Schools refusing end of year 10 entry

[RayOfRainbow]

Has anyone experienced this?

Firstly, it’s obviously not an ideal situation but it is where we unexpectedly are due to external factors that can’t change.

DS is finishing year 10 and needs to find a school. I presumed we’d just apply but it’s been weeks of no answers/ outright no/ systems blocks

He has a history and reports of good behaviour. Mocks are ok, grade 5 and 6s. No social issues, everything ever says basically he’s a nice kid. We’re teachers and I’m not so worried about the academics as we planned to intensively support the swap over end of June/ July august but now I’m more worried about not have a syllabus over the summer to work to.

Schools all have some spaces. I applied to the nearest 9 across 4 LAs. Two schools on the phone said they simply don’t admit at this stage (academies). One LA hasn’t answers any emails or applications for their schools despite chasing. One LA keeps delaying with extra forms or questions which hold it up another 15 days, they haven’t processed the appointment still. Not stuff I’ve missed, but extra-eg this form for the ballast school, a letter saying no behaviour etc…. Two schools (with spaces) said outright they have none (published PAN is about 20 more than in the year group).

I’ quite stressed so please don’t just say ‘we’ll moved are difficult at this stage- I know. The whole situation was unexpected and stressful. It’s where we are.

I managed to get an LA response from the attendance team saying a school must admit a child if they have spaces- but after saying all schools I phoned saying they don’t admit they have not replied further. It’s been weeks. I get no one wants an end of year 10 child, but ds is academically solid and a pleasant child. They just won’t even consider it and it seems very reactive

Surely there are some kids that have to move sometimes in the system?!

This is awful! It’s like the reception staggered starts thread all over again - schools literally unable to apply and abide by the law! Solicitors? The press? It’s despicable that not one school will admit.

I did speak to one academy and sent his 100% attendance/ punctuality report, his mocks, reports (top attitude marks) and outright addressed every concern I could think of. I even listed the exam boards that lined up, the syllabus differences and how we’d match up learning by September! A by email and a phone call

Did they ask you to send that or did you do it on spec? Because schools must not ask for that kind of information before agreeing to admit a child. It's a breach of the admissions code.

The trouble is, schools don't get graded on how well they abide by these laws. And they do get graded on things that avoiding these legal responsibilities can help with.

I did following a phone call provide the info. Nothing to lose frankly by giving the info and proving he’a not into gang violence/ excluded/ send as they clearly presumed…

this thread has exploded whilst I was at work and dealing with after school stuff, so sorry no individual replies.

the short answer is across 9 schools I’m at different stages. Some I’ve just appealed, one LA still refusing to process it, one LA blanking all contact and a bit of individual back and forth with academies and faith schools. It’s a long type up, but I’m pretty confident with the processes for each. Well, what them should be. Four of the schools don’t even have an admissions policy other than year 7 and sixth form to reference!!!

I did have a more positive phone call with an academy at lunch time today, who asked a lot of questions in a way that implied consideration. So fingers crossed on that.

I also for my home LA , who ignore me, copied in my admissions emails to other teams today and asked for a response and to flag the delay.

To those asking for circumstances … sorry but I feel that would derail the thread with many many imagined solutions on guesswork. Ultimately it’s where we are, and no it can’t be changed. I need to move forward rather than be picked apart, I’m massively stressed and need to focus on solutions. Honestly though, there’s nothing in social needs etc I’m hiding to make him a difficult student for anyone. Maybe he’s not getting grade 9s but even his mock results are above my local school’s average results for GCSEs. He’s unlikely to be a ‘headache’

Just to make you laugh, some schools in their admissions policy don’t mention in-year admissions at all. Just year 7 and sixth form. I thought of referring them to their own policies. One has on their website ‘please ring xxx for information on in-year admissions. These are not handled by the local authority’.
No form, no policy to reference, nothing. I couldn’t apply! Seriously. Just a phone call to be told, we are full (ha! They aren’t!)

Their P8 won't exist, but their A8 does for everybody on roll at Spring Census of year 11 who doesn't fall into extremely specific circumstances, evidenced by no more than six sides of A4 (usually for things that don't actually exist or if they do, don't come into the possession of schools and if they do by some miracle, don't fit onto less than about 30 sides of A4), submitted within a week at the end of June on a portal that doesn't always work - and then they might be accepted.

