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Primary education

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

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Original poster

Advice needed please...have been offered place at 'unacceptable' school across town

30 replies

Smurfs · 29/04/2007 08:08

Hello, I am very new to the school process as first child - ds is due to start school this September. We applied for a place at a lovely village school, with another village school as second choice and a large but very successful and popular school as number 3 choice. We have been offered place at a school on the other side of the town that has excluded 3 children in the last year and has a troubling Ofsted report. Both letters, we got 2 for some reason mentioned school no.3 and the fact that it was not possible to allocate DS a place there. What should we do? All help would be gratefully received as I can't think about this without crying.

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cece · 29/04/2007 08:40

So the school you have been offered is not one of your three choices?

pooka · 29/04/2007 08:49

Does the letter explain what your next step is? With us you ring the schools you missed out on to discuss it and go on the waiting list if you want. They should be able to explain the catchment area and how much you missed it by. The LEA may be able to offer a place at a different school (though not the three you chose if they;re full). Worth seeing what the score is.
We're told when making apps to be sure that you include one school that has traditionally covered your house to ensure that you're not allocated one by the LEA.

Blu · 29/04/2007 09:07

Are either of the first two (village) schools, or the bigger school your nearest schools?

Original poster

Smurfs · 29/04/2007 09:35

Yes school offered is not one of our choices, we haven't even looked around it as it is on the other side of town and so we didn't give it any consideration. The letter says that the next step is to appeal with the results of that appeal known June or July....which means a summer of not knowing what to say to ds on the issue of school. School no. 3 is actually the nearest school however it is so oversubscribed that we didn't really expect to get in so only put it down as an insurance school. Feel so worried and then in the next minute feel so angry. Have the not so fantastic idea that I will just go to school with ds ever morning in September until they let us in!

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Blu · 29/04/2007 10:32

People DO get in nearere the date because people move, don't take up places, go private etc etc....whatever you do about apealing, put yourself on the waiting list fro all the schools you like. Are the village schools known for being over-subscribed?

UnquietDad · 29/04/2007 10:47

Are you on the waiting list for the preferred school? If not, phone primary admissions at your LEA and ask to be. Also - consider appealing. Look at this book and speak to the Advisory Centre For Education who are very helpful. Good luck!

Original poster

Smurfs · 29/04/2007 10:58

Thank you all for your help, my plan of action is to speak to peron at LEA tomorrow morning - I already left a voicemail message and sent her an email yesterday when we got the letter. I am also going to go down to school no.1 and will hopefully speak to the headmistress. I will also put our name down on the waiting list for schools nos. 1-3 & cross my fingers! I shall keep you all informed as to how we get on and thanks again for the help and calming words! Smurfs

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Blu · 29/04/2007 11:03

Smurfs - i know people who have got places in over-subscribed schools after about 2 days of term - when pupils allocated places don't turn up!

newgirl · 29/04/2007 19:14

DONT WORRY!!! loads of people get in via waiting lists - sometimes right up to the last minute

people apply for local schools and private and then go with private

people move etc etc

put your childs name down on all the waiting lists and wait to hear.

it will be ok

Original poster

Smurfs · 30/04/2007 08:31

Morning all, just a quick update - have been in contact with headmistress of school no.1 and she has said that she will support our appeal as she has space in school for a few more pupils! Feeling a bit more hopefull, but this is an emotional rollercoaster! Smurfs

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UnquietDad · 30/04/2007 10:02

Smurfs - that is a MASSIVE boost. Believe me. If you have the head on your side at the appeal it will count HUGELY, especially if she definitely says she has space.

Original poster

Smurfs · 30/04/2007 16:11

Dear all, spoke to the LEA today and they have informed us that DS is number 1 on the waiting list for school no.1! trying not to be too happy but it is certainly looking far more positive than it did 48 hours ago when an educational wasteland was beckoning. Have read so many threads on the appeals process in the last 2 days that I feel like my eyeballs will self-peel!! I have arranged to go and look around the school that we have been offered but know that we do not want so that when we go to the appeal we cannot be accused of not even having had a look at it! Feel as though we are playing the LEA at a complex game with them holding the only rules. Please keep all fingers crossed for us! Smurfs

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cece · 30/04/2007 17:30

That is good news

UnquietDad · 30/04/2007 17:42

good news smurfs - keep us updated

newgirl · 30/04/2007 19:16

mate that is your place FOR SURE! dont worry at all x

confusedandignorant · 01/05/2007 10:34

sounds good as it is still a long time before september

Original poster

Smurfs · 01/05/2007 13:51

....another update! Went to see the offered school and whilst it is a vastly improving school with a lovely headteacher it confirmed to us for many reasons that it is not the school for DS. We are looking at all our options and I am due to visit 2 independent schools in the next few days. However DS is a June 2003 chap am I correct in assuming that legally he does not have to start school until September 2008? The lovely Pre-School he is at could accommodate him for another year and they are very good at stretching the children and not just letting them sit and daydream!! Your thoughts/experinces would be most welcome. Smurfs

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LIZS · 01/05/2007 13:55

Legally you could but in practice he'd go into year 1 in Sept 2008 with hsi peer group and where he could go would be dependent on which school(s) had a space so you may well end up no better off.

confusedandignorant · 01/05/2007 13:55

problem is if you leave him until sept 08 he would go into year 1 while the rest of class will have settled into the school routing and made friends with each other, it is very rare that a child is allowed out of year group in the state sector

Clary · 01/05/2007 14:07

I wouldn't hold him back a year as he will miss out on Reception year - missing lots of important work and more to the point the chance to get into a social group.

S/one I know held back till January (it's normally one intake here) - her dd was the only starter in the school in Jan an has struggled if you ask me (she didn't of course lol)

Original poster

Smurfs · 01/05/2007 14:09

...oh that changes things a little I think they need a reception year to get them into the swing of things. What a shame I thought that I had stumbled upon a way to keep my little chap at home for another year without it affecting his education!! I think that I have to accept that he is school-bound this September and focus on the appeal!

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Original poster

Smurfs · 07/05/2007 21:38

In the process of filling in the appeal forms for DS primary school and I wondered what grounds people have used previously...hopefully successfully in their appeal! Any areas that should be avoided also?

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dinny · 07/05/2007 21:49

just to echo others here, Smurfs, my dd's lovely school was over-subscribed and had waiting list of 10 at reception entry. my friend's ds was 6th on list. By October half-term he'd been offered place.

Original poster

Smurfs · 07/05/2007 22:06

Thanks Dinny, I am so scared of putting the 'wrong' reasons down on the appeal form and then it being turned down.

Continuing on the appeal thought has anybody taken a solicitor along to their school appeal?

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Original poster

Smurfs · 08/05/2007 10:05

any ideas would be gratefully received!

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