In-year transfer application - LA says I HAVE to tell current school. True?

[PiratesMam]

Hello!

My son did not get our first choice primary school which is around the corner from us and so last year he started reception at a school twice the distance. He is now in year one, and I have continued to ring the LA (Lambeth) regularly as to where he is on the list for our local school. He was, the week before last, 2nd.

Today when I rang up, I was told, out of the blue, that there is no longer a list and if I still want him to be considered for our closer school, I have to fill out a Primary In-Year Common Application Form, which includes a compulsory section requiring me to obtain approval for our reasons for the application from our current school. It says that if this is not included, the application will not be processed.

Is this normal procedure?! I am so cross. I've jumped through every bloody hoop that Lambeth have waved at me and now this. If it is normal procedure, could his current school say no (and hate us for the rest of his time there?!)

Thanks for any advice!

Why are you phoning the Local Authority? Schools hold their own waiting lists.

Contact the school. Find out if they have a space. If not, check he's on the waiting list. Communicate with the school.

When I transferred DD2, I filled in the application form at the same time as filling in the admissions paperwork (they had no waiting list and spaces available).

That's not the case everywhere, Lougle. In our LA (also inLondon) the LA administers the waiting list and schools - maintained schools anyway - don't hold their own lists.

We also had to complete an in year form, which had to be signed by the current head. We didn't have to get approval though, it was more to put the school on notice that they might be listing a pupil..

LA schools do not generally hold their own waiting lists - certainly in my county, all admissions are handled by the LA. I don't know if the system is different in London Boroughs. The in-year CAFs I've come across do include a section which has to be signed off by the current headteacher, although I don't know a case where the headteacher has refused to give consent. While obviously the current school will lose funding for your child, they're not going to hang on to a family who clearly want to leave. I wouldn't worry about it, annoying though I can see it must be.

Lougle in some areas LA's hold the waiting lists for all state schools except academies. You can phone the school to see if they'll tell you if a class is full or not, and many will but some won't give you any info at all and refer you back to the LA.

Good luck op, I can see why don't want to tell the school but I don't think it will be that big a deal for them and no, they can't say no! They also won't hate you. From speaking to friends who are teachers, as parents we always think the school is much more interested in us and our precious ones than they are.

As far as I can see the School Admission Code says nothing about requiring applicants to tell their current school. It seems odd this should be compulsory.

The LA will maintain any waiting lists for schools where the LA is thhe 'admissions authority' (eg community and some voluntary/ faith schools). Schools that are their own admissions authority (eg academies, other faith schools) can maintain their own lists.

There is no requirement to maintain a waiting list for any longer than the first term of the 'admission year' - so reception for infants and yr 3 for junior schools.

Apologies, I thought that had changed with the new code but I can see it hasn't.

Thank you everyone. I feel like Lambeth have told me something different each time - 2 weeks ago we were apparently 2nd on the list and didn't need to do anything else other than "wait"! They also told us at Easter that we should write a letter stating our intention to stay on the list, which we did. They will now no doubt ask us to walk across hot coals. Which we will do.

Why does it have to be so hard? Put your name on a list, expect to stay on a list. That's how it was in my day.

Well, you don't have to put down the real reason if you don't want to tell the Head but surely they are aware of any concerns/problems! In your case a short "moving closer to home" would cover it. In any case, as soon as the incoming school receives the application/notice, the Head will speak to the Head of the outgoing one. Quite honestly, Heads/teachers aren't really bothered whether you come or go!

Presumably they want to refresh and update the lists very regularly to make sure that people do not remain on lists when they have changed their mind / gone elsewhere or whatever, because every time a place comes up they have to offer it to a parent, wait for them to think I over...move onto the next one if they don't take the place, etc.

It is the start of a new financial year so presumably they are again refreshing and updating the lists, checking you are still at the same address, and on the waiting list according to the same admissions criteria.

They must be holding loads of people on lists and juggling many in-year admissions.

I hope you get your place. I think there is a fair bit of movement in many Lambeth schools, so fingers crossed that it will all be worth it.

At least you know you are on the list and they are not letting it languish somewhere!

The problem here is that the LA are trying to dictate what parents can and cannot do and are deliberately making it more difficult to consider a move to another school by insisting that this form is completed.
The bottom line is the law and the admission code is clear in paragraph 2.21 "Any parent can apply for a place for their child at any time to any school outside the normal admissions round." It is not dependent on getting a tick in the box from your current school or anything else.
Lambeth Councils website is awful to navigate and I cannot find any information on in-year admissions, which should be there. I also immediately noticed that for primary admissions in 2015/16 the primary admission booklets will not be available till 1st October. The law says that they must publish on-line the prospectus for all schools by 12th September. Does it make any difference - well not in reality, but if they can ignore that what else are they ignoring?
When it comes to waiting lists, the law is that they only have to be kept for the Autumn term but it does depend on what the LA say they do - if I could find it on the website then I would tell you, but I can't. I think I would approach the school direct and see what they think is happening about in-year applications. When you fill it in, I would just say in the appropriate bit that you decline to ask the current head teacher as it is not something that you wish to do at this time, it is not legally required and see what they do.

It may be worth asking the LA how they 'park' in-year applications if there is no waiting list. It's hard to see how they would prioritise in-year applications if not.

Generally speaking, where there is a waiting list you don't necessarily move up it in linear fashion. If someone moved into the area who all other things being equal has a higher admission priority (e.g., was looked-after or lived nearer) you would be bumped down.

The LA really should have clear admission criteria and procedures. They shouldn't keep giving you contradictory info...

I have heard from other sources that another LA is requiring that the current head is informed before an in-year (transfer) application is made. I wonder what the rationale is for requiring this? I imagine it may be something to do with tryibg to encourage parents to sort out issues with the 'old' school, or perhaps safeguarding (e.g. so a child doesn't just disappear to another school in a different LA without warning and go off-radar)....

Any thoughts, tiggy?

Apologies, Admission, not Tiggy. Confusing my school admission doyennes there.

admission thank you. I can confirm that Lambeth seem to go out of their way to provide conflicting advice. The frustrating thing is that I was told a lot of it by phone; in retrospect I wish I had taken the name of every person I spoke to. Two weeks ago I was told to just wait. They rely on you "forgetting" about the process or just getting on with the school they issued to you.

Thanks everyone for the info so far

www.lambeth.gov.uk/schools-and-education/school-admissions/apply-for-primary-school-in-year-admission-for-201415

In year admissions info