All children on roll in January of Y11 are counted.

Unless the school manages to disapply them in June. And the process for that is extremely convoluted and unlikely to succeed, unless they are new the country and don't speak English. This is why schools don't want to take on children in Y10. It's not right, but this is why.

I’m in Scotland so a bit different- what age is year 10? About 14? Don’t have much advice but someone- local authority, education board, even local MP?- needs reminding that they have a legal obligation to provide your son with an education.

I have only read the OP's posts, not the full thread, but this is outrageous. Assuming you are in England, schools may not refuse entry when they have a space available. Schools may not interview pupils as part of the admissions process. Schools may not take previous behaviour into account. When refusing admission, schools must tell you how to appeal the decision. Simply saying "we're full" and refusing to allow you to even apply is not acceptable. Your home LA must find a place for your child.

Technically, PAN only applies to the normal year of entry (Y7), but it is usually hard to persuade an appeal panel that a year that is below PAN cannot take more pupils. You need to appeal for the school you prefer, particularly if it has places. Given the multiple failures here, you may need to complain to the LGO for the behaviour of the various LAs and the non-academies, and the ESFA for the academies.

My main issue is the now close summer holidays. Any appeal will stretch well into year 11 first terms. I guess this is the game. I think tbh home education may be happening

I would be tempted, considering a school is not allowed to say no if they have a space, to tell the school of your choice (provided they have a spot) that your child will be there in uniform on the first day of term. You've given advance notice. They have spaces. Should be no need to appeal. You've jumped through their hoops and since the outcome is inevitable you won't be tolerating a gap in education between the start of term and whenever they get their arse in gear.

Isn't it interesting that they bang on about attendance until you find that your child doesn't conveniently fit in the system. Then it doesn't seem to matter that they miss weeks of schooling! But have one day off to go on holiday and you're threatened with fines! 🤔

Well if he is home educated you can guess exactly how many of their monitoring emails I’ll reply to.

only updates
-difficult Borough is now processing form as I found a letter proving the school is was at before the last was the one I said it was
-my home LA has now made a first reply to say one of the schools they don’t handle admissions for, so I guess it is being looked at finally….?
-a faith school said if I fill in their sif he will be added to the waiting list

The LA who finally processed it have given the day after the last day of term for their reply 🙄

If any LAs are being obstructive about appeals and processing applications, threaten them with judicial review.

Have you asked the LAs and academies about your son repeating Year 10?

Email your county councillor, not your MP - it’s your county (or city equivalent) who is responsible for education. Hope you get it sorted!

I suggested the School Governors. It is their job to see that children are admitted to school and follow the curriculum.

The Governing Body is made up of some elected members and some appointed by the Education Authority.

They don't know the problems if no one tells them.

It's a long shot, but do you know anyone who has children and have to move house frequently, such as someone in the military? They are moved around sometimes, and their children have to have a place in school.

What puzzles me is that you say there are vacancies in some schools and they will not offer places, yet schools are funded per capita. The money they get is according to how many pupils are in the school.

Why are schools not wanting to boost their income by accepting more pupils when they have vacancies?

I echo everything prh47bridge has said.

This is outrageous. Seek advice now from the LGO.

Pleased to update we have a space after a phone call to an academy, the governors were asked to accept and have. Had a polite phone conversation about supporting him, gently saving I would progress the process and they actually have been decent this morning with a phone call update prior to official responses.

It’s actually the best school by far in the mix that’s worked out, and the one that I believe has the least spaces. Outstanding and results are good, though we would have accepted anywhere it’s nice not to be in the third full crap one that’s nearer!

Clearly they feel the stress of a difficult yr 11 is worth more than 4K I guess…

Why would a school feel stressed about taking in another pupil in year 11? I would have thought any school would be glad of the extra per capita?

If they have spaces, they can’t legally refuse. Appeal appeal appeal.

Presumption of previous behavioural needs or send being a reason for removal. Possible evasion of exclusion elsewhere. Difficulty in accessing gcse courses at the half way point with missed content.
its very rare to move unless forced to in year eleven, and they associate that with high needs kids that will impact their lives resourcing and bring additional workload.
sad for vulnerable kids