Moving from private to state losing my mind!

[MissEastmond]

I have made the decision to move my DD (year 2) out of her private school in Sidcup. A few reasons why ( but mainly not coping with the demographics of the school (she’s mixed) and and I’m struggling financially anyway to send her there)

I live in Bromley burnt ash lane/southover, and am struggling to find the best way to navigate this move in schools. I am aware that the schools I’m interested in are not close to me, but the borough have said that I can still apply and wait on the waiting list.

All the schools I have contacted say I can’t arrange a visit? I have to apply and when there’s a space I can come and visit! This makes narrowing down options really difficult. I’ve mussed all the nursery open days.

Coming from a small prep school, Amy DD needs a small school as she lacks confidence and needs nurturing.

I work in Bexley and start work at 8 so cannot really drive far in the opposite direction for school.

Too schools for me so far:
Lewisham borough : Brindishe Lee

Bromley : Valley, Raglan, Bickley CofE
I would have said parish, but I have beard it’s really gone down hill unfortunately.

Any suggestions of small, friendly, high achieving schools? Any feedback on the schools I’ve mentioned? Any good or bad would be great.

Wondering if I just pull her out if the private school, would that assist my position as she then wouldn’t have a school?

I just want to do what’s best for her, her school is crucjinf Her self esteem along with my income. 🤦🏼‍♀️

Hi, I don’t know anything about schools in that area but just wanted to point out two things; you are much more likely to get her in somewhere for y3 as there are no restrictions on numbers in classes for ks2 and also don’t pull her out. The lea will then put her in ANY school in the area with places. It will probably not be a school you like

You've most likely now limited your options as she will be an in year admission, and reliant on other children leaving. Also, there may be many others in the waiting lists. Contact the LAs for the schools youre interested in and get her on the waiting lists asap.

I live near Brindishe Lee. It's a great school but heavily oversubscribed. That goes for the wrap around care too - if you have to be at work in bexley by 8 then how do you plan to get her to school?

Depends where you live and ability to travel. I found calling Bromley education services talking about the schools with places then doing visits handy as I got to see what was available. If you are near enough valley- Clare house towards beckenham also fits your description.

Thanks for your responses guys, I’m depending on a breaskfast club to that starts at 7.30, I’ve seen many don’t start till 8.45 so would have work something out.

The schools have said I have to apply first before I can visit. Bromley very reluctant to tell me who has space. I believe i got the gist that any decent school in Bromley is full. So it’s always going to be a waiting list game, just need to work out which list?

At first I was consumed by league tables and such, but now realising what’s I’mportant for her is a “decent” school with nice kids as close to home as poss. Problem is a lot of the kids really close to home are quite rough and my DD is so softly spoken. Culture is really important for us right now too, I don’t want her in an all white school, I want her to have a lovely mix.

DD cousin is at downderry (y4) comes under Lewisham borough but close to me. Results not as good as Bromley schools but seems like a cute school. Only reservation is the area? I’ve heard it can be rough... some rude parents/kids??

I can travel, I’ve been taking her to school in Sidcup for the past 4 years, but I wander what she’s missing out on by not being at school with friends close by.

Valley is 5mins drive for me, looks good.

I want to get her name on the waiting lists ASAP but I have to put 3 schools, and that is hard to do when the schools won’t let you visit them.

Usually with state primary schools you have to go to the one or two that you are in catchment for. Which schools do the children who live around you go to? Your "choices" will be limited to one of them.

Hiya, no with in year admissions you can apply to any school. No catchments areas apply, however this will determine where I slot in on the waiting list.x

You need to understand the admissions criteria in the area you are looking in. Waiting lists are organised by those criteria so you could sit on a waiting list forever if children who have stronger faith links, live closer etc leapfrog you on the list.

Schools around me are:
Burnt ash (I’ve been warned is not a great mix of children)
Parish CofE (used to be brilliant, but had gone down hill quickly)

Ranefield (is in special measures)

AornishHades yes I understand that, not looking at any faith determined schools so it’s mainly those closer will leap ahead of me. I’m trying to balance out the closes schools that would meet my criteria, but like I said it’s hard when they don’t let you visit. Which is why I’m on here really :-(

If I could visit and get a feel for the schools/heads .... im going off websites and opinions right now.

