Do we still need to apply for a place in state primary school?

[Lily7050]

We have decided on a private primary.
I have just read a post in another media about LA sending reminders to parents to apply for a place in state schools. This was send to someone who decided to defer Reception until CSA.
Do we still need to apply to LA for a place in state school to avoid being bombarded by LA reminders?

I would apply. You never know.

then decline your place later, there should be a space for “.reason” which you can complete with “private education ”

I’d recommend it just in case if any change in circumstances which means you can’t take the private place. If that happens your child would have no place at all and I’d local schools are full you’d be stuck with whatever is left no matter how far it is. Might as well put your local school down, you have nothing to lose.

So you can decline later? That's good to know. Thank you.

Slightly different but for Secondary we applied as normal while knowing DS was probably going to the same Private school as his sister.
His Primary head of year actually phoned me to ask me if we wanted the Secondary place once it was allocated, I hadn’t turned it down at that point as we wanted to be 100% certain of finances. Once we had to make the decision we did contact the LEA to tell them and I emailed DS Primary school for transition purposes

Yes, just in case.

Thanks!

Don’t forget to turn it down though. There’s nothing worse than when people are needlessly hanging onto school places, when others are stuck on waiting lists for their preferred school. The sooner the places are released, the better.

Yes we had two private places but still applied to state and secured a place. We then turned it down and opened up a place for someone else. I should not that I turned it down in the spring, I didn't wait till the autumn.

I just phoned admissions, told them the name of the private school and to take us off the allocation list. I'd only bother going into the state process if your unsure of finances, etc because it wastes time all round.

Slightly different, but we applied knowing there was a 95% chance we would hVe left the area before the September. (Forces family)

We turned down the place after we had details of our move... as it was it was originally November so we would have need the place for two months, and it changed last minute to September.

I agree with above poster that it is only worth applying if there is anything that may change between now and April (which seems unlikely as you wouldn't have accepted the private place)

Otherwise you are creating unnecessary paperwork for them to allocate you a place, only for you to then turn it down in 3 months. I feel it is immoral to hold onto the place until Autumn as other children will be likely waiting for that place and will miss out on taster sessions etc at their chosen school which you would be invited to (if you were holding the place).

I did apply for DC1 as we weren't 100% about going private (had the place, had paid the deposit) and wanted to see what we were allocated. Did not bother for DC2 as they had space at private school of choice and we had no intention to change our mind

Its impossible to hold onto till Autumn as the OP would lose her deposit and be liable for Autumn term pre-prep fees. Nothing 'immoral' about it , its their basic entitlement for a free school place, but it would be a complete waste of money to hold onto till Autumn.

OP, we're doing the same, but as we have no crystal ball, god knows what may happen next week, never mind 3 months, (especially looking back to 2022) only certainty is death and taxes.

We didn't apply to state, didn't need the place and didn't want to create extra work for myself or for the admissions people.

If we did go totally broke over that period I'd have worse things to worry about than school places.

I think I wasn’t clear. It is perfectly possible to apply for a state school place, be offered a school and accept it whilst having a private place also held. No one is going to force you to let go of the state school place before school starts in Autumn and if you do not plan to take it then it most certainly is immoral to keep hold of it. You would be likely depriving another child of that place and forcing them to accept somewhere lower down on their list. If you didn’t turn it down until Autumn, the person who wanted the place will have missed any introductory sessions the school may have for new joiners

If you turn down the pre-prep place at any stage after acceptance, there is something to lose financially. The closer to term starting, the more you will be liable for

yes, sure. Thanks again. No intention to hang on the place. Just did not want to be chased by LA for not registering DC for education.
No clue where to phone and whom to tell about private school.

Tbh I never did tell anyone with DC2 and didn’t get chased from the council.
As we had applied for a place for DC1, the form asked us how we would be educating them when we turned down the school offered. I also didn’t hear back after completing that (and wasn’t expecting to)

I didn’t bother with DC2&3. There was no need.

I got a letter when they were both in year 6 asking me which senior school they were going to. Tbh I don’t think I actually replied to..,