Would you do this?

[LadyBlaBlah]

DS in year 3
DS in reception

School is a split infant /junior with separate heads

Junior has always had a bad reputation and hey presto, DS1 has gone into Year 3 and within a month lost all motivation / hates school and quite frankly his work is now of a pretty poor standard (he has always been very good). We have been in and talked with the teachers, and quite frankly it was an astonishing response (that's another story, but the fact is, the school has no standards and is pretty much uninspiring)

So, there is a school round the corner which is one of the best in the country, and after calling them up it transpires they have a place in Year 3 (amazingly), so we have just been round it and the contrast between his current school and this other school is indescribable.

BUT, they do not have a Reception place. So it would mean 10 minutes breakfast club/afterschool club for one of them each week (the schools are only a mile apart). I am not too bothered about that..........but what about DS2..........once DS1 is in the school, we can petition for a sibling place, but it is not guaranteed. The infant school is good, but we then only have 2 years for someone to leave or for the petition to be accepted. And if he doesn't get a place......what then? (I suppose there are also other schools around if he doesn't get into the good school......?)

AIBU to take this place for DS1? DH went to shit schools and doesn't want the same for DSs, and we have an opportunity to get a place in one of the best schools in the country............but what about DS2??

Did the headteacher call back?

On an assumption that you did manage to get the place for your eldest, you need to put your youngest on the waiting list for the school and as others have said check each term.

You also need to do a bit of fact finding. You need to establish the admission number for the school in your youngests's year. The infant class size regs limit the number of pupils to 30 with one school teacher and many schools have an admission number of 30 or 45 or 60. Being realistic you have no chance of getting your youngest into the school on an admission appeal under those circumstances as the classes have 30. Your best bet is that you are top of the waiting list and a pupil leaves in the yeargroup.

If however the admission number is not 30,45 or 60, then the class may well not be at 30 and then I would appeal for admission during this term. You are allowed one admission appeal per academic year, unless circumstances change, so you can appeal now and then again in September.

Thanks all - he is in and starts on Monday

fantastic news, good work LadyBlaBlah my eldest is yr3 aswell.
you know your eldest will be fine - just needs the right school
i hope you get a place for your younger boy too.

feel proud that you have done the right thing.

YEEE HAAAAHHH!

It will be so much easier to get your youngest in now.

That was a good new year's resolution achieved.

Well done you. so pleased. I've been checking on this thread constantly since it started - so am very relieved...for you obviously!