School Admissions in Windsor

[sinnes87]

Hi
We have just moved to Windsor from Australia. I am trying to get my two boys 7 & 5 enrolled into school in the Windsor area. It seems to be very complicated for mid year enrolments. Backward and forward with the school admissions finally picked a school and filled out forms and school admissions have called this morning saying that they have a spot for my 7 year old at the school but now not the 5 year old!! They had spots only on Friday for the both of them.
The only suggestion I was given was to send them to two different schools that were quite a distance apart from one another. How can I be in two places at once for school drop off and pick ups? I was wondering if this was the normal for parents to send their children to two different schools? My other option I was given was to keep both my boys at home until a spot becomes available for both of them at a school. I am a UK citizen. As my children were born in Australia they have settlement visas for the UK. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

In year admissions are always complicated, as UK schools always aim to be full at transfer points (firstly they need to be to balance budgets, and secondly if you have gaps the LA will always try and place the more problematic kids who've been excluded).

In essence with decent schools you're waiting for someone to leave for a space to become free.

Accept the places you've been offered for now. Find a child minder or use breakfast/after school club (if it exists) to stagger drop off and collection.

ALSO put your sons on the waiting lists for each others schools and hope a place comes up. You should be high up both waiting lists as they'll already have a sibling at the school. much better this way then if you keep them at home until 2 spaces occur (because you may not be first in line for one or both if they do).