Skipping reception class in England?

(6 Posts)
mam29 Wed 24-Apr-13 11:48:28

Im getting nervous reading on here about admissions and speaking to people locally that dd2 due to start next september wont get 1st choice school,we apply jan.

Guess when council publish new admissions booklet for schools can see how many applied and how many got in.

We moved eldest mid year to out of catchment school same la as we live though but we outside the map boundry area of prime responsability.

It a faith school coe all 3 baptised coe but not aided its controlled so goes on catchment then distance.

Even though we have sibling think anyone who lives nearer stands a better chance.

its on border of another la so has kids in different la but nearer to school but unsure if in that case we go 1st as schools in la which we reside.

its 1.2miles from our house
not everyone locally picks it due to mixed classes and lack of facilities some also go private as its quite affluent area.

Noticed it has quite bit of mobility due to nearby hospital.

Also a nearby area that has been added to school catchment same la new build estate is finally getting its new build 60 place school opening this september.

My eldest loves the school.
we love the school.
the reception teacher/ta are fab, their classroom great and its 20 per year with reception being by themselves and every other class mixed.

The schools possibly due to relocate to nearby site when hospital downgraded and moved. Will be new build next to new houses.
No one has a timeline for this yet could be 3years away or more.

We hope to move closer but cant afford to in time for school addmisions.

I have 2 to start

dd2 is september 16th so missed this year by 16days she will be 5 when she starts so be very ready.

Her preschool already said they wont keep older ones there.

but cant you get grant funding until term after 5th birthday so jan?

she has brother due to start 2015 year after her ,when she starts her older sister be year 4.

I really want them all together in on primary.

we have well performing infants/junior nearby but always over subscribed very slim chance get in 10min walk and she would know people from her nursery.

Dont want to pick eldest school even though dd2 at preschool next door as its gone downhill.

The other 2 coe local to me are oversubscribed and too far away i reckon for us to get in as they voluntary controlled not aided.

I dont really like my other 2 community schools the ones where I stand good chance getting into.

I think need to look around again as been 4years since looked round at local ones.

But would it be mad if dont get 1st choice to go on wait list and home school?

A place could come up any time I guess as dd got her place after october half term.or I could be waiting year+its a gamble.

Anyone else been brave enough to try this strategy and worked for them?

Dont want to start her some where then move her as been there done that .

Or should i search high and low and seek out this elusive 2nd choice nearby to 1st choice?

tiggytape Wed 24-Apr-13 12:05:32

It isn't mad to rely on waiting lists - a lot of people have to. As long as you have a good back-up whilst you wait (and as long as you know that the wait might last months or years not just weeks) it can work out.

Some people use private schools whilst they wait. Some Home Ed. Some use nursery. Some accept a place at a school they don't like whilst waiting for a place at the school they want. Waiting lists are always down to luck though - you can never know when / if you will get into the school you want so you do have to have a plan B that you are happy with or can keep up for as long as it takes.

When you are applying to schools in the first place - long before waiting list stage - you do also need to be realistic.
It is fine to have preferences but you do need to understand that distance will probably be a factor. If you set your heart on a school 1.2 miles away and refuse to consider the ones on your doorstep, you may end up being allocated a random school by the council that is even worse than the one you hope to avoid or is a very difficult journey.

By all means put your favourite schools as your first choices but do also consider using your last choice on the options form to name a school that is almost certain to offer you a place even if you don't like it as much as the others. A 'bad' school in walking distance might be better than a 'bad' school allocated by the council 1.89 miles away.

redskyatnight Wed 24-Apr-13 12:25:23

Sorry I am slightly confused.To clarify:

There is 1 school that you really like and it takes 20 children per year.
Is this the school your eldest is currently at or not?

I would suggest that you check the admissions criteria, in particular whether siblings have priority. I'd then ask the LEA for past admissions info so you can work out whether you have a good chance, a reasonable chance or absolutely no chance at all of getting in there.

IF your eldest is not already at this school you will need to get both a space in their year group and a space for your (coming up to) Reception child.
YOu'll then want a space the year after for your youngest.

