Why do they pretend we have a choice when it comes to schools ?

[DefNotYummyMummy]

Just needed to vent. I am so depressed and pissed off with all the literature that claim it is 'important to make an informed choice for your child's school'. We have no choice. Our closest one is oversubscribed (and excellent). They shut the one in our village as there weren't enough children (load of bollocks - the church wants to sell it). The next closest one is in the next county and there have already been complaints that we are 'stealing' their places and so God knows what will happen next year when I apply. Our neighbour went to appeal and got in. The next two options are just awful (a school that has been re-opened after having been closed down as it was in such a state academically), and the last one has an awful ofsted and sats etc etc. They are also much further away. How can I give my son (august 28 born) the best start when I am faced with such disappointment ?

So - why do they pretend that I will have a choice ?

Sorry to be such a misery .

You're not a misery and you're correct, most people do not have a choice. In some areas parents can chose between 2 or 3 good local schools. In others, catchment areas are so tight that if you don't live within spitting distance of the school you have no chance.

All you can do is visit all three schools. The one that was closed and re-opened is very likely to have a new (hopefully) inspiring HT and will have lots of cash to play with in order to turn it all around. You may find that if you take up a place there, by the time your DS reaches the juniors that one becomes the most sought after.

It's not easy but try not to spend the entire next year worrying about it. It may be that your son's year has a lower birthrate and so you get your local excellent school.

well tbf they do say "preference" because it is only stating a preference, nowhere does it say choice.

No point in having a preference for secondary around here either!

Oh dear, sorry that it is so tricky for you.

You may well get into the nearest one which I assume will be catchment one?

The choice thing annoys me too - all anyone wants is a good education for their child.

That said, there are 4 schools with half an hour's walk of our house which all give that and I guess we could have got into, well, certainly three of them. Maybe we are lucky.

But please don't worry; and do go and look round the schools - you may get a pleasant surprise.

Here's hoping ! Maybe the new one will turn out good ? That's a good point, although I'm not optimistic as it is in the middle of a rough estate. I'm a snob, I know. Sorry. Thanks for a bit of support. I'll try not to worry and just get on with it. Not much I can do anyhow. (but whinge)!

know what you mean - we have two schools nearby - one is average, poor grounds and high turnover of staff and kids and the other one is outstanding - in top 20 state primaries in the country. unfortunately the catchment for the better school is 250 yards!! guess how much those houses are going for and of course the rents are extortionate too - several parents in my ds nursery class have moved less than half a mile away to within catchment (and now the kids on the local council estate are definitely not in). its kind of like an inverse selection by wealth round here. I think there is a lot to be said for the introduction of a lottery system especially in london.

They say there is a choice because at one time, when I was at school, you had to go to your catchment school.
This is no longer the case you can apply anywhere, but what they don't say is there is free choice if there is room. Popular schools are over subscribed and have a rigid list of criteria and people who fit the criteria get the places, starting at point 1. People who fit point 3 might not get a place if it is very popular.
If you want to go to an undersubscribed, failing school you can get a place when you don't fit any of the ctriteria!
People don't find this out until they start the process. The best thing to do is ask the LEA for a list of criteria and also a list of how many places and how many people applied-it will give a realistic picture of your chances.

The literature round here doesn't mention the word choice - it's all about "expressing a preference".

If the blurb the OP received says something about "informed choice" rather than "informed decision" then heads should roll in the education blurb producing depratment!

I don't think that they bandy the word 'choice' about in the way that they used to-everyone gets to realise it is a myth.

you could always move

wow stitchtime thats what we thought 14 months ago when we put our house up for sale!

Choice, my foot.
I understand choice to be when you get to choose between things of equal value.
I dont call choosing a good school or a crap school choice.
Perhaps they mean choose between state and private???
It is all part of the great conspiracy to get all women back to work regardless of their children and whether or not they want to go back to work.

exactly voodoo. thats just it. you dont have a choice. most people cant afford to just up and move to get a school place, at least you felt able to make the decision to do so, even if you havent been able to.
their is no choice. even your preference doesnt count for anything. the only real choice there is, is between paying for a school, and not paying for it. again, not really a choice for most people

nowadays we get told we have a choice about almost everything. the reality is that we dont. we have to accept 95% of what life chucks at us. our onlychoice is in how we handle it. sorry, i am in a cynical mood at the moment.

ronshar, even that isnt a choice. back to work? there need to be jobs out there togo bac to work too

nb we aren't moving to secure a school place...
but we will be moving to a good catchment area, it is a top priority,. dd and ds are both under 3.

As your son is at the younger end of the academic year, why not apply for the local school, see where you are on the waiting list if he isn't offered a place and wait for one to come up since, technically, he doesn't have to start until he is five (ie, the beginning of Yr 1). It is pants though and I do feel for you. A woman at my son's nursery has been advised to move if she wants to get her son in to the local primary school - he currently has not been offered a place anywhere: she lives less than 500m away...