Admission

[Heather123456789]

Dear all,

I just moved to twickenham last week due to urgent situation, and So I applied for my two children for in year admission in primary schools.. However they can't find a place for both of them in all my four choices and on top of that they said there is definitely no place for the LO in reception.. Is reception eduction not compulsory??
I am struggling here and I need help

if u any schools in twickenham prefer east Tw or even far further to richmond have places for year 4 inform me pls and what do You suggest to do regarding the LO education??

Thank you for your advice :-(
Heather

They have to find a space for your children. It may not be in the schools of your choice, it may be in different schools, it may be some miles away, but they cannot just say no - they can exercise something called the Fair Access Protocol to force a school to take a child if they absolutely have to.

I would send them an email saying that you wish to remind them of their statutory duty to provide school places, and that if no place can be found for your reception child, you wish them to use the FAP to place them. Also, make sure your children are on waiting lists for all schools you would prefer.

Whether reception education is compulsory depends on when your child's birthday is. Education's only compulsory from the term after the 5th birthday, so a summer born child can legally miss the entire reception year. Is the reception child 5 years old yet?

The LEA have a duty to provide full time education for the child in their reception year if the parent wants it.

The parents have a right to delay entry until the term the child turns 5, but the LEA don't. So if the OP wants her child in reception now, the LEA have to find a place for them, regardless of when the child turns 5.

I would like to thank v much for this helpful replies.. Very kind appreciated !!
Today I phoned few schools and most of them said they have places in yr 4 however I need to arrange for that through the borough due to the possibility of having a waiting list
I will try tomorrow again

Thanks for your advice

Just to emphasise this, there is a consultation out at the moment on changes to the admission code 2012 and one of the proposed changes is around this issue and it specifically says they are changing the wording to

"make it explicit that all parents are entitled to a full-time place in the
September following their child’s fourth birthday"

The borough in richmond have already placed children under FAP this year. You can read the minutes of their latest Admissions Forum on their website, just search 'browse committee documents' and Admissions forum for the latest meeting. The notes describe just how little the waiting lists have moved this year.

East Twickenham has been a black hole for admissions for a while, there is a free school planned here next year. Central Richmond is also a black hole.

Your best bet is to get a place for your older child then you will benefit from sibling priority.

There are many unhappy parents in Richmond with reception children. Many got none of their choices and have refused what they were offered and have been left with few options as private schools are also full from what I gather. This year fewer people have moved away and gone private, although personally I feel that part of this is due to the fact that the LA claim every year that the waiting lists will magically move, so fewer look realistically at other options.

We were over 20th on 4 lists there but did move away. Our positions on the lists didn't change, infact 1 got worse, from April to Sept.

Goldie could you send a link to latest admissions forum minutes?

Hello
Good news that I am offered a Place for my son year 4
However I have been told that there are no places in reception in any of richmond borough schools, despite considering all your valuable advice when I wrote the complain email...
What should I do

They have to offer him a place somewhere, regardless of when you have applied. I would ring them and remind them of this fact! If no Richmond schools have places, then they should be offering your child a place at the nearest school in another borough with places and providing free transport for them to get there.

And ensure you are on the wait list for that school for reception.

Hi
Well I am finally I am offered a place at the borders with hounslow
How can I manage one n the east and one at the west !!!
Regards
Heather