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?

Thank you, this is super helpful. I’m surprised though as some of the holy grail schools I’ve heard of have lower results than some of the less known ones. I have some serious thinking to do!

Yes, 100%. I think there are schools which have local reputations that can sometimes be out of date.

But equally high scores aren't the only data point to consider and so it is helpful getting local advice from parents and reading the Ofsted.

I read one Ofsted about a school with students with very high scores and it said it was an exam factory, so that ruled it out for me.

Oh and also there can be outlier years in either direction eg very bad one year after a series of good years, or very good one year after a series of bad years. Worth looking back a few years too to understand the broader picture.

I wouldn’t only look at the KS results/ SATS performance. My dd went to an outstanding primary but they basically drilled them in y6 to pass SATS - they did hardly any of the extras (very little science or art or history or music and NO computing) until after the SATs in May . Dd was so bored . And behaviour was awful. They “cheated” the Ofsted in a variety of ingenious ways.

I would get your dc into a nursery now until end of summer - you get 30 free hours, no? And then homeschool.

i would not send my dc to a school where aggression, inappropriate sexual behaviour (among older kids) and bad language are tolerated / the norm. I regret letting dd go to a school like that. I think homeschooling is a better option.

Hi OP hope youre ok? Just on the waiting lists numbers, we are 1st on one and cautiously optimistic. The school have had a full set of positive acceptances but are aware some are waiting for spaces at other schools due to logisitics. We have been told by the council to basically forget about anything we are over 5 on with an intake of over 30, and over 3 for an intake of 30. And then there are no promises. We arent in London, but a busy city, so i expect you’d have more movement than us but if its helpful at understanding the dynamics. They said some schools will be helpful and tell us if they normally take from waiting list and what previous years looked like, others wont engage until we are offered. We have since last Weds been pushed down 3 places on a different waiting list already, and jumped up 4 on another so it is definitely fluid (and i have a new obsession, checking the lists!). Hope you find a solution that works for you but completely understand - i cant send my daughter to the school we were offered, and will home educate until a place becomes available x

Thanks for the update on your situation! Last time I checked we were 19 on the list for the school we really want (intake is 60). This one is also the closest to us. We are in North London and I know there is a lot of movement so I do hope that we will eventually get a place even if it’s after September. We are 8 on a list for another school we’ve listed but that one would be a short tube ride away vs walking. All the others we are in the 50s, 70s on the waiting list so I might swap them for some other schools in the next round. We are and on the edge of 3 different boroughs so it’s rather confusing as there’s like 100 schools that are not too far from us (trying to strike a balance between good schools that are also realistic in terms of getting a place). Thanks for the tip re calling the school, I might contact them. Did you ask to speak to the head teacher or just the reception? Good luck, I hope you get a spot (it sounds like you most likely will). If not, maybe we can exchange tips on homeschooling 😆

Ive spoken to both - i caught a head who answered the phone was more much more helpful/open at 3.15, so might be a tactic :) fingers crossed for us both, il be watching phonics and miss rachel when the baby naps just in case haha xx

We waited for over a year for a space on a waiting list (and DD took it, she was 12 so it was a bit different as she could choose but the change was considerable and took some courage)

I would say if you don’t plan on long term home school being an option, let DC start -adjusting to going to school, putting on uniform, lining up, sitting and listening, all of these little steps are big learning curves. If there is a long wait, don’t miss the opportunity for them to start somewhere - they also might really love it and you might change your mind about changing schools. Let them start and if it doesn’t work out then homeschool but if it does then great! Also they might prefer home schooling and not want to change.

If she is 5 in February you can wait until Easter, when she is csa. You need to accept the place(or one at a better alternative with a space) and add ask to delay her start until then. You may get lucky from waiting list but if not you can at least have a place. The LA has offered you a place so has no obligation to find you one you are happier with. Chances of a year 1 place in September at one of your preferences are no greater than Reception as Infant Class Size restricts numbers.

Surely 1/3 of the year group won’t move or fail to show up? I think that’s too
much movement, even for London. As she doesn’t go to nursery, how is she socialising with other dc? Y1 start will
really delay this. I’d probably take what you have been offered. You might get the one where you are 8. In my area you wouldn’t. People hang on to school places!

I’m hoping that at some point after September most of the people on the waiting list will settle at other schools and won’t want to move even if a place does come up.That’s actually what the head teacher said when we went for a tour- that sometimes places come up and she has to call several people as people don’t want to move once their child is settled.

Several people isn’t 19 though. I think that’s the problem. Who is maintaining the waiting list? School or LA admissions?

LA Admission