Is it too soon for a September 2017 reception support thread?

[BellaGoth]

Anybody about to embark on school applications and want to chat? I don't know about anyone else but I think I'll need a place to get advice / support over the next year!

DS will be 4 in January and I think will be very ready for school come September. Our catchment school is single form entry and very over-subscribed but we live quite close so fingers crossed we'll get in!

First school tours next week, quite looking forward to it!

You will get an email, we are continued interest list and didn't get a space, I will now have reception and year 1 children at different schools in September- good luck to you x

Thanks Wendalicious. Looks like DS is still going to the fourth choice school. I called No 2. in the list who advised I was second on the waiting list. I will call back again in two weeks time once the second round acceptances have been completed.

So annoying as for the last three consecutive years, this school has been under subscribed!

Is anyone still around?

Have people made any progress with waiting lists / appeals?

I'm trying to work out how to cover the 4 weeks of half days...

The school can't enforce a part-time induction. If you want full-time you can tell them that it needs to be accommodated. The schools' adjudicator made a ruling on it. If you Google it you can find the information to show the school.

Charmatt I'm aware of that, however DS struggles with change so I do think he will benefit from the slower start. I highly doubt any of the other parents will insist so he'd spend the afternoons on his own, which would be quite unpleasant for him. I'm fortunate to have helpful parents nearby so we should be able to cover it.

Hi everyone, I haven't been back to the thread in a while but I hope everyone is ok. It sounds like most of us haven't been treated very well by the authorities and/or schools at all. It's made this whole process really upsetting for us.

Things have moved on a bit for us but we still haven't got the outcome we wanted. The school rang and advised we appealed, they also said that DS had moved from 2nd to 1st on the waiting list, so against my better judgement I did. Not that I had any grounds to appeal on. I then spoke to a TA who said that the school were really worried about numbers for the next few years as there were virtually any children on the nursery lists, and that this year has been an anomaly for reception places.

So things have started slotting into place - and then a nursery place offer arrived for my younger son. They obviously want my youngest in there to boost numbers, hence the phone call. Then we got the appeals paperwork through where the headteacher has submitted an awfully factual report (understandably) about how if my son was allowed in then it would ruin the education of the others. Plus it's an ICS school. So we have no chance. The appeal is tomorrow.

We visited the new school after receiving an invitation for transition which was a full week (including dinner) which I wasn't happy with. He'd never been in the building before, he needed a slower introduction. So they said we could visit for an afternoon with him, which we did, then the teacher asked why he wasn't attending the week of mornings for transition too so I told her that was the first I'd heard of it. She then organised for him to attend. Disorganised - which is a real irritation for me.

So I dropped him off for his first morning today, they basically swept him off kicking and screaming because he was scared, whilst telling me to "go and have a cup of tea" which was really fucking patronising. He would have been fine if they'd let him have a few minutes to settle whilst I was there. I'm furious. I rang a few minutes ago to check he'd settled and was greeted with the same patronising crap which is very unhelpful. I get that he'd settle better without a drawn out goodbye but he didn't even know who the teachers were, they were different to the ones we met on the afternoon! All they needed to do was introduce themselves and let him go and play with the children who were already there.

So not off to a great start.

How is everyone else getting on? Thanks for the reassurance Did and No have you had any news yet?

Dianne how did the appeal go? Don't take the comments from the head to heart, from reading appeals threads on here that's a standard comment the school has to put.

I had a meeting with the school SENCO today, and DS' current SENCO came too. I have to say I was bowled over with their support, and I'm feeling much happier about the transition now. They offered to send photographs of the school and classroom for DS to have at home, the photos had appeared in his drawer at nursery by the time I picked him up this afternoon!

Can't believe how quickly it's coming now. Really need to sort out uniform...

Hi again - I should have added that I've had a name change - I was Coffee! So my update probably didn't make much sense there, ooops.

Bella they are informing me in writing and so far I haven't heard anything. DS tolerates the new school but has been asking about his old school every day this week. I just wish I knew. That's lovely that the school are being so accommodating - that must be a weight off, there's nothing worse than feeling like the school aren't making an effort. I hope your DS is feeling ok about school.

Definitely need to get uniforms sorted out!

Fingers crossed for you, and you never know, you could still get a place off the waiting list. I have a friend who's decided to go private and still hasn't turned down her state place (I do keep reminding her!)

DS had a story time at the school today. He seemed to enjoy it but his behaviour has been a bit off this afternoon, I think he does find it all a bit unsettling. Really looking forward to the end of this year when the transition period is over and he can stop fretting (hopefully!)

Should have been back here before but never saw that any more posts were made so I thought it had gone quiet.
How was your appeal Dianne ? If you didn't win I hope you still get in via the waiting list as that new school doesn't sound very nice. What about your son now Bella ? Did the photos help?

Well you know from my last post that I was messed around and they tried to talk me in to appealing as well but I knew it was a waste of time and didn't. Eventually my son was offered a place at a tiny school on our street but I don't want him to go there because our evil neighbours do so (literally in desperation) I emailed the LA and asked for a list of the schools which still had places. Most of them were either too far away or dire or both but I was amazed to see an RC school on the list that is walking distance and has a good reputation so I applied for it instead of accepting the school on my street. I'm not RC and have never had any of my children at a school like that before so had no idea what to expect.
Anyway after an agonizing wait of over a week he got offered it and it was a huge relief. I emailed the school office about uniform and the woman said I would find all that out at a meeting she had sent me a letter about, the letter never arrived so good thing I sent that email or would never have known about the meeting. I took my son to that and the following week he had two transition half days there and got to know his 'buddy' (someone who will be in Y6 in Sept who will mentor him) and he seems to really like it. He no longer mentions nursery and the old school etc so I think I did the right thing pulling him out when I did.
With making this new application I lost the place on the waiting list but it doesn't matter any more. Having said that I agree with you Dianne that some of us haven't been treated very well and it's been a very upsetting and stressful experience/couple of months. It could have all ended very differently. I just hope your other son doesn't end up with the same problem when he's ready for reception, low numbers now can quickly change as I just found out.

