is it possible/feasible to keep dd in preschool while waiting for a school place?

[fluffymouse]

Dd is due to start reception this year.

Our local community school is excellent and we would love to send her there, however we are borderline in terms of catchment area. The other local schools are pretty dire.

If dd were not to get a place at our preffered school I was thinking of keeping her at preschool until a place comes up. She is autumn born so this will be only for one term maximum.

We are in London so there is movement usually (I believe).

Is this feasible? Anyone done it?

Is it a pre-school attached to a school?
Or a private nursery?
If private nursery, if they are ok with it, it's fine, but you won't get any subsidy in terms of "free childcare hours". Technically you will be home-schooling her.
Best to have a back up plan in terms of schools too - there is usually traffic, but its never a guarantee.

It is a preschool attached to a school (the one we want her to go to, but we get no priority due to preschool attendance).

We have one back up in terms of schools, but I'm not sure how happy I am with it.

You should get the subsidy in terms of free hours. She's entitled to it until she reaches statutory school age, which will be in the January. It's just that if you are in reception they are taken up by the reception class. The issue is going to be with whether the preschool will have a space for her. I would talk to them about it ASAP.

The free hour subsidy wouldn't make a huge difference to us, but if we could continue to receive it that would be good.

I realise this is planning in advance a bit as we won't receive an offer of a school place till April, but I need time to get dh's head around it.

What I would suggest you do is accept whatever school you are offered, and defer entry until January (in case nothing shifts in the autumn and it becomes the least worst option).

Go on the waiting list of the school you want and cross your fingers.

Talk to the preschool immediately after allocations if you know you will want one more term there. Yes, you should still receive the early years grant. But if a school place comes up, you'll need to take it up straightaway so gird yourself to lose fees in lieu of notice (a small price, when set against getting a school place you're happy with).

Do you pay for her to attend currently? School preschools round here only offer the 5 x 3 hour "free" sessions.

It may also depend on whether the preschool has sufficient places and how they feel about it. They may be under pressure to accommodate rising 4s.

I am not sure how it works if you accept a school place but defer entry - I expect LA would consider that their funding was for that deferred place.

I'd have a chat with them asap and see what they think and how much discretion they have to decide.

No, the funding goes to the nursery if you choose to defer. School funding is decided differently. If you choose to take up a reception place the child is deemed to be receiving 15hrs free education and is therefore not entitled to any funding to be used at another provider. If you choose to defer then the child isn't receiving free education and is entitled to 15 hrs from another provider.

We considered this, and the pre-school (private) was fine with it. One consideration was that most of her friends would be staying (she's summer born, her friends were mainly a month or two younger so a different school year). It might be harder for a child all of whose friends disappear off to school and who feels left with the toddlers.

She's entitled to delay her start to school until the term she turns 5 and will be entitled to her 15 free hours in pre school until then. The only issue would be that she would miss out on the introduction to the formal school setting and a little bit of phonics etc. Being autumn born and one of the eldest she'd probably have less trouble catching up though.

You can definitely claim 15 hours funding until end of term they turn 5 - I did for DD (private school accepted it towards fees)

Just let pre school know she is staying as they will assume she is leaving for school.

Good luck.

twoodd that is a concern about her missing out on school work, but I assume we could work on it at home with her/get a tutor if necessary? How much is learnt in the first term of school?

Thank you all for reassuring me that she would get the funded hours.

googley her friends will all be moving up the primary school. I hope she will do too obviously! I know all her friends parents have put the same school as first choice.

Depends on the school. I would think that most would have covered the 44 sounds and would expect children to read and write simple words using them. Probably reading simple books. Writing perhaps a bit further behind, with most children able to write words and simple captions and some writing a sentence or two. In terms of maths, probably counting to 10, maybe simple addition and subtraction using objects - adding 1 more, finding 1 less.

Could be less if the school are quite laid back, more if they are a bit pushier. Nothing you would need a tutor for.

The pre school may not be willing to keep her.

Having a child who leaves at Christmas means a place where there is only one term of income (unless they are confident they can fill it post Christmas from the waiting list ). Not every pre school can afford that.

I'd accept and send her to what ever school you get given and wait for a place. That way she will get to go to big school and learn about being at school. Move as soon as a place comes up - very possibly before Sept anyway. She would be bored in preschool I am sure. DC move easily as that age ( we have had 5 new in DC class already)

Bumping in case anyone else has any advice/experience to share

I don't think you can make a decision until you know if the pre school will allow her to stay. If the answer is yes then I agree with the above - accept whatever you are offered and defer the place, go on the waiting list for your preferred school and hope the movement means you get in. If you don't then you still have a school place.

Missing a few months of reception will not leave your child behind.

I think your plan is a good one. If she is offered a place at any school which you might possibly consider, you can accept that place but defer her start until January. That way you won't risk losing that place and being stuck with an even worse school.

If your dd still does not have a place at your desired school in January, when she reaches compulsory school age, then you could either send her to the school you've been offered, or consider home educating while continuing to wait for a place at your preferred school. It is not such an unusual thing to do. There are many home ed groups where you can get together for playing or group museum visits etc, so you needn't be at a loose end while waiting.

You may still be able to keep her at preschool after January if they allow it, but the subsidy ends then and you will have to pay the full cost.