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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Original poster

What to do if you didn't get a school you want

NynaevesSister · 2015-04-16T11:10:59+00:00

1. Read this forum, and pay attention to anything that PRh47Bridge, Admissions, and TiggyTape say. They are *the* experts. If they say something you can rely 100% on its accuracy. 2. Accept the offer you were given even if it will be a cold day in hell etc. The council only has to offer you one place, if you turn it down they have no legal obligation to find you another. 2. There will be an Appeals/Waiting lists thread in here very soon, and there are threads from previous years. Read all of them for some cracking advice. Post your own story in the Appeals thread for advice. 3. You can go on waiting lists for schools and you can appeal even if you have accepted a place. 4. You can defer entry to the term your child turns 5. So a summer born child could start at Easter, giving you more time to hope a place comes up on waiting lists. 5. Listen carefully to anything anyone in point number 1 tells you.

56 replies

NynaevesSister · 16/04/2015 12:10

Read this forum, and pay attention to anything that PRh47Bridge, Admissions, and TiggyTape say. They are the experts. If they say something you can rely 100% on its accuracy.

Accept the offer you were given even if it will be a cold day in hell etc. The council only has to offer you one place, if you turn it down they have no legal obligation to find you another.

There will be an Appeals/Waiting lists thread in here very soon, and there are threads from previous years. Read all of them for some cracking advice. Post your own story in the Appeals thread for advice.

You can go on waiting lists for schools and you can appeal even if you have accepted a place.

You can defer entry to the term your child turns 5. So a summer born child could start at Easter, giving you more time to hope a place comes up on waiting lists.

Listen carefully to anything anyone in point number 1 tells you.

OP posts:

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Mummygreenfingers · 21/04/2015 22:29

And thanks again!

prh47bridge · 21/04/2015 22:57

The LA only have to consider your social grounds if the school has a specific category for pupils with special medical/social needs. If there is no such category they don't need to look at your grounds at all, although it could be regarded as unreasonable if they ignore safeguarding concerns.

It is very rare to get priority on social grounds. At most LAs it would apply to a police officer wanting to keep their children away from schools in the area where they work, for example. To appeal successfully on this basis you would have to convince the panel that the LAs refusal to give priority was unreasonable.

tiggytape · 21/04/2015 23:01

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Shetland · 22/04/2015 16:36

So, we got our third choice - not a complete disaster but not want we wanted, so I've added DD to the waiting list of our first 2 choices.

But, if you are advised to accept the offer you were made - which I have done - then how on earth does anyone get offered a place off the waiting list?!
I mean, as far as the school I was offered are concerned I have accepted the place so no-one on their waiting list can be offered my place until I've accepted a place elsewhere. But how will I get offered a place elsewhere if everyone there has accepted their places whilst waiting for a better offer?

Or does the council go through and try and match everyone up?

PerspicaciaTick · 22/04/2015 16:41

Shetland - someone will crack (move out of area, go private etc.) and then there will be a cascade of movement.

tiggytape · 22/04/2015 17:34

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Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Hadia123 · 22/04/2015 19:53

Hi. Would someone be able to recommend a good tutor for entrance exam preparation in southwest london.

Shetland · 22/04/2015 20:36

Oh ok - so it's a cascade affect. We're just waiting for someone to make the first move?! I shall keep my fingers crossed then - the wait is agonising!
Thanks everyone.

tiggytape · 23/04/2015 10:17

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Shetland · 23/04/2015 11:04

Here there is a set decision day on June 16th so I'm not expecting to hear anything before then.

jadecookson123 · 23/04/2015 12:40

hi people, I would be very grateful for some advice here as im pulling my hair out. My little boy attends the school literally around the corner he is in year 2 now , due too my late application my little girl hasn't got in :( . There was very good reason for my late application my granddad had just had a major stroke and was very poorly and us as a family cared for him at home , this put me off guard and I totally forgot. we have recently bought a house even closer to the school , she attends the pre school which is attached to the side of the school and my son attends the after school club so I can work. The school she has been given is 15 minutes walk away so either way one of them would be late for school everyday and I would be late picking one of them up everyday . its impossible to be at the same place at the same time right? . Taking him out is not an option he attends speech and language therapy and he also does it in school hours with his therapist . He has come so far and the teachers are all used to him now and his friends , I really feel its unfair to take him out . I am going to appeal and hopefully I will get somewere :( sleepless night and worrying is taking its toll now . Has anybody got any advice ? thank you x

