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Original poster

In-year school transfer application rejected by Trafford Council

42 replies

WiseKat · 03/11/2022 21:04

Hi all - some advice is urgently needed.

We just relocated from Asia to Greater Manchester (Sale) with 7-year old DD. Sale is known to be a place with great schools apparently .
There are five or so schools around here - all are good . Two of them are non-faith and three are faith schools.

I applied for an in-year school transfer for DD through Trafford Council and got a refusal .

Out of five schools Trafford Council looked at two non-faith schools and said they are currently oversubscribed and we need to go on a waiting list . They advised that I need to contact faith schools in the area directly . One of the faith schools I contacted allocated my DD 8th place on a waiting list.

I am still to contact other 2 or 3 faith schools and kind of loosing faith myself and waiting for a similar kind of answer now …

So my question is : for how long can a child stay without education like this legally ?

And what should be my steps in such circumstances - i.e. if we get a refusal absolutely everywhere and need to go on a waiting list for every school in the area ? I don’t really know for how long …Should I be looking at schools further afield which is not at all ideal of course as we don’t have a car yet …

Many thanks for any thoughts

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prh47bridge · 04/11/2022 00:06

You can and should appeal for the schools where you have been refused admission. If you still haven't got a place within a reasonable distance from home (45 minutes each way at this age), it should be straightforward to win.

LadyLapsang · 04/11/2022 18:16

Your daughter has an entitlement to a place in a state school. Has Trafford offered any school place for your child? If not, and she has been out of school for four weeks, ask about the Fair Access Panel. Also, if they offer a place beyond reasonable walking distance, see guidance for help with home to school transport (if you chose a school which is further away from a local school offer then you will usually pay for travel). In parallel, follow @prh47bridge’s advice on submitting an appeal.

Feetache · 04/11/2022 23:00

I think you need to seek advice from Trafford re what schools have any spaces. So many families have relocated there, the schools are struggling to accommodate them all.

troppibambini6 · 04/11/2022 23:12

I live in Trafford and it's always been massively over subscribed but recently with the massive influx of people from hong king there just isn't any spaces left.

Feetache · 05/11/2022 00:19

Exactly what @troppibambini6 says. It's been in the press. Too many families for the number of schools. And some are in small old buildings

Original poster
WiseKat · 05/11/2022 03:31

Thank you for all the responses. I wasn’t really aware about these issues until now . On the contrary , everyone locally has been telling me that Sale is a good place to move with a family due to a large number of good schools . And I should not really consider some other areas (such as Wythenshawe, for example) with a 7-year old… Trafford council did not want to engage with me in any way discussing anything really until I had a permanent address.
This is a little bit frustrating as my daughter had good primary schooling in Asia and knows a lot of things for her age.
I really hope it will not go downhill now we are over here …

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Original poster
WiseKat · 05/11/2022 03:42

Additionally , I have paid all rent upfront for 12 months as I liked the house which we got and this was required by the landlord as we have been away from the UK for 12 years (no credit rating record).
So it is almost hard to believe the scenario that I need to bring my daughter to a more disadvantaged area in the UK/Greater Manchester in order to find her a school place … Oh well…

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LocalMum21 · 05/11/2022 03:56

If you are allocated a primary school place more than 2 miles from home (rather than you choosing a school more than 2 miles away) your child will receive a free travel card. Have you looked at any schools towards Altrincham? Competition is fierce here for primary and high schools. We were lucky and got places at our local primary school which is only a 7 min walk away, but lucked out on our high school with us getting our 4th choice which is miles away. Keep on at Trafford Council as surely there must be a place at one school, might not be the closest but families are always moving. There are also private schools you can look at, one being Forest Park Prep on Oakfield Road.

Beachsidesunset · 05/11/2022 04:19

Isn't a 12 month tenancy agreement considered a permanent address? Or are you waiting to buy a house after the school place allocation?

Original poster
WiseKat · 05/11/2022 04:27

Yes 12 months tenancy agreement is considered to be permanent address proof by Trafford Council.
Yes we would like to buy a house in the area in the future. But it looks like Sale might not be a good area from a schooling perspective after all, as catchment areas appear to be meaningless here ...

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TeachesOfPeaches · 05/11/2022 04:41

I'm in London and my son was on a waiting list for 2 years for the school closest to our home. He was in another school during that time though.

