Do schools have to offer a place if it's available?

[MrsScavo]

Very late in the year we've decided DS1 can't continue in his school.

Does anyone know if schools with places have to offer him a place?

At the moment he is excluded from his school. Should we offer this information to schools we are considering? Obviously they'll find out anyway.

I think a lot depends on if your child has special needs and if he has been permamently excluded. Has the school made the decision or can he theoretically go back.

A school would want to be sure that they can meet any special needs. No one wants another disaster of a child being excluded because of lack of support.

Your son has a legal right to an education. I am sure another school will take him,

Hi, I've had this discussion with my LEA. My DS has also been in the position where he has been exluded and has special needs. It was suggested a few months ago that a new school, and a fresh start might help him. Fortunately things have settled down a little at the moment.

The LEA told me that if the school have a place, they cannot refuse to give this to your son on the grounds that he has behavioural problems or special needs. I was told the only exception to this would be if they already had a child in the class your child would be placed in that had major problems, and they couldn't reasonably be expected to cope with another. They would have to offically appeal this though - they couldn't just informally turn around to you an say no.

I would enquire about the availabilty of places before you mention any problems your DS has. When you know the place is available you need to sit down and be very honest with them about what has been happening. It will (or should!) all be on his records anyway.

Hope all goes well.

Sarah

Thankyou!

We're looking at a school next week. The school he is in now consider him to have special needs, regarding his social interaction with others. They would now be putting in place plans to help him. He was 100% fine at infant school, and I believe he would be fine at a smaller school. He's shy, and finds change difficult, which is why I've resisted changing school. I'm now left with no option, however.

The school we're considering is Catholic, which we're not. What do you reckon our chances are?