Anyone started tgeirvDC at a school they know they will not be staying at?

[localnotail]

Basically, that. We got allocated a school way down our list (5th) which, in all honesty, should have not been on the list. I was told I had to accept which I did. We are on the waiting lists for our first 2 schools but the lists are barely moving and we have an admission interview coming up at our allocated school. Looks like everything is geared up for DC to start there but it's not a school I want him to stay, it will be crap situation for us. So I look to will transfer as soon as a place become available at chosen school.

My question is - anyone done it? How do I go about it, seems like a shit experience for DC but we have no choice... Really annoyed I ended up here.

Loads of people have sent their children to schools they didn't apply for or that they don't want them to go to. It's a bad system but it's the only one there is.

I moved my dd after half a term but it was primary school and she wasn't aware of me looking elsewhere.

The problem you have is that unless you are applying for a private school, then you can't tell your son that he might not be going there for long etc as you have no idea if there will ever be a place at another school.

I would move him if a place comes available in the first few weeks. That's probably your best shot at a place if people don't take up,their places right at the start and haven't informed the school.

My issue is the school we got is an hour away and is in a dodgy area. And doesn't allow phones. There have been instances of kids mugged at knife point. So I will have to at least meet him when it gets dark. Which will screw up my job as this school is also 1 hour away from my work. I could do it for a couple of months but not for long. Other schools are closer/ in a better area he can travel to himself.

Edit: it is also very average academically

How far is it in miles? The LA may need to provide transport. As PP said, there's absolutely no guarantees. They may well get a space in the holidays, but it might not be till y8 or 9 etc.

No transport as within 3 miles, just a bad hard to get to area (London)

Places do become available during the year, we have a chance to move Probst within 6 months or so.

Then I'd just be straight with him. Tell him that he is going to the other school until a place becomes available at one of the other schools.

Then go on the waiting list for every school that you would be willing to move him to and as soon as a place comes up, move fast.

It was a named preference, so unless there is another criterion under which the OP woukd qualify for transport to be provided, distance won't be it.

On the phone issue, @localnotail , very basic one kept off unless needed, hidden away in the bottom of your DS's backpack?

Are random folk on public transport in London likely to a) know that a particular school has a total ban on mobile phones and b) go to the trouble of reporting a pupil for using one, should they see him with his phone away from school?

@MarchingFrogs Ah I assumed it's the closest school with a place so transport would be fine.

I agree with you on phones and would do the same- send one in but @localnotail just be careful they don't do random bag searches like they do in our local London comp. Alternatively I'd contact the HOY or tutor, explain the situation and see if they can leave the phone with them in the morning due to the unique situation.

My DS did 8 days at a different school at the start of Y7 and then the place came up at our first choice! He'd actually settled in well at the first school but he decided after a weekend of deliberating that he'd still rather go to the other one. The phone call came on Friday and he went to his new school on Tuesday, we bought all the uniform and met his form tutor on Monday. I found it far more stressful than him!

However, the other school was OK, just not as good in our eyes or as well suited to him as our first choice school. He's now Y11 and doing GCSEs.... all a distant memory now but the whole waiting list thing was not an easy time! Good luck.

Thank you all. I will definitely raise the question re phone with the school, as I think they do search bags and confiscate phones for the term if found. TBH this is the biggest issue for me as if my DC had the phone he would not be so scared to travel (and I would nor feel so nervous).

But I also want him to go to a much better school and its also a local school which all his friends going to/ he already has friends at. We don't know anyone in the school we got.

Just to explain - we got kicked out of our rented flat 2 years ago, found another close by but obviously not close enough to be in the immediate catchment. Real bugger but it was difficult to find even this flat making sure he stays in the same primary.

Buy him the cheapest possible Nokia and get him to hide it well. If they find it get him another one. Also stick an air tag on his wallet so you know where to find him.

Buy him the cheapest possible Nokia and get him to hide it well. If they find it get him another one. Also stick an air tag on his wallet so you know where to find him.

Good idea. Also twenty quid on cash in the zipped pocket of his blazer for emergencies.

An air tag means you can track him. Don't agree with total bans for this reason. On our area there's always a few who move by Xmas