Advice re my children's education

owsaboutthatthen

I'm not sure if i've put this in the right place. I'll try and be brief in what I have to say!

Basically my son is in a 2nd choice primary school and has been since September 2008. He will be 5 in April. Due to a late primary school application, moving house etc it has resulted in his losing out on his 1st choice school. However, he was at the top of the waiting list of his 1st choice school but didn't manage to get in. Despite there being no concerns etc at his 2nd choice school, I really want him in my 1st choice and every time I try I get told there are no places available. However, I have not filled in any further application forms for places in September 2009 (which I believe the deadline has now passed for) because I was told that if I kept ringing the school he may be in with a chance. I am not so sure and if I attempted to try and move schools from 2nd choice to 1st choice, I'm frightened that he will lose his "top of the waiting list" place due to fresh applications.

I'm also thinking of schools for my daughter because she is eligible for a free nursery education grant from September when she turns 3. I would really like to get her name down for my 1st choice school but don't want my children to be in different schools. I really don't know what to do or where I stand. My son has no complaints about the school he is in and he likes school and seems to be progressing well, its just the 1st choice school is a reputable school in the area with an outstanding Ofsted report.

I tried to be as brief as I could and hope for some advice please thanks in advance.

Triggles

I'm puzzled. If you have no complaints about the school he is in, why are you stressing about getting him into a different one?

LISSILEIGH

i moved to a new area when my son first started school, he wanted to stay at his 'old' school because that was where his frineds were. i wasnt particularly keen on that school in the first place, so as soon as i got proof of our house move into the area. i contacted both the school and the local authority.

there were 9 people on the list but due to us living where we did we moved to the top.

i rang the school to see if we could have a look round, they also informed me that i would need to contact the local authority rather than them regarding any available spaces.

fortunately for me he got a space within a week as one became available and i can honestly say it was the best decision i ever made. i now have another child and the school and my third will start nursery in sept.

there is no need for you to reapply for your son as he is already on the list, unless they state that you need to reapply every year. i would contact your local authority and see what they say. i would also get your daughter into the school you would like, as you may find a place becomes available for your son, and you decided against her going there!! leaving you then trying to get her a space.

hope that helps? but as i say keep on at your LA

owsaboutthatthen

Triggles wrote: »

I'm puzzled. If you have no complaints about the school he is in, why are you stressing about getting him into a different one?

These were initially my thoughts, but the latest Ofsted report for this school isn't as good, and the latest one for the reputable school is outstanding, also bearing in mind my son is only 4, do I try and grab the chance of a better standard of teaching elsewhere in a school which is slightly closer, or not rely on an Ofsted report and see how he gets on where he is. I am just as puzzled and just wondered what everyone else thought or if they've been through a similiar situation? Could I possibly be trying to "Keep up with the Joneses" or am I just basically wanting the best for my children? I would like to think the latter. Is anyone in the education field who knows where I could possibly stand?

LISSILEIGH

i moved into what is known as a very 'posh' area. But i did this to give my children better opportunities than i ever had.

my and my husband have worked really hard to have what we have, so i dont feel guilty that i moved to a nice area with fantastic schools.

my background is totally different to my childrens. and im aware that the choices i have made so far may not mean that they grow up any nicer than other people in different situations, but i will do anything to give them a better life than i had

owsaboutthatthen

LISSILEIGH wrote: »

i moved into what is known as a very 'posh' area. But i did this to give my children better opportunities than i ever had.

my and my husband have worked really hard to have what we have, so i dont feel guilty that i moved to a nice area with fantastic schools.

my background is totally different to my childrens. and im aware that the choices i have made so far may not mean that they grow up any nicer than other people in different situations, but i will do anything to give them a better life than i had

Yes I want what's best for them too and briefly speaking to my mum earlier about it and their father (we aren't together) we all want the same thing so I will probably give it a go, no harm in trying, again, but just wanted everyone's views on it. I know my son will probably be upset if I was successful, but with him only being 4, there is plenty of scope to adapt I suppose rather than being in the middle of his education.

owsaboutthatthen

Then again, don't want him upset but just want what's best but he'd never understand that at such a young age!

poet123

You need to be clear about the admission arrangements in your first choice school. Has the deadline passed?(here it is Jan 2009.if you registered your interest at the school by December)

If you are hoping to get a place "on spec" ie by getting a place if a child leaves,you need to find out howthis typeof place is allocated. Is it first come first served,or does the distance/sibling/faith criteria apply. Don't bank on the fact that being top of the waiting list will achieve a place,check out the way places are allocated on the list.

Dont bank on playing the game where you put your youngest in school and then appeal for a place for your eldest. Especially if you intend to play the keeping the family together card. Recent appeals I have been involved in have gone against the family,as it was seen as hypocritical that the parent chose to split the family for their own reasons.

My advice would be that if your son is happy,think very carefully before yo move him. But before you do anything check your facts,speak to the head and check again.

owsaboutthatthen

Thanks Poet, I have just noticed tonight the deadline has passed (November 08 I believe it was for September 09 admissions) however I wasn't led to believe that I needed to follow the admissions process again if all I was told to do was to contact the school periodically for a place because he was "top of the list". At this moment in time, distance would play an important factor, however I know faith is top of their criteria. I'm not too sure where I now stand because of all this.

Nenen

As a mum and a teacher I'd suggest you might want to consider the following:

1) You seem to be putting all your faith in the Ofsted reports of these two schools. Ofsted is just one snapshot view and, while I would be interested in reading what Ofsted have to say, it is not a perfect judge by any means. For one thing, it cannot give a personal view of which school might be more appropriate for your particular child. For another, despite the fact that they are supposed to give an objective view, inevitably there are anomalies and mistakes made. Quite a few (can't remember stats but a significant number) of Ofsted inspectors have been found wanting and no longer employed. Remember Ofsted have a government led agenda and is not a perfect measure of what a parent might or might not think is important!

2) I assume you go to your son's current school but have you visited both schools for a full tour (preferably while school is in progress)? Have you met both headteachers? Have you talked to parents at both schools (preferably with children in both KS1 and KS2)? Have you stood and watched children going in/coming out of both schools and watched their behaviour towards parents/staff/peers and how they react, e.g. happy and keen to go in, relaxed and happy coming out!
3) Remember that a school can go downhill very quickly and yet it sometimes takes ages for things to get better. If your preferred school is riding high on the crest of a wave and the head suddenly leaves or something major happens things can change rapidly. When my son was 4 (many years ago now) I turned down our quite average local school and travelled 5 miles each way to take him to the most wonderful school I’d ever seen with a great head. As the head had only been in post for two years I decided he’d be staying for the foreseeable future. Within two terms of my son starting the head left and the new head managed to decimate the school within a year… every member of staff left within two years of him starting! My son was then in the worst school for miles around and it was a nightmare! I really regretted our initial decision!
4) Personally I would never move a child who was settled happily to another school unless I really had to (e.g. house move due to job) if s/he was happy there and making good progress. IMHO Early Years education is as much about making relationships and developing personal skills and lifelong attitudes to learning as it is about academic progress.


Good luck with your decision... it's a tough one I know.

owsaboutthatthen

Excellent advice Nenen, something else there for me to think about. I know I refer to Ofsted being outstanding for my 1st choice school, but I have weighed up everything else you have said, happy, disciplined children, spoke to parents of children who go there and it is renouned for being very good. However, I take on board what you say about what could happen in the future. Hmmmm, decisions, decisions.