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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Original poster

We didn't get any of our primary choices...

40 replies

Pinchypants · 01/03/2010 10:20

I can't be the only parent in this position this morning - heard on Saturday that Surrey CC have offered DD a place at a primary school that wasn't any of our 3 choices. It's technically our nearest school but because of lots of stuff like it not feeling right when we went round, not warming to the head, huge focus on special needs, behavioural difficulties and poor language skills, bad reputation, well below average maths and English results and dodgy Ofsted, I abandoned my liberal pre-child pontificating about going to one's local school in favour of panicking about precious DD like some Boden-wearing Surrey yummy mummy mumsnetter or something.

I know we don't have any grounds for appeal and we're on the waiting list for all three, so you never know.

Anyone else out there not got one of their choices? Anyone got in to a primary they liked better than the offer on a waiting list? Anyone reassure me that DD will be fine wherever she goes? She's already so excited about going to school this Sept as they are starting to step up letter and number work at pre-school, and I certainly don't want to take the edge off her exciting new adventure with any negative vibes from the grown-ups. Ta!

OP posts:

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admission · 03/03/2010 22:53

Hippygarden,
There will be a time period when the Local Authority is collating all the confirmations and rejections. That will be the time that the LA says people have to reply. After that time the LA will start filling in places in schools that have places and this is where you will be on the waiting list for all three schools and the order will be based on the admission criteria.

At the same time as this is happening the admission authorities will be arranging appeal hearings for all those that have appealed, but they should not be stopping allocating places to fill gaps. The two things should be happening in tandem. That is why I will quite frequently get papers for an appeal hearing 7 days before the hearing but by the day of the appeal some have dropped out because they have been offered a place.

Whilst the numbers for the school do look horrendous they are not as bad as you think. You will with everybody else have been allowed to state three preferences, so the total of 197 is for all three preferences of which they actually want their first preference. So you could argue that possibly two thirds of those 197 applications are actually not really a preference that they want. OK that is all based on averages that everybody did put down three preferences and that they don't all want the first preference. But I would suspect that actually there may well have been 60 to 80 parents who really wanted their child to go to this school as a first preference. Do you know how many the school actually have in reception this year and how many appeals there were for the school as that will also indicate how popular the school is.

Clary · 03/03/2010 22:59

Yeah I agree with Riven. Some of your concerns would be positives in my book (huge focus on special needs, behaviour and language - sounds good.)

Hopefully the school will not be what you fear and as it is your nearest (technically - not sure what that means!) it's a good option in that sense.

WRT dates, in our LA secondary hear this week (got a letter today about DS1) but primary (DS2 as he is moving to juniors) not till start of April.

Yes it does vary. I can see that's not helpful to some of you!

IwishIwasmoreorganised · 06/03/2010 21:23

I was hoping for our letter today as they should all have been posted yesterday but Postie skipped by our house without a second glance this morning

OP, your dd will pick up any vibes that you give off about her potential school, so try to be positive in front of her and save all the worry for when she's in bed (easier said than done I'm sure).

vodkaandcoke · 07/03/2010 19:18

I'm waiting here as well. We're Northants and we find out on the 21st of April. Such a long time to wait!!

Tikkabillajive · 07/03/2010 19:48

I'm another person who was in this exact situation last year and I wanted to post as I really feel for you going through it this year.

We also didn't get any of our 3 choices and were given our nearest school which sounds very similar indeed to the one you've been allocated Pinchypants. I found it SO stressful and upsetting, and felt that it dominated our lives for 3 months. But I hope it gives some comfort to hear positive stories - we were really lucky and got a place on the waiting list in the first shakedown at our third choice (which would have been our first choice but I didn't think we stood any chance at all of getting in as it's a village school a bit further away). I am still pinching myself on a daily basis as I can't believe our luck! But so, so many people I know and know of have been in similar situations and it has all worked out in the end so please don't give up - a lot can change between now and September.

I'd also urge you to have a really good look around and get your name down on the waiting list at any other schools that you might consider, even if they are a bit further away.

