2 different schools. nearly 2 miles apart

[karen321]

I wonder if anyone could help. I have two 6 year old children already in a infant school. going up into year 2 in september. I have just had notification from my local council that my youngest who starts reception in september has not been allocated a place at this school.. They cannot place her there as they have filled they have filled each class with 30 children..

The problem i have is that we walk to school which takes us just under an hour in the mornings.. To get us there for 9 we leave at 8am. So i would be doing that with the two 6 year olds and the 4 year old.. My 4 year old actually attends the nursery of the school where her brothers go.. But still was not able to get a place there. So after that hour walk me and my 4 year old would then have to walk for another hour in the oposite direction to get her to school.. I could never expect her to walk for 2 hours in the morning and evening like this and i cant be at two schools at the same time..I just dont know what to do. I have had appeal forms sent but im told as she had been turned down on class size i dont really stand much of a chance. I dont want to have to pull the boys out of there school as they have settled in great now. I just dont know what to do.. I dont really have any family to help me and to be honest i gave up work when i had the children so i could be involved directly with the schooling etc... I wonder if anyone has experienced this and where i stand as neither school would allow the children to go in late but i cant physically be in two places at once. I dont know what to do... or were to get advice.. thanks

Are you more than 2 miles away from either of these schools by the shortest safe walking route? A full hour walking suggests that you probably are. If so, you are entitled to free transport. Take that up with your LA.

If you appeal this will be an infant class size case. That means your chances of winning are limited. You need to show that the LA has made a mistake and that your youngest should have been admitted. I would therefore start by checking the admission criteria for this school. Is there a catchment area? Is it a faith school? If the answer to both these questions is no, I would expect the priorities to be something like:

• looked after children
• children with medical or welfare reasons
• children with siblings at the school
• everyone else

If that is the case, it would be very surprising for a child with siblings to fail to get in and may indicate that a mistake has been made. However, if there is a catchment area and/or it is a faith school it would be different.

What is their criteria, are you sure that they have considered your original application correctly and those of other peoplese? If they have made a mistake they will have to accept your child. You need to ask how the others were accepted.

Karen,
Just following on from what PRH has said, I wonder whether a mistake was made in not giving you any sibling priority. Was it clear that the siblings will still be at the infant school when the younger sibling starts? You need to ask the admission office of the Local Authority where you stand on the waiting list and secondly on what criteria was the last pupil admitted.
Another question, as it is relevant, what happens next year when your 2 eldest will be in junior school, is that nearby or is this another walk in a different direction?