthropologist - watching and commenting on the other children, rather than playing with them. I felt like such a bad parent. How did I not notice my child can talk/get on with adults but not children. :(

And now I'm failing him again by not having a nice school for him to go to.

OP posts:

RandomMess · 16/05/2013 20:50

is it a nursery or pre-school he goes to, could he stay there part time until a place comes up and HE him alongside?

Pyrrah · 16/05/2013 20:55

Did you go and look round the school or are you just going on the Ofsted?

I looked round 5 schools - one 'Needs Improvement' and 4 'Outstanding'. I ended up with the NI school 3rd choice as it was so much nicer than 2 of the Outstandings.

Ofsted is only part of the picture.

I don't love the school DD is going to (2nd choice) but at 44th on the waiting list it will do for however long it takes to get a place.

Given that you are in London, the chances are the waiting lists will move reasonably fast (especially in inner London) and depending on PAN, you may get somewhere by September.

I would recommend going to see the school you were allocated and asking for the place back just so you're not in a worse place come January.

Fuckwittery · 16/05/2013 20:58

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster

leeloo1 · 16/05/2013 21:06

Mmm, he goes to a children's centre? I can ask about him staying on - it'd be great if he could - but I didn't think they could stay on?

The ofsted was about 10 months ago, then they went back 2 months ago and said they'd failed to meet any of the targets put in place. I was willing to look round, but DH completely vetoed it as he said they'd put spin on things which we'd be tempted to believe as we're desperate. I know some other parents who have looked round (some in our position) and they said it was pretty bad. The school does still have spaces though, so we could go there if we chose to later I guess.

Fingers crossed that the waiting lists will move fast - in our direction! Sorry to be dense Pyrrah but whats PAN?

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Original poster

leeloo1 · 16/05/2013 21:07

Btw, thanks for all the helpful comments. Its very much appreciated!

OP posts:

RandomMess · 16/05/2013 21:10

Some of the dc on the waiting lists will be also be on all/most of them too IYSWIM hence why there still could be a lot of movement. Some children can just not turn up too at the start of term!

Fuckwittery · 16/05/2013 21:37

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

freetrait · 16/05/2013 22:59

Don't worry. He'll be ok for a term at home. Might be nice for him with the new baby. Or you can claim the 15 hour sessions I think whilst he's still 4? (not sure about this). I guess I would try to chill out but come up with a plan B/C and D for what to do for January. Really, missing a term is no biggie at all- if you think that the younger ones used to start in January anyway.

BlackeyedSusan · 16/05/2013 23:24

he does not need to go to school, you do have to ensure he is educated from january though. if you are a child minder will you not be following the eyfs anyway? you do not even need to follow a curriculum as long as you are educating effectively.

meditrina · 16/05/2013 23:34

Do you want him to go to school?

If so, it might be worth trying to get back the place you turned down. For you may find the school fills with (possibly out of borough) children who currently have no offer at all.

You can accept, then defer his until January, so if you can secure a better place by then he need never start there at all.

As LEA has offered you a place, they are not obliged to find you another. And if you reapply later, you may find yourself in exactly the same situation -or worse, if the only places available by then are further away or at an undersubscribed school you find even new unacceptable.

Accepting the place does not mean you cannot sit on the waiting lists of the schools you would prefer. Not would it make any difference if you chose to appeal for a place at any school which didn't offer.

There is always a lot of churn in London. People are moving in and out all the time, so I think you have a good chance of getting a place via waiting list but perhaps not by September. But if you need to have somewhere for him to go in January, he the least worst course of action is to try to get your offer back.

NynaevesSister · 17/05/2013 10:24

If home educating is an option then in your case I would stick with it. There is a lot of movement in London so you may well get a place before the end of reception year.

You said it was hard for him to settle into nursery. My son was like that and when he moved again for reception it took him just as long. You don't want to have to settle him at one school and then do it all again.

Keep checking that you are on the waiting list. At some point, I think it is after Christmas, they close the lists and you go back on the waiting list for a school by applying as an in year admission.

But I would say don't panic. You will get a place at a school you want eventually and you are in a good position in that you can home educate for a while.

Blu · 17/05/2013 10:31

Remember that lots of the children on the different waiting lists will be the same children. So each time one person comes off one waiting list and accepts a place , many of the others may go down a place, too.

As far as I know you can go on waiting lists for as many schools as you like now - not just schools you originally applied for.

PLaces come up even within the first 3 weeks of term. Just make sure you know what date the waiting lists revert to the schools rather than the LA, and that you refresh your place on the waiting lists and confirm direct with the schools that you wish to remain on them.

Do you have local-ish 'OK' schools on your list as well as the favoured over-subscribed 'must get into' schools?

Honestly, there will be LOADS of movement between now and then.

smee · 17/05/2013 13:12

Go and visit the school at least. My DS went to a failing school. He's still there in yr4 and it's now deemed 'good with outstanding features' as far. Honestly though he's had a great experience from day 1 in reception. So many people told us not to send him there, but we liked the feel of it when we went round.

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