In year admissions (in Fleet but also looking for general advice)

[bornagineapig]

Hi there, my family and I are looking to move to Fleet. Went to look round the area and everyone was so friendly :-) seriously starting to look at houses now but we are worried about how the in-year admissions would work for dcs (one in year 1 and the other year 4) as i’m sure all the primary options are likely to be oversubscribed) Does anyone in Fleet have experience of this?? How long did you have to wait for a place? Lockdown taught me i’m not a born homeschooler lol. I will contact the schools too but would be so grateful for any insights from local parents.

If you’ve had experience of in year admissions but not necessarily in Fleet i’d still love to hear from you, any general advice about procedures etc gratefully received!!

Have had experience of in year admissions but still trying to work out where fleet is :-) I moved my son in year twice, was surprised by the number of schools which had places, schools which I considered desirable, so don't worry. But you could start looking at ofsted reports, get on a local parents facebook page if you can so you can ask what they are like. It does take at least a couple of weeks to get a school place and if you are desperate for childcare reasons then you will have to take the first offer which might not be the best fit. I guess the process varies but if you have a choice of applying direct to the schools rather than the LA, I preferred that, as started off just applying to my favourites if that makes sense, then could broaden my search. Probably makes sense to consider secondaries and being within distance offered for those, really more important than primary, and check if there are any feeder schools involved.

It may be easier to contact your local Admissions teams and ask where there are places available. If you can't get them both at the same school you need schools that are reasonably close together.

Done In Year admissions twice. There is a massive element of luck. For example,, a place came available at one school a few days after we moved, and because our other child had already been allocated a place, she was at the top of the waiting list. But had the place become available a few days earlier someone else would have got it.

Unfortunately, we did have a very bad experience that one child was out of school for half a term (moved August, started October) because there was simply no places. She was allocated a place at Appeal at the school her sister had been offered at beginning of the term. However there normally isn't any requirement to keep siblings together. Its easier to win an appeal for a KS2 child since there's no class limit.

Both time we moved we had to apply to the council for up to 3 schools but other areas you apply to schools themselves. Waiting lists are in priority order not application order.

This.

As you're moving into area I believe they have responsibility to help you locate school places. Ideally at the same school but it depends on availability.

ICS doesn't allow for more than 30 in a class in R 1 2. Something to bear in mind.

Not Fleet but from memory. We only moved 2 miles so were told he should stay at his current school until a place came up at one of the 3 we got to name on the form. We were happy with this, took 6 months for the place to come up ( but very oversubscribed school and high birth rate year).
My friend moved further, got given a list of schools in the borough that had places in that year and told to pick one unless they wanted to homeschool until a place came up at their preference.

thank you all so much for your responses, all really helpful :-)

does anyone know what happens if you move during the summer? ie would you have to wait until september to discuss places?

Our admissions close over the summer holidays and it may be better to apply for an in-year transfer well before the term ends. Even if they are quick with a response it can take several weeks. Hopefully, things may be better in class by then but have a conversation with the teacher and then the Head about your concerns. We are still doing appeals from applications from June 2022 and July 2022 in some cases although they have all been allocated schools. Some children are attending their allocated schools and some parents are keeping their child out of education until the results of the appeal.