LocalMum21 · 05/11/2022 04:46

There are lots of good schools in area, that’s why people move here. The catchment areas change every year and are getting smaller and smaller. We are not in a catchment zone for any high school and soon may not be for a primary school which will adversely affect our house price. Children will be moving from the area all the time, and then some children move to MGS in year 4. I’m surprised there isn’t a school place anywhere in Trafford though, are you just looking very locally? Transport links between Sale and Altrincham are good and you can stay on the list for your preferred school for an in year transfer so at least your daughter can start somewhere.

Feetache · 05/11/2022 07:38

Trafford admissions should have been able to tell you which of their schools have a place.

ChristmasCakeAndStilton · 05/11/2022 08:01

Catchment areas don't mean anything if you move at any point other than a standard entry point (often reception and year 7, but some areas have middle schools and some junior schools), or waiting list positions.

Now you have an address, keep on at the council. Accept whatever school place they offer you, and then try for something better. There is no advantage to declining a place.

Will the council release the names of schools with spaces? And appeal - you are entitled to a school place. Just not necessarily at a school you want.

Transfer to senior school should be much simpler as you will be going at a standard transfer point.

nightowl123 · 06/11/2022 20:57

We were thinking of relocating to Manchester from France this academic year but the school situation seemed so mad that we've just decided not to and turned down a job offer. I talked to Trafford, Manchester and Stockport LEA and I found Trafford and Stockport the most communicative. When I talked to them, at the end of August, they gave me a couple of schools in the area that had availabilities, although they didn't do well in the Ofsted reports, which was enough to put us off.
Manchester LEA is a black hole, no information whatsoever.
And private schools also seem to be having waiting lists these days.
I also tried to talk directly to schools, but they told me they didn't have any information.
Good luck, I hope things get sorted soon.

nightowl123 · 06/11/2022 21:02

Manchester LEA told me that you put 3 schools down in the list, they may or may not offer you a place there, but they will offer you a place somewhere else if no availability where you want (highly likely). If you refuse this other place, they will tell you you need to homeschool your child.
I also know that you can apply for schools outside of your LEA. So check out Manchester LEA, Stockport or East Cheshire, for example. You never know...

treesandweeds · 06/11/2022 21:52

You need to ring all the schools nearest to you and find out if they have a place. You need to to them fill out In year Admission forms for whoever has a space and get your child in there and join the waiting lists if any nearer. You can apply to as many as you like

EduCated · 07/11/2022 20:13

Are you now living in your Manchester address?

Original poster
WiseKat · 07/11/2022 20:15

EduCated · 07/11/2022 20:13

Are you now living in your Manchester address?

Yes , we are now living in Sale and can't move from here for another 12 months.

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Original poster
WiseKat · 09/11/2022 11:03

Thank you all for your replies.

Trafford Council now came back and said that there are no places at ALL in all 16 schools in the Sale area 😮They mentioned that the situation changes rapidly (not sure if it is just to make me feel better …).

They said that they can place my DD in Altrincham area on 3rd January. This school is 25 minutes away and includes a bus ride (6 stops ) and 11 minute walk from a bus stop to the school building.

Is this considered a reasonable offer… ?

Sorry it looks like it’s going to be a long saga …

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LocalMum21 · 09/11/2022 11:06

Can you say which school and we can signpost you to shortcuts etc? Pm if you like, I have a child at a school in Altrincham.

Original poster
WiseKat · 09/11/2022 11:42

LocalMum21 · 09/11/2022 11:06

Can you say which school and we can signpost you to shortcuts etc? Pm if you like, I have a child at a school in Altrincham.

Thank you very much for your response !

I am feeling a bit stuck really ...

It Broadheath Primary School in Altrincham.

I've not received any formal offer yet as Trafford Council are saying they are still looking .

But this is the name of the school they gave me for now when I chased and chased them . So the signs are not good , so to speak ...

So I am trying to figure out my next steps .

Thank you very much again !

OP posts:
nightowl123 · 09/11/2022 12:23

Sounds like a long commute for a 7-year old, to be honest. Have you tried other LEAs?

Original poster
WiseKat · 09/11/2022 12:30

nightowl123 · 09/11/2022 12:23

Sounds like a long commute for a 7-year old, to be honest. Have you tried other LEAs?

Does LEA stand for Learning and Education Authorities ? Not sure what they can be other than Trafford Council ? I was told that it is the responsibility of Trafford Council mainly to help find my DD a school place or in some cases schools need to be approached directly .

The lady in Trafford Council kind of angled that it's even up to me to find a school place . I must say I am awfully confused ...

I approached Park Road Sale school directly as an example and was given number 35 on their waiting list!😮

OP posts:
LIZS · 09/11/2022 12:30

25 minutes would not be considered excessive. If over two miles you might qualify for transport or a pass for your dc.