Do I have to apply for State Secondaries?

[Happymummy007]

Apologies if this is "teaching your grandmother to suck eggs" - I simply need someone to confirm that I'm thinking the right thing.

If you are in a private school where your child will automatically get a place in the senior school, is there any reason at all that I should have to apply for state education too? I imagine (and hope) not - our local secondary school is "inadequate" according to Ofsted and I can't imagine our child there. Presumably there isn't anything in law that says I have to apply for state education too?

No, you don't have to apply to any state schools unless you want a place there.

No you don't but

What if

• you have a falling out with current school
• you / DH become ill / redundant / whatever and have a drop of income

You have nothing to lose by applying for a state place. It means you have the option with no commitment. Then after places allocated in March, you can turn it down if all still looking rosy.

And by looking at the state options, you can also reconfirm in your own mind that the private is worth the money (as fees will be higher in the senior school).

Thank you Peaceandlove - you confirmed what I thought. TeenandTween - that's an interesting point that simply hadn't occurred to me (well, the money part had!), but I hadn't thought of the rest of it. We have open mornings coming up for the other secondaries in the area, so maybe I should have a look at them, just to cover all bases. Thank you.

I agree with teenandtween especially if there are other state options than your nearest school, it is worth as look round just to make sure that the current school is still the best option for your dd. (You could also look at another independent school if you like as well).
I don't wish to get you worried, but 2 all girls independent schools in our city have just announced a merger in the last few weeks and most of the parents didn't have a clue that this was going to happen. So looking round other schools could be a good back-up on several fronts.

I didn't bother applying for a state secondary place for DD as she was continuing at the all-through independent school where she'd been since year 3 - but she was DC2.

With DC1 (who was at a state primary until year 6) we had looked at all options, and put in a state application as well as applying to a couple of independents, as we would not have heard about the independent school places before the application deadline for the state sector. As it was, the independent places came through first, we picked one, and turned down the state place as soon as it came through.

If this is DC1, it is certainly worth looking around at the state secondary options, just for comparison's sake, but if after that you are sure that staying at the current school is the best option, and you are guaranteed a place, then I wouldn't bother putting in a state application just for 'insurance'.

If I had applied for a state school for DD, due to our address she would have got a place at one of the more in-demand schools in our city, and I would have felt guilty about pushing someone else onto the waiting list, even if temporarily.

catslife - I think I live in the same city as you, and know the two schools you are talking about. The timing of that announcement struck me as a bit rough on prospective parents for next year's year 7 too - too late for them to take up other options if they don't like the new plans.

Yes exexpat I think we do. Yes I agree the timing was rough for Y6 parents (and possibly sixth form applicants too).
I think the smaller school has done well to keep going now that there is an outstanding new state school a few yards up the road and an outstanding all girls academy less than a mile away.
I have also seen a similar effect with my old all-girls independent school which became co-ed by merging with the boys school next door and has since merged with a school in the neighbouring town.
Obviously this may not be relevant to the OP if her dc is at a well-known well-endowed private school. But independent schools can change and children change so the school that suits a primary child may not be the best option at secondary level.