When parents disagree about which school a child should attend

[educationnightmare]

Has anyone been in the situation where parents disagree on which school a child should attend?

What happens when both parents have parental rights?

Bumping

Are the parents separated? What is so different between the schools that would justify such extreme stubbornness?

How likely is the child to get offered a place at rather of the schools?

Ultimately, if parents cannot agree, one of them can request a specific arrangements order that will decide.

The address used for application needs to be the main residence of the child; if it's 50/50 then parents can decide which, or the LA take the address that child benefit is paid to.

Who is going to be the parent who actually physically takes them to school and do everything school related?

Just register your child at the school you want them to go to.

Surely the application is done by now? If not it's late and you might not be left with much choice anyway.

As others have said, the child's main residence should be used as the address on the application which may affect things anyway if it's out of catchment of one parent's preference.

Unfortunately this is the case where the grown ups need to be the grown ups and work together to cone to a decision which will ultimately be best for their child, not themselves (ie "it's more convenient for me" shouldn't come into it if there's space at the other school which, on balance, seems better suited to the child).

Does your child have a preference? Have they visited either choice to express/show a preference? If not that would be the next step for me.

The child is nursery age so not too late for school applications.

Parents can't agree between a faith school and non faith school.

There is plenty of space in both schools and child is 50/50 between both homes.

Home to school transport provides.

Faith school as in, C of E, or something more orthodox such as Jewish or Muslim faith schools?
If it’s a Church of England school then I wouldn’t see it as something to have a huge row over.
In the end, unless someone gives in and changes their mind it’s all going to be very messy.

Plenty of space in a faith school?

Is the child of the faith and is there agreement to raise child in that faith.

Or is the child not of the faith and there is space ?

If you are together you need to work it out.

If you are not together it's mediation then court.

By 'nursery age' I assume you mean not starting school until at least September 2025 then? (As those starting this September are still technically 'nursery age' now but their application was due in a couple of weeks ago). Apologies, by the urgency in your post I assumed you meant they were due to go this September.

In that case you have ages to come to a decision but you do need to work together, rather than against each other. You can never be sure whether schools will definitely have space as it all depends on birth rate that year. Schools with space in Reception now might be full in 2 cohorts time, when your child starts.

What kind of 'faith' school are you talking about? Many CofE schools can be quite relaxed, whereas Catholic and other faith schools such as Muslim tend to be a lot more focused on religion. I understand why that is causing tension, if one of you wishes the child to grow up as part of that faith wand the other doesn't. For me, the obvious solution here would be non-faith as your child can still value that part of their herritage in a non-faith school (where there will likely be a nice mix of faiths), but it could be harder for them to attend a faith school when one parent is so anti that.

To help you weigh it up and compare though I would also try to look at them both as just 'schools', rather than faith school vs non-faith school. Which one is closer (more scope for local friends)? Is at least one walkable? (always a plus not to have to rely on cars) What extra curriculum activities do they both offer? What are their facilities like? Do they offer breakfast/afterschool club if needed? (Useful to know for the future even if not needed now). How big are they? (Different children suit different sized schools best), What do Ofsted say? (Would definitely be my last consideration but still worth looking at as two 'good' schools is a very different argument to an outstanding vs inadequate).

Definitely visit both though, with your child and ideally with the other parent too if possible so you've all seen both and can make a more informed decision together. Ultimately though, child's needs should come first.