Moved area; 2 children given places in 2 different primary schools

[Stumpfest]

I posted in aibu but was told to post here as well. Has anyone been in this situation before and what did you do? Or if anyone knows a bit about admissions that would be great!

I have dd6 in y1 and dd4 in R, we've just moved areas and been given a school 1.8 miles away from our house for dd4 and dd6 has been given a place at a different school 1.9 miles in the complete opposite direction. I cant drive and have an 18 month old to also lug around on the school run.

I could just about hack doing the school run with them if we were going back and forth to 1 school but I have no idea how on earth we can make this arrangement work until a place becomes free for either sibling at either school. Can't afford to do before/after school club to stagger pick up/drop off and even if we could that would still mean one child is walking a ridiculous amount of miles per day.

We had to move and I just have no idea what to do. Dd 4 is a June baby and is really struggling with getting to grips with school as it is

Firstly make sure you are on the waiting list for any closer schools.

Unfortunately appeals are very unlikely to be successful because they are both subject to Infant Class Sizes, but others may be able to advise more on that.

Gosh I’d probably contemplate homeschooling the 4yo for a while. Any chance you could defer the 4yo. Alternatively Are there any schools on a bus line that have space for both?

Could you consider accepting place for dry, apply for dd4 for reception at same school, if she is struggling before Jan 15th, go on wait list for reception and see what happens. Ask the LA if any school in area has 2 places at the same school, they offer the closest for each age, not necessarily the one with 2 spaces or see if another school nearer each one has a space for the other, so not opposite directions

What @Takeachance18 says. Check if any have spaces for both anywhere. After that I'd look at homeschool for YrR child until somewhere more suitable comes along

It's very hard to find spaces for three kids in different year groups at the same time. Unless the schools are undersubscriibed. I would consider homeschooling the reception child and put him on waitlist for the other school. People move, so perhaps in few months you will get a spot. I would also call local council to find if there are any schools with spots open in all three year groups. There might be one just a little further away, but they wouldn't have considered it since they give spots in the closest available.

I’d speak to the headteacher and see if they are amenable to deferred entry for the 4 yr old. If so, I’d apply very quickly (deadline is 15th Jan I think) for next year reception place . Then see if there is a local nursery that would work until then or just let her settle and play at home until September.

Middle child doesn't have to be in school until yr1 for her birthday. If she is struggling and the school has a nursery that the older one has been allocated you could also ask if that had space and could take her until a place came up or wait it out at home.

Best advice is to ask the LA where there is a school who can take both of your daughters, then at least you have the potential for getting both in one school. That at least will tell you how far away such a school is.
Unfortunately the LA have done what legally they are required to do and that is allocate a school place at the nearest school with places. I would ask the headteacher of each of the schools where daughters have been given a place as to how full the school really is in the other year group. If the 2 schools have 30 in a single class then the infant class size regs will apply and your chances of getting a place at appeal are really nil. If by chance the school has different size classes then you may be able to persuade one of the headteachers to take the other daughter but it is not likely if I am honest that will happen.