Perspective needed

[tinkitonki]

Hi.
I am new to mumsnet but hoping I can pick some clearly very experienced brains as mine is working overdrive and it's not healthy for anyone.

We were allocated our 3rd preference school for our son.

We knew that we were incredibly unlikely to get our first but you don't ask you don't get.

However we also failed to get our second choice which in reality was the school we really wanted. Historically every year for the last 5 we would have been in within a good 100-150m on the distance criteria. However it is a 1 form entry school and this year over half the places were taken by siblings and there were only 11 distance places so we missed out.

I think I have No grounds to appeal and would be ICS anyway so no real chance of success.
However I have niggles about whether anything can be done.

The council have this year created bulge classes in 2 schools, one of which that already has had bulges created and is fit to burst.
The other is across the other side of town to us but from the allocation sheet sent with offer letters it would seem that the school is not actually full, one wonders why you would create a bulge and then not fill it?

Our second choice had 111 children apply in the distance category and out of the 100 unsuccessful applicants 36 received a lower or no preference school than that one (hope that makes sense). We are unlikely to get in from the waiting list (6th)

The school was also earmarked for expansion to 2 form entry in 2013 but was abandoned as it was felt that birth rate in the area had fallen so was not required.

I can't help but think this decision was wrong but I know equally nothing I can do about it.
Our allocated school is just over a mile so not terrible but has not the best reputation so only just over half the places given were preferences I assume it has been filled with others who had no school at all.

There are still children who have no school place as I understand is usual at this stage. Is it possible another bulge may yet be created somewhere and if so is there any way I can influence the LEA to consider our second choice school as a location for it? Surely if the birth rate is falling in our immediate area then it shouldn't create too many problems in future years with regards siblings etc.

I don't really know what I asking to be honest but my head is spinning with it all and my poor partner thinks I just have to suck it up and get on with it. I guess I need some outside perspective on whether I can do anything. I have friends telling is to appeal but like I say there is no point as we have no reason (I'm guessing the decision not to put in a bulge class doesn't count as perverse)

Anyway forgive my rambles if you have made it to the end thank you and if you do have any thoughts please do share. I know I straw clutching but I am so upset our son won't be attending the school we can see from our bedroom window I am desperately hoping something could be done.

Keep your child's name on the waiting list, there are often parents who turn down places, move or decide to go private and parents who put their child on the waiting list then decide they actually like the school they've been allocated, so it's not unheard of for 6th on the waiting list to get a place.

If there are still children who don't have places then yes, there may well be a bulge class added but if there is a bulge class that's not filled then they will probably fill that before adding more classes and children with no school place would I think get higher priority than you anyway.

As the school was earmarked for expansion before then it will probably be one of the first ones they consider if another bulge class is added, especially if the only reason it didn't happen before was that there wasn't enough need.

You could try appealing and wouldn't lose anything by trying but as you've said there is no reason and you aren't likely to get anywhere with it, especially as you have been offered your 3rd choice so have a suitable school place.

If you are prepared to move at a later date then ask your local authority about how they manage waiting lists long term. Some areas clear the list at Christmas and you have to re-apply. At that point you may become top of the list if you are close? A friend decided that she had made a mistake with her choices and a place came up in February when most other families were no longer looking. Your LA could let you know how muc movement they get - some places have stable populations but others have quite a bit of scope for places coming up. Good luck.

tinkitonki:

My advice is ring the school and ask to find out where you are on the waiting list.

My view is that living so near, you should continue to remain on the waiting list if you are not pleased with your child's current school. You need to contact the school directly and request that your child is put on their wait list for Year R.

It is very upsetting when you don't get your 1st choice and can't send your child off to the school 5 minutes down the road. I've absolutely been there - but be patient and try to give the school you are going to a fair chance.

If it turns out you are not happy with the school your DC is at:

1. Do more at home - so learning isn't blighted.
2. regularly contact other local schools and request to be put on their waiting list. (I tended to e-mail after major breaks - Christmas/ Easter/ Summer)
3. If in fact many children from your neighbourhood are going to this alternative school - that fact alone may raise the standards/ achievement levels in the other school. Although it's only annecdotal there is a general view that schools with good intakes tend to get better results.

HTH

Thank you :)

I have already spoken to the LEA and they have confirmed that it is very unlikely we would get in from the waiting list, generally there is not much movement in our particular part of town.

We listed our third to avoid another school we really didn't want but it's not terrible and we will survive if we end up there.

I will find out the detail of staying on waiting lists, I think if a place were to come up we would take it, good point about people not wanting to move after Xmas etc.

Thank you again

I suppose there is also a lot to be said for giving the school you have been allocated a reasonable crack of the whip. It takes a while to settle in (both parents and children) and see how things really work/suit you.

A friend is in a similar situation & is appealing the decision. She has built the chosen school up to such a level that she doesn't feel any other school will be good enough, but that's not always the case. I advised my friend to contact her 3rd choice school which she did yesterday & today she went & had a long talk with the Headteacher. I'm not going to say my friend is now embracing the given school as the perfect environment for her DD, but it has opened her mind & she less worried should the appeal fail. Lets be honest, the appeal will fail because the school has a one class intake with no bulge class predicted. Local authorities have always been shortsighted with class sizes & doesn't look like it'll ever change.

Best of luck OP & I hope things work out for your child whichever school they end up attending.

Thank you. I am trying to be positive, it's just so hard especially when everyone else we know seems to have the school they really wanted.
We are going to a new parents meeting at the school next week so hoping after that I will feel better about the whole thing.
I know we have future options like long term if the school doesn't suit then when he enters yr 3 we could look to appeal to move him then, and his younger sib would then be in reception so if we got them in then he would get sibling priority on the wait list.
That said we and more importantly he may love it and twelve months from now may be wondering what all the fuss was about :) I hope so anyway