I live in Bromley and am non White and understand the issue re demographics in that area. Sorry you are facing this and in the interim the school should be addressing these issues too. I have friends with children in some of the Bromley schools mentioned and they are happy with them, most primary schools seem to have quite a lot of movement so an in year place is likely to come up somewhere. Good luck

Use the schoolcatchment website to get a look at realistic options near you. I do know that Brindishe Lee is well thought of locally (and probably reflects Lewisham’s demographic in terms of ethnicity- likely to be very diverse) but no idea about their catchment.

Have you given notice yet? Just factor in notice in your planning, most schools require a terms’ notice which would take you to the end of the academic year anyway x

I understand your predicament and your desire for the sort of school you describe, but you need to be realistic. I'm sorry to sound harsh and I will be generalising here as I don't know your area, but the sort of schools you describe are unlikely to ever have spare places and even when they do, living quite far away means you will always be way down the list. The fact that they won't do visits strongly suggests to me that spare places are like hen's teeth so in a time of budget cuts the school will not use its scarce time and resources showing people around who in all likelihood will never get a place.

You would not, technically, ever be in the position of 'no school' as the LA must allocate you one. If you don't like the school, the LA has still fulfilled its obligation and will do no more.

Don't discount the special measures school. It will need to improve very quickly and will have regular ofsted visits to make sure of this. A complete turnaround in fortunes and an entirely new staff is a common feature when schoolshave been in SM. They'd be delighted to arrange a visit I suspect and you might be pleasantly surprised.

Finally...... all schools have some rude parents and children!

Good luck.

If schools won't actually allow visits, then you can get a feel for a school by walking past at pick up time. You could keep an eye open for scoop fairs etc and visit them too

Yes, with in year admissions you can apply wherever you like. I’m assuming, though, that primary schools in Bromley are as oversubscribed as schools in this borough and so you’ll be joining waiting lists, not bagging a vacant place. Waiting lists are held in the same order as the oversubscription criteria and so if you’re applying for a school whose usual admission distance is (say) 500m and you live 3km away you’re unlikely ever to reach the top of the waiting list. Although they’re important to you, none of the things you mention such as cultural mix or proximity to your workplace will bump you up the oversubscription criteria or help you win an appeal.

Thanks guys,

Yes your all right, all schools are oversubscribed in Bromley.

Ok well I guess Ill put my dream school in one borough (brinsh Lee) down and pray for a miracle

And be more realistic with the Bromley ones

OP you're talking as if you have a lot of choice on state schools. In theory you do - you're right you can go on any waiting list you fancy. But in practice many schools are full, and most waiting lists are full of children who live closer than you do. They question to start with is what schools would your child go literally to the very top of the waiting list? In our school the only children who ever join mid-year live literally within a stone's throw of the school. More than a street or two away and you simply won't get in.

PPs are right, I would be targeting her Y3 application for next year as a priority if it's an infant & junior area, because that gives you a better chance. You're too late for main entry but I think there may be a later round in Mar/April(?) You might also have more luck asking junior (not primary) schools if you can look round with view to a late Y3 application. I suspect the schools are not giving you the time of day because they know the chances of your child getting offered a place as an in-year transfer are so low.

The LEA should publish admissions data from when your child's year group entered YR. This should give you an idea of which schools were undersubscribed (places offered less than PAN) back then. If it's not on their website you can ask them for it. Obviously it'll be out of date and spaces might have freed up or filled up since, but it'll be a reasonable stab at where there might still be space in your child's year group. You could also look at more recent YR entry data, but I would favour looking at 2016 for your child's year group. That's your best hope of identifying a school that's further away that has space. But I think you have an awful lot of criteria for someone who isn't going to have a lot of choice at this point. I'd be looking at Y3 entry.

I don't understand your objection to Burnt Ash if you're looking for somewhere culturally diverse. However, when I researched them their breakfast club didn't start till 8. Have you looked at Harris Shortlands? As a newer school, there may be less pressure on numbers and they have breakfast club from 7.30, or at least they did when they launched.