Is there a nervously awaiting primary admissions thread?

[drspouse]

Or have I just started the first one?

[LetMeBe]

Sutton outcome is in, DS got first place yay!

[hilbobaggins]

We got first choice in London (Hammersmith & Fulham). I am frankly amazed (and delighted).

[isa953]

Got my first choice, whoop! Just had automated message the parent comms app. I'm in London. PHEW

[cece]

Surrey are online now. Got first preference and already accepted place.

[alien11]

Yes first place!!!!!

[isa953]

In Greenwich

[DoodleCat]

Grr! I can't find out online as we moved counties during application and our new area hasn't told the old area. :-( Waiting for email.

[ShelaghTurner]

First choice offered and accepted. Thank God. Good luck everyone.

[FuriousFate]

Watching this with interest as we'd have been applying for DC one if we'd stayed in the UK. Sadly our house in London is no longer in any catchment area - though it was when we bought a few years back I always wonder what would have happened, had we moved back this year.

We are now in the US and reading this, I can't help thinking there has to be a better way. In the state we live in, your local catchment area school HAS to give you a place. If the intake doubles, they have to cater for that. You can apply out of boundary (catchment) if you like, but you are always guaranteed a place at your closest school based on your address.

[SaffaQueen]

Gutted.
DD got our 3rd choice, which is further away and just there to make up the numbers on my online application.
Thinking of appealing as DD is autistic and we are busy finalising her EHCP (has been accepted). Can't believe our first choice school with its reception intake of 60 has 60 siblings this year taking priority? The only thing I can think of is that when I did her online application, her EHCP was still in the application stage - although I attached loads of support and requested prioritisation.

Anybody with knowledge or advice re the appeals process?

[SaffaQueen]

Tiggy, yes. Only children in care or with siblings at the school have preference over a child with an EHCP. It's a very popular heavily subscribed school. The only thing I can think of is that her EHCP was not taken into consideration as was still in progress at time of application.
Surely there can't be 60 siblings or children in care?
Our allocated school is dreary and depressing and over 3km away (vs 800m for preferred school).
How I am going to manage my commute to work when I come back from maternity leave - this school is such a detour from home and my planned provision for my baby.
Literally shaking with shock and anger.

[PatriciaHolm]

Safe - you would need to check the exact wording of the criteria. As Tiggy says, children with an EHCP naming the school have to take priority, but a social/medical needs category (which you would have fallen into at the time) can differ in its wording and requirements.

[FuriousFate]

Tiggy - I'm not taking about the US as a whole, I'm talking about the state where I live. It's actually surprisingly similar to London in many ways, pretty densely populated and one of the smaller ones. The population waxes and wanes due to the number of embassy staff here (OK, probably outed myself there). The current system does cause problems and local parents are always up in arms about the portacabin equivalents. However, there is none of this having to ferry four different children to four different schools across a busy city that seems to be the norm in many parts of London.

As I said above, if we hadn't extended DH's contract here, we'd have been applying in the UK this year (Richmond). During DC1's birth year, 2011, the local paper was reporting the rapid increase in the birth rate and predicting doom and gloom for September 2016 as there wouldn't be enough reception school places available. While these things take time, no one can say that at least some (and better) provision couldn't have been made during the last five years to take this increase into account.

[SaffaQueen]

Ok, preferred school's policy says:
In the event of their being more applications than available places and after the admission of children with a stat.ement of special educational needs or an EHCP where the academy is named on the statement or plan, places will be allocated against the criteria set out below:

1. Children in public care...
   
2. Children with siblings who are already on the roll at the school and will still be on the roll at date of entry
   
3. Children with exceptional medical, social, or psychological needs, where it is agreed by the local authority and headteacher that these can be best addressed at the school
   
4. Children living nearest to the school...
   

When I applied I requested prioritisation on social needs, attached loads of support and wrote as much as I could about why we believed our 1st choice was the best setting for her. They also have an autism unit on site, sensory room etc.
We are still waiting to hear if she will get a placement in the autism unit - this is going before a panel (separate process) But with only 14 places across all classes, I'm not feeling very hopeful. Especially after this.

[NotCitrus]

Got dc2 into dc1's school.
Neighbour didn't get into our closest school where their dc is in nursery, but got the other likely option which means they still won't be at the same school.

In my area, there are now over 200 kids applying for what used to be 30 places and is now 60. It is physically impossible to put any more kids in unless you demolished an entire 2-storey building and re-built it with 5 storeys, which one school is doing and a couple have already done. When 2-bed flats are housing two families with a child or two each, but the LEA assumed 10 years ago that fewer than half would have children, there is no way you can just add more classes after all schools have been forced to take bulge classes for 7 years in a row.

[Chilver]

Got our 2nd choice (in London borough) and its our closest and wonderful so we're happy. Our first choice we were regretting putting as first choice although we know any people there so it's worked out. Only downside is that we don't know anyone at our second d choice - but we will soon enough!!

[ChubbyMummy12]

I Haven't recieved an email about what choice my DS got?! Anyone know what I should do?

[Chilver]

Login to the admissions website - we haven't got an email yet either, we just logged on

[alien11]

chubby check online by logging in

[PatriciaHolm]

"Children with exceptional medical, social, or psychological needs, where it is agreed by the local authority and headteacher that these can be best addressed at the school"

Ah, i suspect this may be where you have come unstuck. Did you consult with the head and LA before you applied to ensure that they agree that this school is the only one locally that can meet your needs? Or did you just supply your own medical documentation?

Obviously, now the EHCP has been granted, you are in a much stronger position (does it actually name this school though?), but at the time you didn't have it officially agreed that the medical requirements could only be met by this school.

If the EHCP names the school now, then you would have a reasonable case at appeal I would suggest (as you could argue that the LA made a mistake, knowing that the EHCP which names the school would be complete soon, in not putting your DD in the priority category).

If the EHCP doesn't name the specific school, you are on shakier ground, because the official line from the LA will almost certainly be that all schools in the LA are equally good and can cope with special needs.

[tethersend]

1st choice here in Tower Hamlets- what s relief!

Saffa, has your DD got an EHCP now? Or when should it be finalised? If the EHCP names the school, they have to take her, whether they are full or not. All is not lost!