Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Please or to access all these features

Primary education

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

Primary admission frustration/unfairness

32 replies

ima29er · 28/06/2015 17:35

We have recently had new neighbours

They are lovely people with lovely kids
One kid is in year 2 at the highest performing state school in the city with their youngest about to start reception in September

This school is so oversubscribed that our friend who lives 50m from the gates was denied entry for her son this year, she thinks the main reason is that younger sibs of established kids get priority over those who are geographically nearer and it was just tough luck. The school they were given performs very badly (on paper) and is a hellish journey by car and impossible on foot or public transport.

It does seem rather harsh to me that my neighbour who to be fair legitimately lived in catchment is able to then move away but still keep her kids in the "good" school whilst my friend who lives practically next door has to travel 3 miles.

Is this normal or acceptable?

The local primary for our postcode is awful, house prices reflect this and we moved here in full knowledge with a modest slush fund to send our own kids to a private school

Ohh and for some spice my neighbour is a parent governor of the good school......

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Mopmay · 30/06/2015 16:35

Our LA has automatic sibling priority. Even if people move miles away. I think it should only apply if you don't move outside of a certain radius eg 1/2 mile. Distances each year are much less than that. Loads at our school rent, get a place then move to cheaper area

3asAbird · 30/06/2015 17:32

The problem. Is many departments aims and policies are at odds with each other or the local authority.

Rationing places by postcode.

Cutting off siblings

Increased cars on road extra pollution.

Making it harder for parents to worm.

The government and local authorities Need plan better.

Realise more housing means they need more places ans fast not fab about waiting for developers put hands in pocket and find academy chain take it on.

They need give local authorities money
They need open where there's pressure om places.
They need to build fast.

The department of work and pensions and inland revenue want more parents in work.

The department housing what build mire houses.

The department of education are not properly funding or allowing local authorities do their job.

IT was new labour that introduced infant class size and promoted choice.

Maybe if we got rid if ofsted and sats league as that's gad knock on effect on living costs.

They unprepared pass law ensure every school offers wrap around care.

They unprepared to give employees more rights to leave and flexible working to fit in around hours and holidays of school.

They forcing kids into school earlier than other countries as want more parents in work we no high in world league tables because we started earlier.

By not getting any if 6 local schools or split siblings it makes it very hard to flipping work too.

Right now lack if spaces makes admissions for state schools economically discriminating and just plain crazy.

Today I have been village preschool picked up youngest he's 5mins from eldest school but I had walk 25 mins to do 2 infants as she's been given different school then 25mins back to village primary pick up eldest.its hot I'm tired kids are tired it's crap.

Admissions mostly just luck

Eldest in low birth year

Your la gives sibling link to all I'm 500 metres over border and my la does not give sibling link.

Or money I can buy or rent in area to get a place.

prh47bridge · 30/06/2015 18:03

They need give local authorities money

Not if they want more school places quickly. Under Building Schools for the Future the average cost of setting up a new school was £25-£30M. The average cost of setting up a free school is less than £7M.

Maybe if we got rid if ofsted and sats league

So parents shouldn't know whether schools are good or bad? Really?

mrz · 30/06/2015 18:17

Do you really think either Ofsted or league tables provide an accurate picture of any school? ????

prh47bridge · 30/06/2015 20:44

Not entirely, no. But I'd still rather have the information.

prh47bridge · 30/06/2015 20:46

And, although it wasn't entirely clear, I think 3asAbird was suggesting that getting rid of these things would mean house prices wouldn't go up near good schools because parents wouldn't know which schools were good.

tethersend · 02/07/2015 10:22

Under the Academies act 2010, all new schools have to be academies or free schools. Councils have no say in where free schools are placed and academies cannot be compelled by councils to expand to take more pupils.

This explains the bulge classes and 'new branches' of existing LA controlled schools which councils are opening in a desperate attempt to meet the school place shortfall.

With the new proposals to force 'coasting' schools to become Academies with little or no consultation (here), I can only see the problem getting worse, as many councils where all schools are academies and free schools will be completely powerless to create desperately needed school places.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page