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The staffroom

Whether you're a permanent teacher, supply teacher or student teacher, you'll find others in the same situation on our Staffroom forum.

Advice needed from school staff about how to deal with this.

5 replies

pingpingping · 17/03/2021 20:37

We moved to a new area in December and I applied for a secondary school place for my son. I was told that they would take the full 20 school days to respond due to Covid chaos and I was completely understanding of this. After chasing the council, I finally got a response from the council saying that the school has offered my son a place and that I should contact them. I called and said that as people were working from home, I should email them, which I did. Now nearly three weeks on and several emails on and not one single person from the school has come back to me. I've called in and been promised a call from the Deputy Head several times - he never calls. I have been offered a school place in theory yet I can't seem to speak to a single person who can confirm when he can start etc. I'm so upset about it. I don't want to be too demanding and be labelled as a 'difficult' parent but my son needs to be in school. I just don't know what to do to make the school communicate with me. They are an academy so do I complain to the academy? God forbid, write to OFSTED? Speak to the council? Just put up and shut up. Please, school staff and teachers out there how the hell do I get the school to speak with me so I can make the arrangements for my son to start. 3 months this nightmare has been going on and I am at the end of my tether. I don't want to cause trouble for anyone I just need to see my son in school and I'm so upset and stressed by it now.

OP posts:
OfficeDrama · 17/03/2021 20:55

Contact the council again to say that your child is still not in school. In my area we only get 5 days between hearing we're taking a child to making first contact and starting arrangements with the parent. CME (Children Missing in Education) is a really big deal, so someone at the council will be very bothered about it all.
Failing that, turn up at the school with your offer letter!

pingpingping · 17/03/2021 21:04

@OfficeDrama

Thanks for this. I contacted Missing in Education just before we were offered a place with concerns that he had no educational provision. They seemed indifferent. I will try them again. I am so upset about this all. It does matter whether the school or the council, nobody seems to care that my son is not getting an education. I just keep getting Covid-19 as an excuse. There is no other school in the area where I can get a place and it is a horrible feeling to be sending him to a school that doesn't seem to care and doesn't appear to want him in their school. That is how it feels like. I've faced obstructions every step of the way.

OP posts:
Sbk28 · 18/03/2021 18:38

How odd. If he has a place, he should be on their registers and be expected in. Could you just take him in?

whatsleep · 19/03/2021 17:15

It’s probably worth just turning up during the school day and asking to speak to a member of the senior staff. Once you are there in front of them they will have to deal with the situation or at least discuss it with you

CoRhona · 23/03/2021 21:25

Do they have an admissions team?

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