Help! What would you do?

[Fizzybubblegumbottles]

Hello,

I really don’t know what to do! My child is due to start reception in September 2026 and the application has to be submitted by the 15th of January.

He currently attends a school nursery where my other child attends. I work 3 days a week and rely on a family member to drop and pick up them 3 days as they have children which attend the same school. The other child will be year 6 in sept and able to walk to and from school alone but the family member will be available to take/collect if needed.

I work in a school and use public transport to get there and back.

Do I put the school he is at now first and rely on the family member for the 3 days or put the school I work at first would say it’s about a 20ish minute journey by bus. This would mean I would take him and pick him up everyday.

For now I will continue to do 3 days per week but it could increase to 5 in the future.

I really love the school they currently attend and have been a parent there for 12 years now.

I am so conflicted!!! Any help/advice would be appreciated :)

I wouldn’t rely on the family member to be able to do it the whole of primary, especially if their child is year 6. What if they need to do drops to secondary or just don’t want to when they have no need. Does the school have an after school and breakfast club he could go to?

How does your family member feel about another 6-7 years of drop offs and pick ups?

Thank you for your reply.

Our 2 youngest are currently in the same class sorry should have added on the 2 days I am off I take her 2 children to school. They only offer a breakfast club at the school they are now but would have to leave home for 7.10am but don’t offer an afterschool club would have to be external but I arrive home for around 4pm from work.

I wouldn't rely on others help, no.

At this current moment she does 3 days a week drop off/pick ups and I do 2 days drop off/pick ups for all the children so we share it.

Just not sure whether to continue as it is for September 2026 or change it. They will both be starting reception together.

Thank you for your replies

Is she definitely applying to the current school for her youngest? If so, what will she do for the 2 days if your child goes somewhere else?

will you definitely get a place at either?

Yeah she is defo applying there. She or her husband will take them. I would defo get a space in the school now as he has a sibling. My work not so sure as it is only a 1 form entry. The school he is at now is a 3 form
entry. I just don’t know what to put as first choice 🤯

Leaving aside the school run, which school do you prefer? You must know them both pretty well with kids at one and working at the other. You say you love the current school, if you like it significantly more than the work school then pick that.

re getting a place - don’t children of staff get admissions priority at your work one?

Just ask her whether she is happy to do it or not.

I prefer the one he is at now and I think he would be really happy there as he is now.

Yes I see it in the application but I think there is a certain amount of time you have had to work in the school, I can’t remember how long but I fall just under that as I changed schools early last year.