Help! Barnet are messing me about!

[Sweetasstevia]

Any advice in-year admission advice/ advice about complaining / a virtual cuppa gratefully received:

I'll 'try' to keep this short but so as no to drip feed: I'm trying to get an in-year reception place for my 5 year old ds1 having moved to the area in March- the whole process is driving me mad! - Barnet are so bad at communicating I am forever chasing them, they give me information in little chunks and make no effort to explain things to me ever! This is what's happened so far:

1. Barnet deactivated my first application, made a few months prior to my move (November) but didn't tell me since it was too far ahead!

2. I submitted a second application on 13th March and moved in on 25th March. I put one school choice Monkfrith (our nearest school - literally at end of road).

3. I was told I'd get a response within 4 weeks - 4 weeks later nothing heard so I ring them. Told no places at Monkfrith but 1st on waiting list. Told to ring back at end of Easter holidays to see what other school spaces are available meanwhile told application to Monkfrith will go to a hearing on 7th May as no other schools within 2 miles available.

4. dutifully ring back after holiday I am told there are spaces at two good (church) schools in borough I'm delighted thinking I will get offered the two spaces formally so I can choose one should the Monkfrith not work out.

5. wait a week nothing is heard

6. ring Barnet again not only am I told both church school spaces have gone ( I needed to fill out a SIF) to secure them but wasn't told that at the time! also told my Monkfrith application was not heard as they ran out of time and will not be until 21st May!

I am so utterly fed up - I've heard from Monkfrith direct that they already have 32 reception pupils so my hopes for a place are virtually nil. Today Barnet offered me a place at Summerside primary(!3miles away) but I know very little about it (however the league stats don't look great but I could be wrong). We are visiting it on Monday.

To sum up I'm really pissed off I missed two great school places because Barnet were so unclear about the process and I'm fed up of chasing them all the time. Most of the staff I talk to have no clue what's going on with my application and I have to be put on hold for ages. Do I have a case for complaint do you think? And is there a cat in bells chance of me getting a positive out of waiting for Monkfrith descion on 21st?

Summerside is 3 miles away not 13!!

Apply now for as many schools as you are allowed to that you would consider, so you are formally on the waiting lists

Accept the place you have been given but ensure you remain on other waiting lists .

I have

I am also not sure what an application hearing is - is it the same as an appeal?

As an in year applicant, if there are any places within a reasonable distance (and three miles in London isn't unreasonable) then they wouldn't add you to a class already 2 over the ICS limit, unless 3 pupils leave and you are still first on the waiting list.

Have you been offered any help with transport?

How close are you to the enfield border? You can also apply to enfield schools and might find one with places closer than a barnet one.

In London transport is free for kids anyway which most boroughs regard as absolving them of their need to provide or pay for statutory transport.

Thank you all do much I really appreciate your help at a c

... Confusing and frustrating time. So to get this straight applications to Church schools are processed the same for regular and in-year applications? Ie if I'm not a church goer (which I'm not) I'd be low down the priority list? In that case I'm strangely relieved since I would not have got into the two schools with spaces I don't think as they were both several miles away. Still Barnet were very unclear about the way they described them to me as having vacancies.

I'm not sure exactly what the hearing entails either- I asked but was told they were not allowed to go into details with me! But I'm guessing it could be to do with the supplementary SEN form I submitted from DS's diagnosing paediatrician - he has Aspergers but no statement.

One more query please - if I ask to add more schools to my application now will it slow or reset my application? I don't want to delay any more so in wondering if best to add them or ask to go on waiting lists. I feel a bit of an idiot not putting them on initially but I thought I'd just get offered the next nearest school with places if I didn't get Monkfrith and niavely thought it would be within walking distance (all my local schools seem lovely!)

Regular - I am very near the Enfield border - I'll call them the Council tomorrow and see what they say.

Church schools - if there is a vacancy and you apply you MUST be offered the place, irrespective of whether or not you are a church-goer. If there is a waiting list though, your position on it will be determined by how closely you meet their criteria, so you would be lower on the list than a regular worshiper.

Thank you Tiggy and Titchy. - visited Summerside today and the school seems perfectly good but the journey at rush hour would be hell and there was no parking even mid morning so I shudder to think what it will be like at school drop off time :(

About to ring Barnet now to find out about adding myself to local school waiting lists - wish me luck!

Right I've now asked to be on 6 school waiting lusts including Monkfrith so we'll see!

Lists even ;)