local schools have lied about vacancies when sent DS' proposed statement <furious>

[MarmadukeScarlet]

LEA want DS to go to SN school, which used to be MLD and is now S&CLD.

He has a severe communication disorder and some mild physical disabilities, no behavioural issues and Ed Psych proved IQ was within (low) average range non verbally so, she believes, no LD.

I want to him to be in MS with peer example from NT DC, he has attended SN and MS pre-school, with MS being by far the most successful - his SN nursery suggested I take him out a year early as he was too able and would be getting poor peer example and may regress.

LEA sent DS' details to my 2 local state schools (2 miles both) which both said they have no vacancies. LEA then sent details to a school 10.6 miles away (6.6 as crow flies) there are 41 school closer to me than that!

Anyway, chatting to a friend with a DS in Yr 1 she told me the school wasn't full.

I called and pretended to be looking for spaces for my DDs in recep (we want to hold him back 1 yr as Aug birth) and yr 1. Both schools confirmed places in both year groups.

Is this usual? I suspect the schools are discriminating against DS, but whatever the reason I am hopping mad.

Yes - completely normal unfortunately - from what i have heard anyway. You could make a FOI request to know how many places there are and then show them but if they don't want to help him, that may not do much good.

I don't actually want a place at either of my local schools, so if I could prove they have places it would give me (I feel) more ammunition for the tribunal as the school I want him to go to actually want DS, but my LEA are being difficult.

blimey, marmaduke, they really are a bunch of tossers, aren't they?

did LEA send details to a MS school 10 miles away? or just to the SN school you are wanting to avoid (with good reason)?

If the local schools refused him, then surely that helps you rcase for the school you want? would there be any reason, transport wise why your ds shold go to your choice of school, not the one 10 miles away?

if the local state schools are frefusing (is this so that the LEA can say that SN school is the only way to go?) what makes the LEA think the school 10 miles away is suitable (and willing to take your ds, if MS)?

Hi SF, yup a MS school 10 miles away. So so far his papers have been sent to SN and they said yes and 2 MS who said no, so we will wait and see what this one says.)

I would have to drive past his current pre/school to get to the one they have now sent his papers to. There is no transport based reason why that I can think of, if they offer him a place they'll have to provide transport/taxi's - not that he go with a stranger anyway.

I wonder if it is so the LEA can say only suited in SN school too, but then surely the LEA should have written that the school cannot meet his needs rather than lack of spaces.

I can't see why this school would accept DS it is a standard MS primary in a small suburb of T, we have no links there at all.

I can beleive they think we wouldn't check, how stupid do they think I am? Am still fuming.

Knowing your LEA, they probably DO think you wouldn't check...

Right up until we moved away we were being lied to regularly - that's mostly why we moved tbh, as we got sick of being taken for fools.

It is a bit puzzling though - if they are agreeing to MS, then they should be promoting local schools (who have no right to just blanket refuse, as I'm sure you know).

May be worth a double check, to see whehter a mistake has been made? (anyhting is, after all, possible with that lot!)