nursery linked to state primaries - do sibling policies apply?

[bumpandbeyond]

please can someone shed some light - I can't find anything on websites. I have our DS already in the school reception (very lucky as we are not very close to the school). We would love for our DD to go to the school's nursery but since the intake is very small, if the selection is just by distance we definitely won't get a place. I wonder if there is priority given generally to those who already have a child at the school? this is an over subscribed inner london school, non religion denominated and council run.

thanks in advance for those able to shed a light!

I don't think there is a general rule on this nor on whether a nursery place guarantees priority for a reception place. You'll need to ask the nursery and/or the LA for application details.

normally I think nursery is entirely separate in a state school, equally having been in the nursery doesn't entitle to a place in the school. There may be exceptions though. I always thought nursery worked on a first come first served basis rather than distance though so if the name is on the list first then they get the place. That is what it is here anyway.

Ours does but it depends on your LEA.

I was led to believe that....if a child has a sibling or lives near in terms of catchment, they are ahead of a child who could already have a nursery place without either of stipulations....
How thing operate here but maybe could be different depending on areas?....

Nurseries attached to schools can operate whatever system they like, within reason obviously.

They is no way to appeal a nursery place decision.

Put your name down for as many as you think would work for you as you are under no obligation to take any of them.

Ours does.
Ring and ask them for the nursery place allocation criteria.
Ours are published by the nursery, but are very similar to the reception criteria.

oh dear if it's dependent on each individual council / school that is really confusing... I thought maybe there might be a clear rule somewhere - like for state primary school entries for instance. ((sigh))

Ours follows the same criteria as the primary school, which is LEA standard criteria. Best to check with school or LEA though.

just to add to some background. I did ask the school and was told only distance matters - sibling policy does not apply. however I have seen several nursery children from families living in locations waaay out of the catchment area. those children have siblings in the main school. so either in practice there is a "favouritism" to the siblings, or the allocation is clearly rigged. Because I just dont believe what the school says based on what I am seeing. would there be a clear policy written somewhere - say at LEA?

Just ask in the school office. We had to fill in a form but the criteria were the same as the reception. It does partly depend on space. They couldn't admit until after they were 3, and they offered as many spaces to eligible applicants each term, which meant that by the Easter term there weren't many spaces for anyone. Lots of spaces then became available in the Sept, and again siblings were front of the queue. You will probably be able to have a year of funded placement but if it is very overcrowded then they may be full at first.

The allocation of places could vary year on year. Some years the nursery where I work takes most children from catchment and very few out of catchment children apply. This year however, there are lots of siblings from out of catchment. Could this be what's happened in your nursery some years?

We don't have a sibling priority policy in Nursery although there is one in the attached school (after LAC/SEN, then catchment).

Also could they have been offered places in the Sept when the nursery is half empty so there are lots of spaces, but by April children next door can't get a place.

Which LEA is it?

Is it run by the school/LEA or does it just happen to be on the same site as the school, or a private nursery run by the school? (never actually heard of this but I guess it's possible) Have a look at their OFSTED inspection(s) this should make it clear.

There is normally a very clear policy on admissions. Even if it's an academy it should be on your council's website somewhere.

In my London LA, priority is given to siblings.

the nursery is not private and is part of the school. the catchment for the main school for the last few years have been around 220-250meters from the school - and that is for 60 places. so with a nursery intake of 30 children, one can imagine the level of oversubscription.

that's why I can't get my head around children living 600-700meters away from the school being offered nursery places - even if they are late offers. Anyway I will look to speak with someone at the council and hopefully get some clarity.

also some mums whisper that if one doesn't get offered a place at the first instance, then it is whoever shouts the loudest that gets a place when vacancies do come up. the school apparently don't go down the wait list in accordance with applicants' distance. Especially if one can't appeal against decisions - that in itself makes it very arbitrary... surely that can't be right?!

Can people go to the nursery before age 3 if they pay?

Are there two year olds at the nursery on the extra scheme? They might come from a further distance and then go through into the age 3 bracket.

By the way, there's no legal requirement to prioritise siblings over distance even for infant school entry - do you know what the infant school's criteria for entry is and if your DD is likely to get a place?

Catchment for our school nursery is much bigger than for the school as not everyone wants the preschool hours and prefer to use day nurseries or childminders. That's probably why kids from further away get places at yours. Not everyone wants a place at the nursery, but they sure as hell will at the primary.

There may also be parents who keep their children in private nurseries until they start school because it is more convenient for work then having bits of care at the school nursery and finding care for the other times. This would reduce the number of in catchment children.

But tiggytape does that all apply to nursery admissions too- as lots of non LEA nurseries set their own criteria. Although my LEA uses the same criteria for nursery as reception it is all co-ordinated through the school not the LEA.

tiggy nursery criteria in our area are set by the school. they are not the same as school admissions and cannot be appealed. I think because it is not compulsory schooling.