Admissions form

[vonshan]

My son will have been at his nursery for almost 2 years but I have found out that the school is over subscribed and we are not in the catchment area.
Does anyone know what are the best things to write on the admissions form??? reasons for her to staI at this particular school? ie. emotional development etc
what reasons may have worked for you????

Any help is deeply appreciated - I am in a turmoil and do not know where to turn to? I have met with the Choice Advisor who said she will look at my form once completed - many thanks

The LEA will allocate places based on strict admissions criteria (which you should be able to obtain). Not being in catchment will not necessarily mean you don't get a place.

However, if you are not in the top x on the application list (x being the number of places available) then anything you write on the form is unlikely to make a difference (unless something like SEN or completely unable to get to any other school). Just preferring the school and having been to the nursery (unfortunately) are unlikely to make a blind bit of difference.

If the LEA deals with all the admissions, there's not much you can do.

Apply, appeal if you don't get a place (but you do need to have strong grounds to win) and sit on the waiting list. Check that you can remain on the No 1 school list, even if you accept another place elsewhere, with a view to moving him.

If you really want him to go there, then you could consider homeschooling until a place comes up, which they do.

Our school is heavily over-subscribed, but places were offered when children didn't show up (and, annoyingly, the parents didn't notify the school). By that time, everyone has found somewhere else and you have a much better chance. There is also some movement during the term.

It really depends on if you really want him there, and are prepared to take a risk by sitting tight.

But its not without hope! Good luck.

Same happened with dd. She ended up going to a different primary school and has so far loved it (now in year 2). I was sad that we didn't get in, but really in hindsight it was sadness for me - missing the friendships I had built up and so on.

In the end, she has maintained friendships with her pre-school friends as well as building friendships with children at her school, so it has been a positive thing for her in general I think.

We were on the waiting list for the preferred school. 3 years later I think we're about 10th in the waiting list! Because as people have moved away/moved their children, others have moved in and are obviously closer. But have concluded that even if we were offered a place, we wouldn't take it and disrupt her.

Incidentally, the preferred school is less than 500m away and is our nearest school. The one she ended up at is about 1km away.

How far outside of the catchment are you? If you are just outside, your DD may still get in through the distance criteria. A fair few of the other applicants may be from further outside catchment.

Redskyatnight is right. Admissions are determined entirely on the admissions criteria for the school. Any reasons you give for wanting your child at a particular school make no difference whatsoever. All you can do is apply and hope you are far enough up the criteria to be admitted. They should be able to tell you how many children got admitted from outside the catchment area last year, which will give you some idea of your chances.

If the nursery is attached to the school, they may give priority to children who have attended the nursery. Check the admissions criteria.

thanks everyone