Primary school allocation countdown- Thursday 16th April...

[MTWTFSS]

Is anyone else dying to find out which school they have been allocated?

This is for my PFB which makes it extra difficult for me :(

I can't talk about it in real life as it starts off as a nice casual conversation ending with some delusions of grandeur PFB nonsense

Second round is about a month after the first I think. People respond and accept/decline and then it's clear how many spaces are available and where. so you apply again when you hand in your acceptance or decline. and go through the whole thing again. then there's a third and a fourth.....

something like that anyway

Shadows and Giles - I will include you in my multi-religion prayers!

Thank you.

You will also be in mine.

what's the worse case senario and why?

I don't drive or take public transport- only walk. The three schools chosen are all good schools but also they are in walking distance. I don't know what would happen if I got a school I didn't select and not be able to walk to :(

We are in an enviable position. DS starts reception in September and our first preference just happens to be the catchment school that my DD already attends.

I remember the feeling of uncertainty and worry very well, as we went through all that with DD. Good luck to you all.

over 3 miles (I think) and you get transport.

doesn't help if it's 2 miles away though. that's a long walk in the rain

The school I've applied to for DD is our closest, but it's absolutely tiny and only takes up to 26 a year and the catchment last year was 350m and we're just outside that!

I'm so nervous!

Oh gosh boo how do you have any nails left

So this is why we have finger and toe nails...

School applications suck :'(

they suck even more when your catchment school is shit and your kids miss out on places when others further away get into the good schools

You get free transport if the school is over 2 miles away for a child under 8 yrs where I live. Provided that the school is the nearest suitable one to your home (I believe this means the nearest one with a space for the child). If we don't get out first choice school then we're far enough away from our next nearest school to qualify for that.

No catchment areas in my county though, it's all closest walking distance, which probably simplifies defining which school is the nearest suitable one.

One of my friends who lives a few miles from me applied for her 3 nearest schools for her DD last year. Didn't get any of them, although she's happy with the school she did get. One of her first 3 choices (not a church school, so no cases of religious first borns getting in ahead of non-religious younger siblings) was so oversubscribed that they didn't even have room for all the siblings who applied.

A friend has applied for the same school and lives 5m closer than us, it's very nerve wracking!!

One we applied for first time around, we were told no one git in put of catchment but some got on through church from a 2 or 3 miles away and have since met others who got in outside of catchment and further away than us.

catchment line for us is just yards up the road. so we not far outside catchment at all

far enough though I guess

I can't wait for 16th April - I just really want to know now!

Our first choice school is our closest at about 600m away and we would have got in every year on distance since DS was born. However, the school only takes one class of 30 and has taken two bulge classes in the last three years meaning extra siblings this year. The school has estimated 17 siblings for 30 places. On top of that there are 5 children just in my road all applying for that school.

Luckily our 2nd choice is pretty much guaranteed and is a good school but I just really liked our first choice school.

You get free transport if the school is over 2 miles away for a child under 8 yrs where I live

That is the case everywhere in England. If the school is over 2 miles away by the shortest safe walking route your child is entitled to free transport by law unless you chose that school ahead of the school nearest home. Once your child reaches the age of 8 they are only entitled to free transport if the distance is more then 3 miles. Children entitled to free school meals and some children with SEN, disabilities or mobility problems have additional entitlements.

If you don't get the school you want then phone up your council the next day and go on waiting lists of any other school you would consider. They don't have to be in your original choices. We were on the waiting list for about 30 schools andit was bizarre which ones we were offered, not always the unpopular ones. I assume you can still do this, although I have heard that some areas put a cap on the number if waitng list places you can be on.

@tiggy your discription is quite right with the practical point that as only the exact number of places is offered and there is such a gap between application in january and school starting in September it is easy to see that some places do get turned down over the Summer. As well, in Islington (and possibly elesewhere) where they think there MAY be a shortage of places they make contingincy plans to create a bulge class, and then if they see it is needed they create it after offer day and so there is up to an extra 30 new places created for offer on the later round...

How are you doing MTWTFSS and everyone else.

three and a half weeks to go.

eeek

Good morning :)

I've just come back from a weekend away for DS's 4th birthday :) He has woken up with a horrid cough :(

To be honest I haven't even thought about it since last being on the thread. I think my big freak out will take place after Easter Monday.

:( No use... already can't stop thinking about it :(

I must slap myself and do the chores around the house that need doing!!!

Sorry if I reminded you

hope your ds feels better soon.

I can't stop the thinking about it. its driving me nuts

I'm thinking about it constantly as well. Ds1 is my pfb so no sibling rule. I saw loads of schools but there was one I saw very late which I just had such a good feeling about. It's not my closest but I'm outside the catchment for my closest school madly! I'm 0.8 miles away. Last year it wasn't full as its a relatively new school currently only with reception and y1. And this year there is an extra class intake compared to last year. Plus given it is new there are less siblings although this year is the first that there are many at all.

The second choice is my closest but unlikely as a few metres too far and its a one form entry. And then the others on my list are fine. But not great...Just fine. And being really selfish I want him to go somewhere that enthuses him about learning and gives opportunities for lots of sport etc. I want a good fit... So nervous!

0.8 away from first choice I mean...not closest.