Can't view catchment school due to COVID

[ISaidDontLickTheBin]

We're in an area which currently has very high COVID rates. Our catchment school is not offering visits for Sep 2022 entry because of this. They have no video tour or other online resources beyond a fairly standard website. I've rung the school office, and they just seem totally unconcerned that they have no plan as to whether they will be offering anything before the application deadline in January. They don't seem to answer emails.

We've managed to look round 3 other local schools despite COVID but I've heard some really good things about our catchment one and I think it could be a contender. But I'm frustrated by their lack of interest in facilitating us getting more info on it. DC1 has SEN (no EHCP or diagnosis) so we really do need to have some idea that the school will be a good fit before applying.

Has anyone had similar and how did you deal with it?

(obviously I know we're in a much better position than some of those applying last year, in that we've managed to look round some schools)

Unfortunately not much you can do - trawl through any social media they have, back copies of newsletters on their website etc., anything they have publicly available.

You won’t reduce your chances of being offered by listing it as one of your lower preferences, so you could choose to list one of the others you have seen higher (although I know that doesn’t help answer the actual question!).

You can apply for your child to have an assessment yourself. Contact IPSEA for advice.

Can you find out the name of the SEN co ordinator at the school and try contacting them /asking for a meeting online or by phone.

Just a warning, in most schools the bar for actual support for children with SEN is pretty high, though that is not to say that a school where special needs are viewed sympathetically is not to be sneezed at.

We have the same, our catchment school didn't bother to reply to my email asking about a tour. We've still listed it, as we don't want to risk not getting any local school, but we're basing our choices on our DC, so where their friends are going etc. rather than on the school itself. All we can do at the moment. It hurts that these places see future pupils as so unimprotant they don't even bother to reply to emails though.

It may be worth asking on a local Fb page for feedback from parents of SEN kids, saying you're keen to find out their views on the school their child goes to, so you're not focusing just on the catchment school. You're less likely to get a message deleted in a local Fb group if you ask about all local schools rather than focusing on one.

A friend of mine has a child with SEN and she posted a post on the local community FB group seeking parental experiences of others. She had a really good response and it gave her some useful insight. I know it's the not the same as first-hand experience, but parent testimonies can be helpful.

We were not able to view any schools last year before applying for my DDs place. A few schools did videos but we did a lot of asking around (I would ask ANYONE that had a hint of being involved with a local primary school) and had to rely on that.

It's not ideal, but it was the best we could do and I am happy with our choice so far.

Thanks all, parents on our local SEN forum rate our catchment school quite highly which is why I am persisting despite the dismissive attitude. We went to visit a lovely little local village school but no one on the SEN forum seems to have any experience of it at all (@PineappleWilson as you say we can't really ask about single schools specifically).

DC is in a workplace nursery so their friends will be going here there and everywhere for primary school.

I've just phoned catchment school and asked for a phonecall from the SENCO

I don’t think doing a tour will help you know what SEN provision is like - better to actually speak to the Head and/or SENCO, read their Ofsted report and speak to current parents.

I would find out what the headteacher's email is - if it is not obvious on the website, it should be possible to work it out from other emails on the school site.
Email the head and ask for a tour of the school. If you still get back a negative response then I would have to question the reasoning and whether they are the right school. If you do get an invite to visit then you know that the school office is where the issue is.