Deferring school until a place comes up

[LondonMumBB]

My child was offered a place at a school I really don’t want her to go to. As we are in Hackney, I know there is a lot of movement with people moving out of the area etc so I’m hoping a place will come up at one of the better schools at some point. Is it possible to home school my child and remain on the waiting list until a place comes up?

You can, but how long are you prepared to do it for, and is it worth giving up your offered place? I.e. if 9 months down the line there’s no offer, and the local authority can only offer you an even further away/equally unpreferred school, will you kick yourself for letting this place go?

Yes it's fine to do this, if you can afford it. Children have a right to an education and you are responsible for ensuring your child gets educated, but you aren't obliged to use a school you don't like to achieve this. You can home educate, but make sure you are actually actively educating so that your child isn't disadvantaged by being significantly behind their peer group when a school place becomes available. If you are capable of earning a reasonable salary (if your child is in school) then earning the money to use a private school is cheaper than staying at home to home-educate. Obviously if you don't have the skills and qualifications to earn that level of money, then home education is cheaper. Once your child's yeargroup reaches Year 3, the Infant Class Size restriction is relaxed and it is easier to get a place at the school you want.

I’m currently a SAHM and won’t be going back to work for another 2 years or so. I’m happy to homeschool until a place comes up but ideally I would like it to happen at some point during reception year. The school we have a place at is also on the list of schools with vacancies so it seems it’s not hard to get a place again if we changed our mind. I really don’t want her to go there though.

Which school has she been offered?

I am actually on career break from a highly paid job but Im really enjoying being a SAHM and don’t really want to go back until my youngest is school age. I would have to go back to work now to be able to send her to private school
and still be comfortable. My youngest is pretty easy going and still
naps so I feel I would have time to properly
educate. In fact we have already started doing „lessons” during nap time in preparation for school. The only thing I’m worried about is her missing out on school friendships.

Woodberry down

I was also thinking maybe I could also get a private tutor to help in the meantime.

Im considering doing the same (different area). Do you know where you are on waiting lists? That should give you a feel for how feasible it is x

I called today and they said to call back tomorrow to find out re position on the waiting list. They are sending second round offer emails today but it’s very very unlikely we will get one I think.

When does your child turn 5? If they are not compulsory school age you don't have to home educate you can just defer her start date. (I don't mean just leave her to it at home if she's interested in learning things, but from a paperwork point of view she won't have to be in school until the term after 5 so you can accept a place and sit on a waiting list without attending)

Thanks, she only recently turned 4.

I can’t imagine any reception class being anything other than lovely. Why not start her there? She might love it. Move her if another place comes up? A lot can happen between now and start of term?

We’ve heard bad things and also went for a tour to see for ourselves and weren’t impressed. Sadly it’s in a pretty deprived area and a large proportion of the students are troubled and not interested in education (through no fault of their own but because their parents are not interested).

I don’t want to settle in one school only to have to make few months later.

It’s not really deferring.

I think if you want her to join reception then you’re going to have to do schooling at home rather than home schooling and keep up with the national curriculum and use the same phobics scheme the school you’re waiting for uses.

Do you know where you are on the waiting list? Although your place may change. What will you do if a places doesn’t come up in reception?

What month is your child’s birthday?

I mean I wouldn’t mind her starting a whole year later in 2026 but how would that work- would she then start reception or year 1?

She will be turning 5 Feb 2026.

With her month of birth she would start in her age appropriate academic year, so year 1 if after Sept 2026 and she would only be able to join if there is a space.

You need to check the if the school admission criteria apply to the list, it usually does. It means someone who joins the list after your child maybe placed higher up.

Ok and if a place comes up in Reception before September 2026 then would she be able to join reception class mid year after being home educated?

Yes, only if a space comes up and she was at the top of the list. If she was to join after Sept 2026 then she was go into year 1. But in terms of catching up there would be little difference in how much she would need to catch up between reception in June 2026 and year 1 in September 2026. You can ring the school and ask her poistion on the waiting list but like I said before, others can join the list and br placed higher up pushing her down the list.

Have you checked the rules in your LEA to see how many school waiting lists you can be on?

Thank you, really helpful!

I think this means she will remain on waiting lists for all of our preferred schools?

„All applicants are automatically placed on waiting lists for higher preference schools in Hackney that they did not get offers from”

Sorry can I also ask- do I reject the place I’ve accepted at the school I don’t want her to go to?

Only if you’re sure you won’t send her there. There is a poster who gives really good advice on appeals who may be able to advise on that. Is there an appeals board on MN?

Sounds like it but I would ring the LEA admissions department and check.

I think you need to consider what you will do if you don’t get offered a place by a certain date and also more long term what is your plan when it comes to applying for secondary.

I’m DM you.

I’ve not even considered appealing as my understanding was that they only ever work if there had been an error during the admission process etc

I know you’re not appealing but they’re more knowledge about rejecting places but if you’re not going to use the place then I can’t see why you wouldn’t reject it.

I wouldn't reject it yet, keep your options open until September.

If you are sure you want to home educate until a space at your preferred school becomes available that's fine, but you definitely don't need to waste money on a tutor for a 4 year old. Join some EYFS groups on social media and you'll find loads of lovely ideas to help her learn though play. That's all she needs right now, lots of play. Read to her regularly, talk to her lots. Don't waste time on boring workbooks, especially for maths as they don't actually help children to learn concepts. Writing out 2+2=4 (for example) means nothing. Playing with physical objects helps children to visualise amounts (subitise) and work out how many there are altogether when learning addition/subtraction etc, without even realising they're learning. Play gives maths meaning.

Phonics can be researched online, and there are lots of helpful apps out there. Tutors are completely unnecessary at this age and would likely be unnecessarily formal.

Your child will meet children from the kind of families you describe wherever they go though. Writing off a school (and with it the kids who go there, most of whom are likely lovely despite their backgrounds) for those reasons is very sad.