Mid year school applications

[ThePenOfMyAunt]

DS4 is EHE. There's a very long backstop, but the short version is DS3s EHCP tribunal led to a breakdown with the local school. Ds4 has been EHE for a year, he was briefly at another school but it didn't wotk out for various reasons.

My LA has changed the system so that you can only apply for mid year places at LA maintained schools via their online system. Academy school applications must be made directly to the individual school. It isn't physically possible to select an academy school to do the online process.

I applied to 2 LA maintained schools via the LA system. Unlikely to get a place but felt it was worth a try.

Today I got a phonecall from the local primary school. She read me a letter that was apparently addressed to me, but I'd not had. It said not been allocated preference as full, but had been allocated the local school. I said we wouldn't be taking up the place and thanked her for the call.

I'm honestly a bit boggled as to what's happened, is it because he's EHE they've allocated an academy even though they don't do the admissions for them? And should the local primary have got the letter about my preferences etc?

I assume that the process is that if they can't offer you a place at one of your preferences, they identify the nearest school with a place. They will liaise with the academies about spaces even though the academies co-ordinate their own admissions. This is all quite normal as far as I'm aware, although does cause confusion, including who should send you the letter!

The system makes sense if you assume that most people's priority is to secure a place. It would be more difficult for most parents if the LA didn't tell them that school X down the road from them has a place, just because it's an academy. Of course you have specific circumstances where you prefer no place than the offered place.

Thanks

I could understand that, but last time I'd applied for a place where none were available, nowhere else was offered. And that was before they changed the system around academy schools. I then asked the LA for help and they offered at the school he attended briefly. (I'd been avoiding it because it was the same MAT as the old school).

I'm going to get in touch with the admissions team and see what they say, particularly the letter!

That does make it more confusing! The whole system is overly complicated IME! I hope you can sort out a plan that works for you.

Thanks, I've actually found a home education tutor centre which I think is going to work well for us. I was just a bit broad-sided by the phonecall.