In year Application process Trafford council

[dancemasti]

Hi Mums, I am shifting to Sale, Manchester from Liverpool. I have applied for schools on Trafford council website. I live in catchment area of Springfield Primary school. How much time it will take for them to reply and allot places to my both children? If all schools around are oversubscribed, what is the best way to strengthen my application? I am a working mom, so will need a school with after school care.
Thanks in advance.

Hello. Unless you are applying for reception places you can only be given places where there are spaces afaik. You’ll be better off phoning individual schools and asking if they have spaces and if not how long their waiting list is (depending on distance from your new house you could potentially go ahead of others in the list) - Not sure if the councils hold this.
Fairly sure you won’t get a confirmed place until you’ve actually moved but schools should be able hold a place for a short while if they have one available.

I'm not sure how long Trafford normally take, but they should get back to you within a couple of weeks - if not jog them. They will be super busy once primary allocations for this September come out on April 16...

If the school has places, they must give them to you (assuming you can take them up pretty quickly). If it doesn't, your children will be allocated spaces at nearby schools that do; there is no guarantee that will be the same school, or one with after school care I'm afraid. And you cannot strengthen your application, as such; places must by law be allocated using the admissions criteria.

You can stay on waiting lists and move children later if spaces come up, and of course you can appeal (though depending on the ages of your children, it may be an infant class size appeal (as Springfield has 30 per class) which is very difficult to win).

I'd phone individual schools to find out where has places. If they have a place and you apply, they'll give it to you (assuming there's no waiting list). If there is, you'll be added to that. Not necessarily at the bottom, it will depend on their waiting list criteria. Good luck!

Trafford primary schools are rammed due to Trafford's policy of building loads of extra housing but not any of the infrastructure to support it. We moved to Trafford over 10 years ago and it was tough even then. DS and DD were at different schools, by the time a place came up for DS at DD's school (2 years later), he was settled with his own friends and didn't want to move schools. Thus my DCs have been at different schools all the way through. It's logistically tricky at times but we made it work.
That said, Springfield is a massive school with 3-form intake so a place will likely come up quickly.

Thank you for such a quick response everyone.
I have called 3 schools nearby they are all oversubscribed. so m worried now

Fairly sure the council have an obligation to find you something but as PP have said it might not necessarily be for both children at the same school and you can't request a school with wraparound (that said the vast majority do have wraparound and/or childminders that do drop off and pick ups at particular schools). I think you will have to go with what you are given and be on waiting list for your preferred school.

I think a lot of schools do not have waiting list, they say it depends on council completely. so fingers crossed, waiting for reply from council now.
Thanks agan for all support

Are there any spaces at Springfield?

No places in Springfield at the moment was the answer as on yesterday

What age is it for?

age 5-6 and 10-11

Try Worthington primary. They have recently increased from a 1.5 form to 2 form entry.

Keep calling round. Things may change at Easter

Any joy yet?