Changing primary school

[BouncersDream]

Hello,
Could anyone who's done it please list the steps involved in changing primary school?
The LEA website simply says "fill in a form, listing three preferences". What we actually want to do is try to get DS moved into one particular primary (our previous first choice in Reception), as we have glowing reports from parents there, and current school is no longer meeting his needs in our opinion.
What do we do, in what order? We obviously need to go on a waiting list, but do we approach the school directly? Is it all on line? Just a simple list of steps please! What did you do?
Many thanks!

Call the school of choice first. They may give you insight into the state of things. Then go on the list...the school can't push you forward but it's good to call as you get some idea of how long their list is.

I did this with DD 1 and it took one year of waiting. Then they called...and there was a place. Then they called again the next day and I crapped myself thinking they'd made a mistake but no...they were offering me a place at our second choice too!

Thank you!

Remember the waiting list is by criteria not time. My DD went from ninth, to first, to admitted on appeal after we moved house. Some of the children had been on the list since reception (it was Yr4!) The big jump was when her sister was offered a place in another year group.

The first thing is to check who you apply to. Some schools do their own admissions. Your LA should have a list of schools and which year groups have vacancies. This list also indicates if you need a LA application or to the school. You can appeal if you don’t get a place but schools will adhere to 30 in EY and KS1. You can elect to maintain an interest in the school but the LA must admit in order of the published admissions criteria. However if they have several spaces you will get in!

I would revisit the school you like and there’s no harm in asking them about space. I would visit any localish school with a vacancy you think is better than your current one too so you have a second and third choice that’s realistic.

Thanks everyone.

I would initially phone the school in the first place and ask if they have vacancies, if it is a request for a R, Y1 or Y2 then infant class size will still be in place and if the classes are full you are unlikely to get a place even on appeal. You could ask the LA to put you on a waiting list however.

If there are places in Y3 (or above) in the year you want then you need to put in an immediate application to the LA (or the school if it is an Academy dealing with their own admissions. )

If there are no places then you will have to make an appeal for a place. And of course go on the waiting list just in case. Remember that you are appealing because you think this is a school which offers your child something positive, orchestra, SN provision, MFL, maths club, etc not because the current school doesn’t in your opinion meet their needs.