Brighton school admissions nightmare

[Mandzjj]

I recently moved to Brighton in August, I applied online for my local catchment schools in July whilst schools were still open, they were very unhelpful to me and refused to sort anything until schools started back in September. My 11 year old is still NOT in school. I have been offered my second choice of varndean, which I am appealing as all my sons friends go dorothy stringer. I have contacted varndean to try arrange a viewing of the school, as even when appealing you still have to start the given school, and they can't fit me in until 25th sep, and that's not even the start date!! I am disgusted that the education authority down here allow children to be out of education all this time. Has anyone else had these problems?

Varndean is a good school. Of course it's your right to appeal, but as you say, your DS needs to start school asap and the appeal is something completely separate.

The delay seems very odd to me. Fair enough, the LA may have needed to check exact numbers with the school on the first day of term, but round here places come up and DCs move/start school almost immediately. I'd be asking serious but polite questions about why your DS will have missed almost the first (vital) month of Y7 by the time he starts, going by their timetable, and whether that's in any way acceptable...

The uniform is black / white plus tie and stuff. That should not delay things ?!?!

For the love of God, op, call the bloody school and make sure you actually have a place.
You sound completely confused; and your ds will unfortunately be the one paying the price.

I live nowhere near Brighton but I've just gone on the website and in under a minute managed to find out who the uniform supplier for Varndean is and that they deliver to your door in 1-3 working days. Also the basics of the uniform are black trousers and a white shirt. If your son has a place, why do you need a tour in order to get the uniform? Just get online now and order it! Your son can start school, at latest, next Monday. Phone the school office to tell them he will be there and find out who he reports to on the morning.

You can appeal for your first choice school if you wish although, on the face of it, your appeal has no chance of succeeding. You moved to Brighton in August, how many friends exactly of your son's are attending the other school?!

You moved to Brighton in August, how many friends exactly of your son's are attending the other school?!

Even if they'd lived in Brighton all their life and all their son's friends were attending the other school, the appeal would fail without some substantial other factor. If such appeals were approved, the entire admissions system would collapse.

What's the point in the tour: it's not like you really have a choice. Your child needs to get into school while friendship groups are being formed in the first few weeks. Stay on the list for your school of choice, you might get a place next year if someone moves. Chances are that your son will refuse anyway.

If you are going that the delay will help with your appeal Etc you are probably wrong.

Get him started off at the other place before it's too late.

Have you phoned the school office to explain you have a place and order any uniform you need through the school? If your ds has a place, he has a place now rather than in a couple of weeks.

I'm in a similar situation, so I really feel for you our LA are useless lying assholes with school admissions

But that said, believe it or not, you are very lucky

my DD has lived here all her life, has medical needs for a near school, we are in catchment for both of those schools - but were allocated a very unsuitable school that is miles away, one that DD cannot got too, because of her medical condition - so she too isn't in school & is falling apart as a result

Now on our second appeal hearing after the LGO upheld my complaint over our first - the stress this has caused our family is immense

I wish I could give you better news, our LA stinks, but I'm sorry, you have no chance of getting a place at Stringer - we had it named in DDs consultants report, she has over 20 friends there, it's our closest school & we STILL lost our appeal

Im not giving up though, but the reality of high schools & our crap SA in a Brighton is that your were incredibly lucky to get Varndean at all - we got BACA - DDs class mate us in the same situation & got Longhill - ridiculously long journeys to both schools

Sorry :(

I'm puzzled about the start date too - DDs friend, with stronger appeal grounds than you mention, has lost an appeal for Vardean in August, & they are already over PAN so I can't understand how they miraculously found your DS a place at all

I hate to worry you, but if you haven't Sussed it out already, our SA make mistakes - that's why we are in this mess too - though they lie & ass cover that though, so you won't know that if course.

I'm wondering if the reason that your DS didn't get a start at the beginning if term, is because there isn't actually a place for him at all & they are waiting for one to become available - I'm told there's usually some movement in the first 3/4 weeks of term with kids not taking up places offered as they've moved, gone to local private grammars etc - the SA forget to tell the schools that the place has been turned do?n too - this is not uncommon here apparently, hence why the school won't know yet - it would explain the late start, though I think it would also break rules as they are meant to allocate the places from the waiting list - but not sure our LA know what rules are - they make them up as they go along

Really sorry you are in this situation too, wish it could give you better news, but you really are lucky to have a Varndean start at al

try & relax, enjoy the extra holiday time - we've a heat wave coming, take your DS to Rottingdean beach, or Devils dyke & have some fun with him & try & calm him & tell him the benefits of a late school start - the other kids will have sussed out the personalities of his new classmates & teachers for him, they will soon fill him in with the gossip, so he gets to start school ahead if the game in that way

I'm afraid it's really all you can do is to keep him calm & look at the positives

Good luck

Though I understand you are new to the area & therefore probably not understanding the realities if our stupid partial lottery system, so I don't want to be too harsh

BUT I've got to admit, you sound as entitled as hell & in our current situation, with a DD who is born & bred here & failed miserably by our stupid system - you post has bugged the hell out of me too - your DS got offered a place at an okay school & close to home, one that my DDs friend or one of the many other families who appealed - & lost - should have had

& you are complaining - grab it with both hands & consider yourself, very very lucky