Good luck to everyone who is in this situation - I hope it all works out for the best.

1Littleboy1Bigboy · 07/03/2010 19:51

vodkaandcoke - have you got good schools in your catchment? or is there one you would really prefer?

choufleur · 07/03/2010 19:55

we don't find out until 2nd May!!! There's only one school in the village though and I can see it from our house so can't imagine DS won't get in.

Must be horrible not getting into any of your choices. hope it all works out.

PollyParanoia · 07/03/2010 20:16

I know two kids who were down for ds' school and the parents never had any intention of going there - they were going private but they wanted a back-up in case. Because there's no financial penalty for not letting the school know, they didn't bother. One little girl only found out she had a place the day before school started because of this selfishness.
So there you go, you might have lots of selfish parents in your area too!

vodkaandcoke · 07/03/2010 20:28

1Lb1Bb - I have 3 good schools close by but 2 out 3 of were all over subcribed last year so don't really hold out a lot of hope! I'm dreading it.

Tikkabillajive · 07/03/2010 20:32

Polly, a lot of that went on here too. I think we also suffered because of the recession, so a lot of people who were considering private went through the state application system who might not have done in previous years.

Pinchy, when does your dd turn 5? One thing that might be worth you considering is that she eligible for the nursery education grant until she turns 5. If she is happy at pre-school you might consider keeping her there for a bit in the hope that a place comes up at a school you like during the first term. It's not ideal I know, and I felt the same as you about my dd being excited about starting school, but it is a possible option.

And another option, which we also looked into, is that some private schools accept the nursery grant towards payment for reception places (again until they turn 5). We considered starting her off at a private school so that we at least had somewhere we were happy with for her first year at school - in the hope that a place would come up at one of our preferred state schools later on. With the grant it didn't work out as that much more expensive than paying nursery fees. And for us it felt quite empowering to be able to make a positive decision about something when so much was out of our hands.

Finally, would you consider going back to your allocated school for another look? The headteacher might be able to address some of your concerns and you might end up feeling better about it?

1Littleboy1Bigboy · 08/03/2010 12:17

vodkaandcoke - am also in northampton but dont want to give myself away on here!! We are based near Ecton Brook and so have gone for schools there, how about you?

1Littleboy1Bigboy · 08/03/2010 12:22

vodkaandcoke - hi you can C-A-T me via here is you dont want to post details on here about where you have applied

mummybarber · 01/04/2010 11:37

Thank goodness, I've found other mums in the country who have experienced the same emotions I'm feeling today. When I find out that we didn't get any of our 3 choices of school for my twins! Am in a state of anger and depression! I have yet to get the letter through, but was informed by email, so I have nothing to get my teeth into yet! What wre we going to do... they can't go to a rubbish school. I don't want them learning how to hot wire cars and nick sweets from the local newsagents!!!!

ghenghismaam · 01/04/2010 16:02

Ladies, I feel for you too, we got our letters back in Feb, our 1st choice no, 2nd no we got allocated our catchment school - massive new urban primary. I'm still going through a rollercoaster ride of emotions, we unintentionally have lived DS pre school years (we now know foolishly) on the assumption that he would get a place at one of these 2 village schools - so he has been to toddlers, pre school etc in both villages, had a great time and made some great friends (as have I). Now we have to start all over again - and I know that other children who have never even been to the villages have got places going on the crow flies rule. So we are left with a fairly futile appeal for 1, a waitng list of which we are 14th at the other, a fabulous prep school which may bankrupt us or the local urban sprawl - which isn't bad, it's just not what I wanted for him.
I hate most of all the lack of control - and also the fact that everyone who has got their choice can't really emphasise with what it's like NOT to get your choice.
Mummybarber - twice the pain I really feel for you, keep posting.
End of rant

Clary · 01/04/2010 19:18

genghis I am sorry you are upset, but in 2 years' time you may be delighted you were offered your catchment school.

It's local, it's near (I assume), you can walk there (I also assume) and the other kids in the road go there.

In no time you and DS will have made lots of new pals - and you can still see the other ones too!

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