Hi No, so pleased to hear your happy with the new school. What a weight off that must be.

DS seems quite excited now, he loves his new teacher. All uniform bought. Need to replace his PE daps though as the dog ate them this morning.

You're! Sorry.

Hi all, back as Coffee (I don't know why I name change, it just causes problems!). Ah no that's really good news! You must be feeling so much better about September.

We lost our appeal, which just put everything back to square one again, not great. But then DS did his full week and things seemed a lot better than they did in the first week. He really enjoyed it and made a few friends who he's talked about quite a bit, so I feel better for him and he seems confident. He talked a lot about his teacher so it seems she's spent time with him. It turns out that the set up of the nursery meant that the week he did half days he was in the reception area but not necessarily with the kids from his class. I'm now thinking that first week of half days was a massive waste of time. The nursery is a mix of older and younger children each session as you choose either mornings or afternoons, so the children moving up aren't all together anyway although there are 2 classes of reception aged children across the morning and afternoon sessions.

I guess I've accepted that this is where he'll be going, I just feel sad that things didn't work out for him and it's so hard because I can't let him know I'm sorry - even though that's all I want to do! He seems happy, so he has to stay that way.

Not very impressed with the communication from the school, they only communicate via letter as the website is very limited and there's no app or electronic system that I know of. We haven't had a formal letter to say what day/time he starts and I thought there would have been some communication over the summer to say as much. Today we received a booklet from school which is all about starting school, DS had done some work in it during transition week so we read it together. It gave instructions such as 'remember to tell your carer to stand in the same place for pick up so we know where to send you' and 'make sure you have your name on everything' which annoyed me, probably irrationally so, it why can't they just send me a letter with everything they bloody want and with a school calendar and times of the day in it!? And I'm guessing at this point there is no home visit from the reception teacher.

It just seems disorganised. I'm a teacher, I hate working with disorganised teachers, and now it would seem that my son is being taught by one. On the plus side, we've finished buying uniform, shoes and PE kit so that's one less thing to worry about.

Sorry for the essay. I hope everyone is ok!

Hi Bella That's good news for your son except the dog incident ha, you're not wrong it's a weight off my mind to find somewhere although I guess I can't judge whether it's a success or not until I find out if he's happy there. Am keeping fingers crossed as there's no other options left.

School related stuff has done my head in all holiday which seems to have gone like lightening here, the secondary that my older ones go to is transitioning to an academy after being in special measures so there's loads of changes to adjust to and my eldest got his GCSE results on Thursday and is depressed at his results so I've been trying to cheer him up, I dunno why he's so down as he did very well and is being unnecessarily hard on himself.

Hi Coffee I am feeling much better thanks but am sorry to hear you lost your appeal and that your son's first week was a waste of time, what a shame but at least the second one went better.
I totally relate to what you said about feeling sad and wanting to tell him you're sorry, I was the same, although it's been made easier by the fact he hasn't mentioned the old place or people for a long time now. So I hope your son will move on happily too and your guilt goes away.
As for the disorganization what a pain, hope the whole year doesn't turn out like that, it's a real nuisance when you keep having to contact the school because they haven't given complete information.

Anyway I hope you're ok too and that your son settles in well from the first day back, how quickly it has come since that horrid offers day! My son will be relieved to get back out he's been stuck at home for so long now it's been a real torment I'm sure. I hope your younger son will enjoy nursery as well!

How's everybody getting on?

DS starts tomorrow, he's excited but a little anxious about the other children. I'm sure he'll be fine though...

Hi BellaGoth my DS had his first full day today, he cried when we left but was settled in minutes; and came out this afternoon very proudly carrying his new book bag! I think we'll have tears for a little while though ...

Good luck for tomorrow

DS started Mon, no tears (except from me!)

DS loved his first morning, apparently can't remember anything he did though.

I'm jealous of those being given a book bag, we had to buy ours! £10 for the official school one.

We got a book bag, although probably would've rather brought one, as now there's 30 identical book bags to look through! Have put some key rings on DS to make it slightly easier to find!

What is it with children not being able to remember what they've done?! Who did you play with - no one; what did you eat - nothing, etc!

Miaow I'm so sorry your DD (and you) went through that. I really hope they both settle well at the new school.

So do you have to apply for junior schools in a couple of years? Is there a lot of choice?

First week has been shit for us which is disappointing, hope it's gone better for everyone else.
The school won't let my daughter pick my son up because of her age whereas the previous school had no problem with it. This is a PITA because I'm a carer for a cancer patient.
Then today my son wanted packed lunch which I think should be his choice but they insisted it's easier (for them, which is irrelevant imo) if he has school dinners so they didn't let him have the PL - wtf???
The teacher smiles and approaches/chats to the other parents but ignores me unless I approach her and the twice I've asked something she's just said a flat no. Am trying to be positive for my son as it's only the first week but am starting to feel bitter about the school we lost all over again if am honest

Cheers Miaow I might have to end up doing the email route as well if she won't talk to me in person. I'm possibly being over sensitive because it's not a school I chose and have run out of other options so am desperate to make things work out, but am sure she's over stepped the mark about the packed lunch.
I've been on the current uniform thread as well because two of my older ones have been caught up in the wretched shoes/isolation crap again which adds to the stress and eldest son needs loads of expensive text books for college. Will be glad when all of them have left school this week is over