Unadequate school, outside catchment area

[Turefu]

Hello!
We live in rural Yorkshire area. My son is in year 5 and the only secondary school is unadequate. I really don't want him to go there. There's grammar school 20 miles away, but it's outside catchment area. There's also catholic school in nearby (12 miles) city, very good one and very oversubscribed. I would consider moving, just can't do it right now for various reasons. Any advice? How to get into school outside catchement area?

If you can't move then not sure what your options are. Does the grammar school accept some pupils from outside catmint purely based on test scores and do you believe that your DC could ace give a top mark?

Are there any other grammars that do offer places purely based on test scores or any state schools that offer places based on an aptitude that make distance irrelevant?

You shouldn't do it but some people will rent in the catchment area to get in. Depends on the rules of your local authority whether this would be considered fraud

Even in areas where it isn't allowed people do it every year and get away with it (I know of 2 last year that did it).

When you say you can't move is that you can't sell and buy or can't actually change location for other reasons?

Otherwise you are sadly stuck

What you do is list the schools in your true order of preference, and make sure the inadequate one is on the list somewhere.

Have you been to visit the inadequate one? How old is the rating? Schools with poor ratings get a lot of extra help to improve. Plus also be careful of 'local reputation' as these can easily be 10 years out of date.

Lots of schools are 'oversubscribed' but people get into them. In an area where you can list 3 schools, then an average school might expect to be '3x oversubscribed' as they count all applications, not just those that put them first.

When viewing schools, take a good notice of all the reasons why your DS 'needs' to go there. e.g. He plays the clarinet and the catholic school has an orchestra but the one you don't like doesn't. Those are the kind of points that can help if you choose to appeal. Almost anything real might help except Ofsted rating or GCSE results.

Renting nearby without selling existing property with a view to moving back is almost always considered fraud.

Hi , thank you for replies. There’s grammar 20 miles away, but they accept based on location rather then performance . My son is clever enough to pass exam, will he get very top notch score? I don’t know. Local school’s rating was done in 2016. Previous one “required improvement “.
I’ve got rental home nearly an hour away from my home. There’s another grammar four miles away. I guess I could move there. But probably I would need to live there at the time of 11plus exam and it’d be very difficult .

Your DS won't start secondary until 2023.
That will be 7 years since the Ofsted. That is a long time for things to have improved, even allowing for Covid delaying things.

If he enters for the 11+ and passes then you could always have a punt at appealing for it. Though how long would the journey there and back be?

Hi TeenPlusCat. Journey is 20miles, 45 minutes then and another 45minutes back.

INadquate, not 'unadequate'.

You have 9 months until the application deadline (double check for 11+).

You can...

• move
• research schools further away that might have spaces
• look closely at local school, not just historic gossip but actually what the school is like now. If Ofsted reports are inadequate in 2016, and no updates check the name hasn't changed.
• go private

@blyn72

INadquate, not 'unadequate'.

There's always one, isn't there.

Thank you for all replies. I can’t afford private. I’ll research more schools in the nearby (12 miles) city. I’ll keep on preparing son to his 11+

My son ended up at our local 'Needs Improvement' school.

Like you, I was worried about him going there but we didn't have any choice.

My ds is yr 9 now and the school have just earned themselves a 'Good' Ofsted rating.

My son is really smart and academically is doing really well. He has also learnt how to stand up for himself and the confidence that comes with that.

No one is more shocked than me at how well the school has done and just how excellent they have been with my son.

Where in Yorkshire are you? That would help us to advise

They’re aren’t many “real” grammars in Yorkshire. So I’m guessing the ones you are referring to are just normal secondary schools rather than being selective. And if that’s the case you don’t have much chance getting in them unless you live nearby

North Yorkshire , York/Thirsk area

You say he’s studying for the 11+, which grammar school are you looking at?

Ripon Grammar

Anyone?

I don't know the area but in general.....
Have you been to see the school/spoken to any current parents of children there?
You might find that it is better than you think?

My dd goes to an inadequate secondary and its excellent. OFSTED is people jumping through hoops of fire.

@DailyWord
North Yorkshire has two patches of grammar schools working alongside the otherwise comprehensive system. Ripon Grammar operates an 11+ with the top 28% of in catchment children offered places then any remaining places offered to the top scoring out of catchment applicants.

OP - Thirsk Secondary is Ofsted Good (also 2017). How far is Boroughbridge from you? Also Good (2016).

Hi Scarby9
Both Boroughbridge and Thirsk are 10 miles away. I considered both of them.
@Drywhitefruitycidergin, I spoke to some of them and they’re really divided. Some very happy, other took out their children and send them elsewhere , including Boroughbridge .
@SavoyCabbage, that’s how my DH is trying to reasoning me. But this school has been on bad Ofsted ranks for years and I’ve got only one child , just really want to do it right

Easingwold?

@CarrieBlue, I don’t want him to go to Easingwold. They weren’t good for years and I’m not sure about their improvements .

@Turefu - that’s what I suspected. It wouldn’t be my first choice. I’d have thought boroughbridge would have space, they’ve just had Ofsted, report due imminently. Problem would be getting there.

@CarrieBlue, thank you for letting me know about Boroughbridge Ofsted report, I didn’t know. It’s an option, DH works very close , could give young one a lift. We live where we live and transport is problem. But I’d figure out something.