Refused 1st choice for reception - what to do??

[underpaidandoverworked]

My son has been in the local nursery class since Jan 08 and I, rightly or wrongly, assumed he would get a place into reception for Sept 09. Got the letter today and he has been refused! Ringing around other parents - they must think we don't communicate! - he appears to be the only one not to be given a place.

The school he has been offered is a good school, but I'm concerned about the affect the upheaval will have on him - new school, new children and none of his little friends. To make matters more complicated, I am a childminder and one of my mindees has been accepted into the school (to lose him and his baby brother will cost me approx £500pm from Sept). I'm absolutely gutted and wonder if there are any parents out there who've been through the same thing?

His current nursery is 10mins walk from home - the offered school is at least 30mins, will prob have to use the car (what happened to 'walk don't drive'?? )

Have any of you been through the appeal procedure?

BTW - I'm gutted my son hasn't got his place, not that I might lose mindees!!!

If he is the only one not to be given a place do you have any evidence that the admission criteria were not correctly followed, eg is there another child at the nursery who doesn't have a sibling at the school and lives further away than you do?

If so you have grounds for appeal. If not then you apply to go on the waiting list.

A child who lives further away, in another schools catchment has been given a place because THEIR childminder drops off there!! In the meantime, my parent is panicking because they may have to find other childcare(I've been with family 3yrs). Conveniently, can't download a copy of la's admissions policy tonight

Unless the other child has a statement of special needs then cm arrangements do not trump distance from school. If that is the only reason then I think that you have grounds for appeal.

Do you have proper catchments or is it done on distance to school?

These sort of posts make me so angry as state schools not allowed to behave in this way! The CM arrangement is just not relevant - to illustrate this point there was a piece in the news last year about a family where the mum had epilepsy and thus couldn't drive and this couldn't be taken into account when finding a place for her daughter at the nearest school (ie walking distance). You need to write some letters but first try to gather as much information as you can firstly by getting copy of school admissions criteria from the LEA and also by speaking to mums in the nursery - the CM family - ask if child has special needs etc. Also ask if anyone knows of any oldest children who live futher than you and got a place. I think also ask school to give reason why you did not get a place - ie where all the other new families nearer than you???.

The good news is, if you can prove that the LEA has not followed its own criteria, then they must offer your child a place at the school.

Check exactly what the criteria are. In our LEA it is something like this:

children in care are on top

then statemented children

then children within catchment with siblings- distance has no relevance, you can live across the road and still be out of catchment

then children in catchment with no siblings

then children out of catchment with special medical needs

then children out of catchment with siblings

Haven't done it, but know a few who have ... I would go full on into the appeals process. They should have mentioned what you can do if you want to appeal in the letter you received. Maybe you should also contact the school to let them know you will be doing so. Be polite and constructive, get them on your side and let them know how much you want your child to go there. However, be aware that if they are a 'foundation' school, their own board of governors are involved with admissions, not just the LEA. You have nothing to lose and I think you have a really good chance through appeal. Good luck!

Have spent manic week finding out where other kids live and measuring the distance between their homes and school, compared to ours - how sad is that??? Am surprised haven't had police at door accusing me of stalking!!!

School been really good about it, are shocked ds hasn't got place, but I suppose LEA has to pay for 'free' breakfast club somehow! Appeal now in, but may not be heard until August - how c**p is that??? In meantime have had to explain to ds he may not be going to 'his' school in September - he thinks it's cos he was naughty last week At least I've been offered a good school, some parents I know have been refused all 3 of their choices - at least one is prepared to home-ed her child rather than send them to the one they've been offered!!!

Parental choice?