Getdownfromtherethisinstant · 23/04/2015 13:17

jade make sure your daughter is on the waiting list for your son's school. It doesn't sound like the school you've been offered is terribly far away - could you use breakfast/after school clubs for one or other of them to give you time to get between the two? Make sure the LA are aware that you've moved closer to the school as that may bump you up the waiting list. Lots of options before you need to consider moving your son. Sorry to hear about your grandad, is sounds like you've had a tough time.

pipbw63 · 23/04/2015 13:53

Hi all, thx so much for all this great advice. Am I right in saying that if I accept DD's place which is my second choice, I will automatically remain on the waiting list for first choice? I am in Croydon borough and council has said we can check waiting lists at the end of May but I have to accept the school by 30th Apr. I want to make sure I am on the waiting list for the first choice. Appreciate your help and advice, thank you

PerspicaciaTick · 23/04/2015 14:10

pipbw63 according to the Croydon admissions policy document you will automatically be placed on the waiting lists of your higher preference schools until the end of the autumn term.

pipbw63 · 23/04/2015 14:55

Thank you. I wasn't sure if by confirming a place it meant you vetoed your right to your waiting list place. Appreciate your investigative work for me

Almostapril · 23/04/2015 15:15

Jade hopefully you will get in on wait list or appeal. They may take a hard line and say you had 4 months to do it tho !

jadecookson123 · 24/04/2015 11:56

thank you for your advice :) yes I could use breakfast club for one of them but i would financially struggle, as I couldn't pay for 5 mornings and 5 after school sessions. It is my duty as a mother to take my children to school, it wouldn't be fair to stick one in breakfast club then take the time to take the second child. This would also make me late for work everyday !. I spoke to my little boys speech therapist yesterday and she informed me that its Ludacris to move my little boy because of his speech and language needs , and she will be writing a letter. To be totally honest I don't think we stand a chance unless somebody drops out :( but im going to give it my best shot !

jadecookson123 · 24/04/2015 11:59

I spoke to a lady from the education office and she told me that we will be in the top bracket of the wait list , as she has a sibling in the school. We have had a tough time as a family these last few months that's all I can say if they say I have had 4 months , it didn't even cross my mind :(

Original poster

NynaevesSister · 24/04/2015 14:00

Unfortunately transportation issues are considered the parents problem and unless the allocated school is a distance away there is no help offered. You are expected to get both children to school on time. Do talk to your son's school though. It is so close, and he will be in Year 3. You may be able to drop him off earlier to wait in classroom or office or playground. Our playground has supervised access from 15 mins before schools starts for children who need to arrive earlier.

So close and with sibling your daughter is likely to be top of the waiting list. You can ask the school what movement has been like in previous years.

You can accept the place offered and stay on the waiting list. If your daughter turns 5 later in the year you can defer her starting time to give you more time as well.

OP posts:

mrsvilliers · 24/04/2015 14:16

Hi everyone, we didn't get any of our local choices and have been given a (failing) school a half hour bus ride away. Does anyone know if I decline the offer am I then taken off waiting lists, or does it depend on the LA?

PenguinsandtheTantrumofDoom · 24/04/2015 14:17

You shouldn't be taken off.

But don't decline the offer. Even if it will be a cold day in hell, etc, etc. You accept the offer and stay on waiting lists.

jadecookson123 · 24/04/2015 14:25

she dosnt turn 5 until august 31st 2016

mrsvilliers · 24/04/2015 14:33

Thanks penguins I read their ofsted report, it really would be a cold day in hell unfortunately. Our back up plan is to relocate (DS isn't CSA until end March so we have some wiggle room). I just can't decide whether to decline and start again somewhere else or accept, defer and stay in the system. It's all very depressing as we have four outstanding schools all under half a km from us. London of course, where else.

Original poster

NynaevesSister · 24/04/2015 14:39

Jade, you can defer her starting until after Easter.

Mrs Villiers, there is usually a lot of movement in London. Did you want to relocate anyway? If you didn't then see where you are on the waiting lists. Is home educating a possibility? If not then do accept the place for now, just in case. Then wait it out, depending on where you are on the waiting lists and where you live (I understand there's not so much movement in Richmond for instance).

OP posts:

mrsvilliers · 24/04/2015 16:59

Thanks NynaevesSister I can keep him at his current nursery for at least another term and then if the worst came to the worst we could home educate. Relocation was the plan for a few years down the line, DH thinks we should bring forward. I've heard that about waiting lists, but we've (inadvertently it has to be said!) found ourselves in a little pocket of excellent schools surrounded by s**t schools. There were only 7 distance places in our closest school and I know of two closer than us. (Furthest distance 160m and we're 245m) It's such a horrid time not knowing what's happening, I think I just want someone to tell me what to do and what the outcome will be as a result.

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