Chances of your y6 getting first choice next week.

[louise5754]

Just that really.

Have you applied in your catchment or further?

Anyone thinking they will have to appeal or do you know you will definitely get a space due to catchment / sibling?

Same circumstances.

Although it's gone from outstanding to requires improvement plus they lock the toilets now so the kids were protesting Friday!!!

Unless the school is wholly independent the LA must name your preference unless the LA can prove:
-The setting is unsuitable for the age, ability, aptitude or special educational needs (“SEN”) of the child or young person; or
-The attendance of the child or young person would be incompatible with the provision of efficient education for others; or
-The attendance of the child or young person would be incompatible with the efficient use of resources.

The bar to prove that is high, higher than many LAs claim. And unless the LA can prove one they can and must name the school even if the school objects. The school can raise any concerns they have but the decision lies with the LA. If the school is named in the EHCP they must admit, if they refuse to they can be direct to admit.

You can request for any consultation response.

Should be a sure thing due to sibling link, but I'm still a little bit paranoid that I did something wrong with the application😬

DD1 got in from the waiting list as we were just a bit too far away on offers day. The distances have been quite a bit smaller in the intervening years so it's pretty lucky for us that siblings get priority. Much less stressful this time around.

I'll be asking for that consultation then. Thank you so much. This is the most useful information I've had in this entire process. I appreciate your help so much.

@CatMattress some LAs will just give you the consultation responses if you ask, but some force you to make a formal SAR, don’t be put off. If you haven’t already looked IPSEA and SOSSEN have lots of helpful advice on their websites and the SN and SEN boards on here are helpful.

My DD is catholic and in a feeder school but I’m still nervous.

I talked to another parent last week who said several catholic children from feeder schools have missed out over the last couple of years. There has been a huge influx of new builds in the area, schools that in the past have been undersubscribed are now oversubscribed with huge waiting lists.

I thought I’d get my youngest DDs name down early for rainbows so she can start in September 23 only to be told there is a waiting list until September 2024. I also attended a first holy communion class this week for one of my other children, there were more than double the families there were when my oldest made hers, the priest said in all the years as parish priest they have never had so many children doing their communion at once, he’s even doing an extra date to do them. This has made me even more nervous now realising just how many new families have moved into the area. This is the only catholic school in the area.

There is no other school I want her to go to, even our 2nd choice, I only put it down because our nearest high school is under special measures, regular reports of violence and knife attacks and didn’t want her to be automatically sent there. Our only option is fee paying schools which we can’t afford.

Yes to all of this.

Don’t reject the school you’ve been offered unless you’re in a position to educate at home or find a place in an independent school. Once the LEA has made an offer, it’s done its job. It won’t come back with a second offer if you reject the first.

Nor will rejecting the place help at appeal, if you appeal for the school you want. It might even backfire on you. You want the panel on your side so that, if things are very finely balanced, they give you the benefit of the doubt. They might be less likely to do that if they think you’re holding a gun to their head.

100% I hope. We live 500 yards from the school’s main door with only 10 or so houses closer.

Second choice is still a good school but DD has her heart set on the one near us.

Unfortunately doesn't always work this way as school can say they cannot meet needs stated in your ECHP - ECHP's can also be way out of date and current needs not reflected correctly, annual updates by the current school may not be accepted as not specialist advice from say an EP. We had a long fight - do not put any weight on you will get in if named on ECHP. The school was entirely suitable, so not being overly optimistic. Same thing happen in the next year group - so not isolated incident.

Same here!

1st choice very likely, in a feeder primary and in catchment 🤞

Probably about 50%, it's a grammar but they pass quite a lot more than places as there's more than one grammar nearby plus a lot use the exam as practice for nearby independent schools.

Yes, it does work that way as per s.43 CAFA 2014. If the school named in section I refuses they can be directed to admit and depending on specifics judicial review may be possible. And unless wholly independent the LA can name the school even if the school claims they can’t meet the pupil’s needs when consulted.

100%, in catchment, at feeder and sibling there. We didn’t put down a second choice as it’s so certain.

100% certainty this time round - we live 300m away and already have a sibling there.

May work on paper - but not in practice, LA didn't turn up to their own mediation and only that we threatened legal action by the best SEN legal team in the country got him his place. I'm a compliance person and know how to work all the regulations /rulings - we got told 100% we would get school and ended up unplaced. Not everyone is in my position, can navigate and fight using rulings and financial ability to push it in every direction.

There are two other cases I know - unplaced, again with children suitable for that school. My advice to those with children going through this process is do not trust what your case worker says. It's actually the LA's causing the problems - they are not in your court if you have a SEN child.

If LAs and schools act unlawfully parents can enforce their DC’s rights as I have mentioned in my posts. They don’t need to accept unlawful practices.

Parents may have to appeal in the first place to get the school named in section I, but the poster I was responding to already has the school named in section I therefore it is ‘just’ a matter of enforcing that and the school can be directed to admit and depending on specifics JR may be possible.

When appealing an EHCP mediation is a waste of time, LAs use it as a delaying tactic, but parents don’t need to actively partake in mediation, just get the certificate and submit straight to SENDIST.

I would be GUTTED if DS didnt get our first choice, but its always oversubscribed. DD is currently year 11 there, but the sibling criteria states that the child needs to have a sibling in the school at time of admission. DD will have left by then, so DS falls down the criteria.

DS not in a feeder school either and we live far away. BUT, we are Catholic so will get in ahead of anyone who isnt, that lives closer. Just hoping that there arent enough baptised children who live closer than us, because if there are they will fill the spaces; distance is one of the criteria too.

I would appeal if he didnt get in because (although theres nothing particularly wrong with our 2nd choice) its nowhere near as good as the first one.

DD's first choice isn't our catchment school but she's desperate to go there. She'd have got a place in any one of the last five years based on distance but it's shrinking year on year and we'd have only just snuck in last year so overall I'm not hopeful.

Second choice is catchment school which is a good school. It's just not where DD wants to go. Think she's going to be very disappointed come Wednesday.

It's pretty much certain dd won't get into our top 3 top 2 we are too far and 3 is a lottery with 15 kids per place, no 4 I hope she will unless distance shrinks massively, sadly she is not very excited to go there, but will make the most of it eventually.

I certainly hope for your child's sake it is certain. You should always put down further choices otherwise you could end at a school miles away. A friend thought she could get away with only putting one school but it didn't end well.

That's interesting. I still put a second and third.

And our circumstances are the same.

It is absolutely 100% certain.

I would be gobsmacked if he didn’t get in. Catchment, feeder and where all kids round here go unless they choose elsewhere.

However, there’s a part of me that hopes he gets the second choice, which is the school I teach at and the better school. We only chose the catchment one as he can walk there and all his friends are going there. We’re leaving it in the LA’s hands I guess!