I don't have a reception place for September - HELP!

[flootshoot]

I've posted in chat but was advised to try here.

DS is 5 in Feb. We had planned to move from Brighton to Staines for months; at one point it looked like it wasn't going to happen and as such DS has a school
Place in Brighton. Surrey would not let me apply until I had proof of address in Staines which was fair enough. In the end our move happened quite suddenly about ten days ago. I've applied to Surrey but I've now been informed that he may not get allocated a school place at all for Sept. I do know what to do other than keep on at them.

Another Mnetter suggested approaching the neighbouring counties (Bucks/Berks) but I don't know if I am allowed to do that?

Any advice would be very much appreciated!

[prh47bridge]

They have broken the code by not offering a place at all. It doesn't have to be at one of your preferred schools but they must come up with a place somewhere.

Technically you shouldn't win an appeal as you wouldn't necessarily have got a place at one of your preferred schools. However, an appeal panel faced with an LA that has broken the Admissions Code in this way may well decide to award you a place at one of your preferred schools. Of course, it is quite possible that the LA will suddenly find a place for you rather than lose an appeal.

[flootshoot]

Thank you all, SO much. I've read the admissions code, and am planning a very strongly worded email to go this morning. I plan to demand an answer by tomorrow or I will launch an appeal in Friday, citing breach of the code and unfair prioritisation of older children. Thank you for giving me some ammunition, I feel like I can actually do something now.

[flootshoot]

I sent an extremely strongly worded email first thing this morning, citing the relevant points of the admissions code. I've asked for a response by close of business tomorrow otherwise I will launch an appeal. I think that's fair enough? Ready for some fisticuffs now!

[admission]

Don't be surprised if you get no response or just a general we will get back to you response. The reason I say this is that LAs are slow at the best of times and in the summer holiday doubly so.
If they have been operating this system for some time then it will have become the norm and the immediate reaction will be to start asking their admission people and then probably their legal people to confirm their process is legal and you a re talking rubbish. Only when they start really looking at what the code says and consult somebody who was not involved in the original decision, may the penny drop that they may not be correct.
So I would start writing your appeal, as the probability is that this will not be resolved by end of tomorrow.

[flootshoot]

Thanks admission. I suspected as much! I've had nothing back yet, but so long as somebody reads it they can't say they haven't had fair warning. I don't want to waste anyone's time or taxpayer's money on an appeal process. Makes me so cross to think of how many people this may affect.

[flootshoot]

The woman I spoke to also said that if I hadn't got a place by sept to call back and they'd assist me in finding a preschool place for a term... is that a common thing they offer? I'm guessing the preschools are just as full as the schools!

[flatmum]

Don't hold your breath for Surrey, they are woeful. my 5y old is 6 in September a d is still on the waiting lists for all the schools we applied to as he had no place last September. he in fact ended up doing reception in a private school but SCC haven't been in touch with me and have no way of knowing this (I didn't tell them)

[flootshoot]

flatmum are you serious??

That is appalling. So they're failing to provide for a child who's already five? I would be tempted to sue the buggers for the school fees incurred.

This is riling me up now, I'm spoiling for a proper rumble.

[flootshoot]

Whereabouts in Surrey are you BTW?

[flootshoot]

I'm just drafting my appeal and have a couple of questions if anyone would be kind enough to answer?

Firstly 2.7 of the admission code says LA can operate waiting lists on the basis of their published admission policies only. Since Surrey don't mention prioritising older children in their policy, I assume they are in breach of that point too?

Is it worth mentioning the Equality Act 2010, in terms of them discriminating on grounds of age, or is that overkill?

[flootshoot]

That's great, thanks tiggy. DS has been very difficult lately and I know that it's partly because he is fretting about school and missing his friends. I'm planning to mention the emotional effect all this uncertainty is having on him.

[Saracen]

The Equality Act does not apply to your son's situation anyway. The scope of the Act specifically excludes cases of age discrimination within schools.

See "Application of this Chapter": www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2010/15/part/6/chapter/1

[flatmum]

i am in east surrey. we had no offer at all initially. then we got a letter a couple of weeks before the start of term for some random school in a different town which I turned down (was already registered and paid up at the private school). Then never heard from them again. Just a letter from one of our 3 "choice" schools about staying on the waiting list for year 1. I didnt chase up at all as a similar thing happenned with his elder sibling so I was fully expecting him to go to the private school. But I still find it terrible that they don't know where he is and whether he is at school and dont seem to care.

[flootshoot]

Ah, thank you Saracen, I will avoid mentioning that then. I don't want them to think I'm ranting and raving with no basis for my argument.

[flootshoot]

Thanks tiggy. I'm using the online form which is good as they should receive it the moment it's sent- theoretically at least. The more I research, the more I am shocked at how flagrantly they are breaching the code!!

[flootshoot]

I will tiggy, thanks again for all the advice. No response yet from Surrey, my appeal is drafted and ready to go this evening!

[Floralnomad]

flatmum , we had a similar scenario in Kent several years ago , I only applied to the local school ,didnt get a place and no one ever checked what we had done with our daughter . They didnt offer anywhere else and we had already sent her independent but they weren't to know that . It actually makes you laugh when you consider how much fuss is made about attendance that there are some children that so easily could be getting no education at all and no one is bothered .Good luck with your appeal OP .

[flootshoot]

Does anyone know who quickly LAs are supposed to respond to an appeal once its received?