School choices... need help!

galvanizersbaby

jovichick123 wrote: »

Thanks for all the replies

Am going to book visits with them all next week when schools back off easter hols. Have had a look on the local council website and they keep a few places for people moving into the area so think we will be ok with that.

Have had a think about it today - DS is a very bright kid (and I know most parents say that) but he is only just 4 (Feb baby) and he can read spot the dog books and do simple addition and subtraction sums. He is however, not very artistic and the best performer on ofsted is apparently an 'arts centre of excellence'

Will book appts and see where we go from there, will let DS pick where he happiest and keep fingers crossed there is a place

Am probably going to discount the RC school. DS was not christened/baptised as I (and OH) believe he should be free to choose his own path in life. If he chooses religion down the line, I will support him fully but don't want peer pressure to have an effect on it so maybe thats not the best option for us

Anyways, thanks for the help, will let you know how we get on

S xx

If this is of [particular importance to you and your OH you should check with the individual schools on your list as I know a lot of the Church of England schools have a strong link to the church so if you don't want your DS involved in going to the church, harvest festival etc... you have to let them know.
My 2 attend a church of england primary school and there is a strong link with the church so they are involved which isn't a problem for me as I'm not religious personally and like them learning about all the different religions but I know there are other children at the school whose parents opt their children out of these activities.
Good luck I hope you find the right school for your DS and he is happy

Spendless

I had a choice of 2 schools, one a few minutes walk away, the other about 10 minutes away. One of the things that was important to me, is that my children grew up knowing the local children, being able to play out and call for them when they were old enough to do so. I thought this more likely if they were at the same school, so one afternoon I stood at my front door and watched all the children go home down my street and into the nearby houses and noted which uniform they wore. I took this into account when making my decision.

Sultana

floss2 wrote: »

True for those who live in that area already, but there is also a system for families moving into an area (which is the case here).

The 'system' for families moving into an area is that they will be offered a place in a school which is not already full, ie not a popular, oversubscribed one.

Savvy_Sue

Sultana wrote: »

The 'system' for families moving into an area is that they will be offered a place in a school which is not already full, ie not a popular, oversubscribed one.

I have to agree, I am sure they don't keep a few places free in each school to allow families moving house to get a place at the nearest school!

Phone and see if they are likely to have places. Visit. Then decide.

chocdonuty

I agree with the others, a look around the school for yourself is a must, preferably unannounced;). That way you can get a real feel for the place.
I only got a place for dd in june as I moved unexpectedly around then to a brand new area, luckily that year had a low birthrate so there was a few places left.
I reccomend calling the local education authority for the area to find out how many places are left and where, much easier than calling round them all.
Then you can pop in for a visit and have a good look round.
Good luck with it all:D

Susan_Frost

If you are not RC I would not send the child to that school. Would you send him to a Muslim or Jewish school? He will be taught the faith, and it will be their version.

As for school 1, it may have had a bad Ofsted, but how bad? And when was it. Ofsteds are every three years and I know Heads who take over schools do a lot to change things around, but it is not reflected in the current Ofsted report as it is two or three years old.

Visit the three non-religous schools and see what your own feelings are.

Also, ask around the new neighbours.

angelfire

You really need to go look around each of the schools whilst the children are in. Yes, the Ofsted reports are worth taking into account, but you'll get a 'feel' for the place as soon as you enter. Keep an eye out for how happy, smiley and polite the children there are.

Make a list of the things that are important to your child and to you, such as sports - what is their provision like for example? Also consider, if you are, or are intending to become a working mother, do they have before and after school care that you could use should you require it?

We were in a similar position to yourselves, although we didn't move area, we had several excellent schools to choose from. We went round them all then picked the best based on my suggesions above. In the end we went with the one where we felt our daughter would be the happiest, rather than that with the best Ofsted.

I work in a school and whilst, as i say, the Ofsted report should be considered, it should never be the only measure of a school....

Best of luck and I hope your child enjoys the school you choose..

A

skintchick

Savvy_Sue wrote: »

I have to agree, I am sure they don't keep a few places free in each school to allow families moving house to get a place at the nearest school!

Phone and see if they are likely to have places. Visit. Then decide.

Apparently they do! They don;t usually fill all their places and they keep some back (although this year could well be different as it's beena nightmare for places). I know because my friend had to appeal a place some years back (and is having to again this year for third child) and she managed to argue last time that her son be given one the places being kept back, because the school wasn;t actually full according to teh LA figures on how many pupils it could have IYSWIM, even though it was saying it was full.

They really do have to keep some provision for newcomers, but as I say, this year seems to be a different kettle of fish so it might not be the case. However, the LA has a legal requirement to provide a place!

galvanizersbaby

skintchick wrote: »

Apparently they do! They don;t usually fill all their places and they keep some back (although this year could well be different as it's beena nightmare for places). I know because my friend had to appeal a place some years back (and is having to again this year for third child) and she managed to argue last time that her son be given one the places being kept back, because the school wasn;t actually full according to teh LA figures on how many pupils it could have IYSWIM, even though it was saying it was full.

They really do have to keep some provision for newcomers, but as I say, this year seems to be a different kettle of fish so it might not be the case. However, the LA has a legal requirement to provide a place!

In my area they definately don't - the maximum number of reception places by law is 30 and at this point in the year when my son was due to start in the September 2007 (also a high birth year) all the decent schools were full (we had unavoidably moved in the March). I had to appeal for a place for my catchment school and because it was popular the 30 places had all been filled by children out of area whose parents had put the school as 1st or 2nd choice so my appeal failed.

In fact the 2 next nearest schools were also full so I ended up having to pay a childminder to take my son to and from the school we were offered (45 mins walk away)

I think in theory with the 'spare places' - most schools want to have smaller reception classes but the most popular ones will usually be forced to take 30 pupils due to appeals that are won but they can't exceed 30 pupils in reception by law.

Therefore the spare places for newcomers are likely to be in the less popular schools in the area or the schools in which they have successfully defended appeals.

I really hope the OP doesn't encounter these problems - having been in the same situ myself it's miserable

EDITED to add - OP if you do find you have a problem with the schools on your list being full (I hope not) there is a lady on here that offers help for appeals with schools - there is a long running thread 'Help with schools appeals'

patchwork_cat

chocdonuty wrote: »

I agree with the others, a look around the school for yourself is a must, preferably unannounced;).

You can't just turn up and look around a school. For goodnesss sake as a parent already with a child at a school you can't even get to speak to the teacher without an appointment let alone a potential parent traipsing all over the school. That would not be safe, would it.

I wouldn't worry if he didn't get a place at your preferred school straight away. It may well be that he could transfer when another child leaves as, in my experience, there is ,I would say in our school, 1 child leaves an academic year every year. (it is a big primary and I would guess that across the 2 classes in the year group there has been at least 1 new child every year in both my son and daughter's primary career.)