Time to chose a school-primary admissions 2008

[chocolatemummy]

there must be loads of us going through this at the moment. I don't know about anyone else but its stressing me out, feel like its the biggest decision I have had to make about dd so far

we can apply online from monday!!!!!!

Blimey - I'm already engrossed trying to choose a school for dd, and she's only 19 months!

well I live within a mile of about 6 schools, its really, really difficult-big school-small shool, closest school, I don't bloody know

yes on line applications sounds good, but still dont know which to apply for, I ma looking around one tomorrow and one next week, what do you look for?

Oh that's a big choice chocolatemummy.

I'd also be interested in people's responses to what to look for, but one thing I'd def want to know is whether they merge classes (from different years) sometimes due to low numbers. At least one of our local state schools do do this (we are in between 2 small villages), and it puts me off, as I believe that education will suffer that way.

I'd also have a read of their latest ofsted reports. You can get them all online.

if everything else is equal then closest school and smaller school

gut feel is a biggy

And if you actually have a "choice" you are lucky.

Does anyone know exactly how the place allocations work.

For instance, if I were to put School B as first choice which is not my catchment school but still very close (and previously oversubscribed), and put the catchment school (also oversubscribed) as 2nd place, if I had little chance in getting into the non-catchment school, would it jeopardise my getting into catchment school by only putting it as second choice? Neither school by the way is a church school.

Any advice appreciated.

car25 - it all depends on your Local Authority and what their hierarchy of choice is. You need to find out. Look on your local council website or phone/email Primary Admissions.

Under ours, if you express a choice - living in or out of catchment - you are ranked above people not expressing a choice - livng in or out of catchment. So you, expressing a choice, will get a place (assuming there is one) over someone who lives in the cathment for School B but hasn't expressed an active choice for it.

Check your local lA!

Ah see, I just have to reserve a place by handing over a big fat cheque, and then hoping that they like and 'accept' dd when they meet her. No catchment issues at all with that!

i'm panicking about this too, we are close to 2 schools - the catchment one has outstanding ofsted but is massive (100 kids per year), school that is attached to his nursey in the next village has 15 kids per year - so has yr1 and 2 mixed in together etc etc, and has a very good ofsted i don't know which one to choose!!
does anyone know if the date you apply has any bearing? am i more likely to get him in if i apply monday than if i leave it til jan or is that irrelevant?

Usually the date on which you apply doesn't matter provided it is befor the cut-off date. But the rules really vary from area to area, and for example some schools who operate their own admissions (eg some faith schools) may have an earlier deadline.

I sent DS2's application off last week, easy though as he's just going to follow his brother and I'm really happy with the school he's at.

i've been looking at the kent school website but it doesn't allow applications for next year yet, still has sept 2007(jan 2008) there

DD is due to go in Jan 08(her school, hopeful school, has 2 intakes) so can I apply now or will i have to wait until Jan? Anybody know?

Might ask at preschool tomorrow, would they know?

Am new to all this school malarky as dd is the eldest

Ds will be going to the school where his sister is and where he is at nursery.

I'm just waiting for the formal acceptance letter which should be here sometime next month. I can't beleive my baby is off to school next Sept.