Priority admission for adopted child

[Iamthestorm]

My lo is adopted and as I understand it will have priority admission when we apply for a place next year.

Where we live there is a school that is heavily oversubscribed and people move house paying 10s of thousands over the odds to get in and still don't always get a place.

I had thought of putting this school down as our first choice despite living out of catchment but now I'm not so sure as we've already hadn't a few snidey comments and suggestions that it's unfair. To be clear I haven't raised this, just when I've been asked which school we are going to choose, the comments have come. As an adopted child, dc might have identity/belonging issues going forward anyway without any school resentment thrown in.

Do people generally care once school starts or is it likely the resentment will continue? It would be quite obvious that we are outside catchment as the catchment is small. I also worry about taking a place from another child who lives closer although there are a number of other schools nearby. I'd be really grateful for any thoughts.

Thanks

Yes it is.

Maybe your LA is different to mine, Sockwomble, but in the two LAs I have lived in it is indeed the case, so please don't state that what I've said isn't true. I am only trying to help the OP.

I didn't mean that distance specifically would be a problem for the LA, more that if there are other schools that, in the LA's opinion can equally meet the child's need and they are nearer to the child's catchment, they are less likely to agree to place the child in the further away school. I hope that makes sense. And of course it may be irrelevant to LAC in any case.

LAs may have their own 'rules'but they are not law and can be challenged. The send code of practice is very clear that there are only 3 reasons. The school being not being suitable for age, ability etc which would never apply if it is a mainstream all ability school. The second is to do with the efficient education of other children already in the school ( rarely applies in mainstream and only occasionally in special schools). The third is inefficient use of resources ( placement is too expensive - occasionally may rule out a particular mainstream school but rarely mainstream in general- more likely to be an issue with independent special schools).

I think LA unlawful 'rules' should be challenged.

There are guidelines on travel distance but that is about very long travel times and is to prevent children having to do a 2 hour journey to special school because the LA wants to cram lots of children into one minibus.

I think LA unlawful 'rules' should be challenged.

I totally agree with you there.

I am merely stating the hurdles that I have faced and that others may face too. And didn't intend to derail the thread!!

In our authority, LAC is Admission Criteria 1 and includes, LAC and previously LAC. Previously LAC includes children adopted from care and those who have spent any time in care but have then either been returned or are the subject of an official guardianship order. Unofficial adoption arrangements from birth or abroad are not included in the arrangements.

Catkin The EHCP children are dealt with by a separate process, but LAC & ex-LAC aren't. They are just top of the standard admission priority criteria. The OP can put down any school she wants, and as long she is arranging her own transport the school can basically only reject her if the school is already full of EHCP or closer-living LAC (which realistically isn't going to happen). (OR if it is a faith school, who are allowed to put non-faith LAC below all faith children)

That's good to know, thanks teentimestwo for clarifying.

Good luck with choosing the right school OP.
Try to also consider the benefits of going to a local school as opposed to the "best" one. If you dont really know the other local kids in your street because your school is further away, you can miss out on some of the fun of having friends nearby. Maybe not so important for younger ones but definitely a bonus for older primary children.
Good luck

The best academic school is not necessarily the best for your child. Pastoral care is everything. But it's so hard to really know how good the pastoral care on offer is till you really need it. Our school has 2 members of staff who have first hand experience of adoption which makes a world of difference. I don't know how you would find that out in advance though really, if people don't want to share.
Do what is right for your child, take advantage of every advantage going. Your child deserves every chance

I was on a training course recently, I am a DSL in a school, and it was shown that any person, whether abused or not, who had been in care (but not babies adopted at birth) had lower life expectancies, even if they didn’t fall for any of societies ills such as drink, drugs etc...

You can bet your life that those making snide comments wouldnt do so if the criteria favoured them in some way.

I would personally probably take advantage of them saying they can help you choose the right school for your adopted child and find out what they suggest looking for. I haven't adopted so I wouldn't know if you instinctively know what "extra" things you might have to look for or not but I would get their input as they may suggest support networks you haven't thought of yet which might be useful in the future for your child.

Otherwise seriously just choose the right school for your child. it has bugger all to do with anyone else why or how they are at whichever school they are, or what their background is. I have to admit to being a bit curious why people would get children into our school and then within a very short amount of time move to somewhere involving a 20 minute car journey rather than a half mile walk but that is purely because I genuinely love that I don't have to worry about driving to school in the mornings and can walk, far less stressful. It isn't my business and I would never ask. Even by years 5 and 6 there are some children I barely recognise, I certainly wouldn't know how far away they live or whether they lived in catchment when they started in reception or if they are adopted or not. You do what you feel is right, your child is the priority and other people will just have to either be curious or unaware (and I suspect 99.9999% will be unaware)

I think with adopted children there is a higher chance than average that a child might need flexibility or approach / pastoral care at some point during school. You can't know at 3 or 4 how being adopted might impact at 7 or 8 or 9.

A school with weak pastoral care or an inflexible attitude would make me nervous. But then so would a school who didn't teach phonics properly.

Where i live schools are super competitive but find it mind boggling anyone would have an issue with kids who are adopted getting a preferred spot. With all they have been through even if they were taken and placed at birth they can definitely have the leg up of a slightly better school!

One minor thing: make sure you do include the fact that she is a former LAC in your application, and include any information they need.

I seem to remember I had to send a copy of the adoption order by post to a central address. So yes, definitely check what proof you need to provide.

Being ripped away from your family (even if that environment is awful) and put into care, then settling into a foster family to then yet again he ripped away from everything you have known to be placed with yet another family to be adopted has a huge effect on a child. I still suffer from feelings of abandonment now as an adult.
My primary school was chosen (although I was an in year application and I think it went to appeal) because it had very small classes as was a village school whereas the schools in the town I lived in were multiple classes per year. It was felt that being in a multiple class and then having the classes mixed up each year so potentially being moved away from any friendships i had formed would be detrimental, also there was 2 years to class so it enabled me to have the same teacher for longer, again helping to form attachments.

I’m a bit at the posters who think that adoption is a magical band aid and that the past is magically erased by being adopted. It has far reaching ramifications even now as an adult. I had a huge emotional reaction to be kids being the same age I was when I was adopted.