I'd also check the school mobility. Remember if you are waiting for someone to leave there are only 20 people to do so. Also remember that a waiting list puts people in order according to admissions criteria so you can move down as well as up!

I personally think a strategy of holding out for this school and only this school (bearing in mind it's so small) is pretty risky as you may never get a place - but you need admissions/ local knowledge to understand how risky.

Definitely go round your local schools again - schools do change and you might be looking with a differnet view point this time.

mam29 Wed 24-Apr-13 12:45:52

yes eldest at small primary pan of 20 per year no room to expand current site.

we 1.2 miles away.

I forgot to add her the word old primary 10min our house.
they have 45intake and dd2 goes preschool next door as started before we moved eldest .Had a bad experience with primary school 1 hence why we moved her to one that had spaces at time and was smaller that could support her learning needs.

the 2 I stand chance of getting into are opposite direction to eldests school my 1st choice for dd2 in 2014and dd3 2015.

I doing driving lessons but currently walk or bus.
twice a week im doing 2school runs due to preschool and hate it.
Couldent hack doing 2schools apart 5days a week.

Near to choice 1 is another school but different la so could look at but unsure and theres new adademy primary opening in september this year 60 reception places ,reasonably close to 1st choice and current school dd 1 attends which possibly may stand slim chance it being new less siblings and cant find out its admissions its not yet built.

Or i put 1 choice down risk not getting it.
keep her nursery until jan and home educate but dd2 being 5she will be more than ready for school by then.

Checked lea admissions local sibling is within map boundry-wenot.

if no catchement then with 2miles straight line.
we 1.2miles away so not classed as local sibling.

chances are smaller being 20intake.
Eldest adores it there.

maybe im being negative and preparing for worst.

The nearby infant school en route to eldest school was oversubscribed again some people same rd got in others dident coucil admissions can bring up some odd results. nearby infants tends to take high number of siblings.

Hate to start her somewhere then have to uproot her and unless we move wehave sames stress with dd3being non local sibling.

Would the school know for this year applications they found out friday how many applications made?heard couple of people got their kids in but they closer to school than us.

tiggytape Wed 24-Apr-13 12:56:44

1.2miles away so not classed as local sibling.

Does the admission policy for the school list 2 types of siblings (catchment and non catchment)? If so you may have a problem and not be able to get your younger children into the same school.

However, schools often don't care where the siblings live so you may find that your other children get places despite living 1.2 miles away.

You need to look at the admissions criteria for each school and see how well you match it.

You can apply to a school in another LA and have equal chance of a place. You aren't less likely to get in just because you are under a different council. Again it all depends on their admission criteria and how well you match it.

Remember you will have more than 1 choice to list on your form. You may find you have no option but to have them at 2 separate schools for a while at least so make sure that when you sill in your form,, after your 1st choice, you list schools that realistically might take you and that you can get to fairly easily.

mam29 Wed 24-Apr-13 13:19:23

Admissions controlled by la as its voluntary controlled coe

Dont Assume that South Gloucestershire Council

Council offers priority to local siblings only-check definition.

This is whats confuses me

local sibling lives within area of prime responsability if one exists for thatschool-which it does its one of few local schools with a very small catchment.

if no apr-but there is one then within 2miles of school or if the schools over 2miles ut nearest to me-I have nearer schools.

They all full siblings not half.

last one odd

The older sibling already in attendance andwill be in sept 2014-which she is and will be.

When we looked round for eldest the head said its a gamble school have no control there are lots that attend from out of catchment but think dd2birth year 2009 was boom one as remember both maternity wards being shut.

We been at the school since november and noticed movement in year 1 and 2unsure about reception.

I guess beon safeside find 2other nearby options maybe new academy and out of la primarybut could homeschool.

Will nursery still accept her after sept? as shes 5.

Thanks tiggytape the 4schools we stand good chance.

1 very long walk.-nearby village school.

other 2

1 10mins
2 30mins in opposite direction to my house and eldest school.

or old school as recon be undersubsribe as everyones leaving but its a mess dont want to go back there.


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