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PLEASE HELP! Appealing Childs Primary School Place
Comments
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Unfortunately, by declining the allocated place you are now in the position of not having any place. If you don't get a place at your choice you will have to continue to pay for him to go to a childminder, or give up work to look after him yourself or apply for another place to be allocated - if the place you turned down has been allocated to another pupil you might now be offered a place in yet another school.
You can't appeal simply on grounds of convenience. Even with medical reasons you need a letter saying the child "must" attend a specific school before they'll take any notice (believe me I tried hard when I first became disabled and was having problems with getting DS1 to and from school). But it isn't unheard of for 2 or 3 children to move area before the school year starts (DS2's reception class dropped from 32 to 29 between July and September).
So, first off, find out what your options are with regard to the place you were offered, where you are on the waiting list, make a judgement call and start looking at childminders, either to wait until a space comes free (could be a long time) or near whatever school you can get your child into.Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants - Michael Pollan
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From size 24 to 16 and now stuck...0 -
Hi, sorry to jump in on this thread.
A friends child has not got a place in any of their preferred schools listed and has not been offered any other places at all in their Borough! They have been told to apply to another Borough altogether (so late in the day too!).
Is this possible/legal? What should they do? Or is it the same procedure as above, try to appeal and hope for the best?
The child is 5 in January, can they wait until then to get them into a local school and hope they get a place then. If so is it more likely they will get in so late in term? or would they wait until the following September? Soo confusing!
Thanks in advance!0 -
theoldcynic wrote: »Hi, sorry to jump in on this thread.
A friends child has not got a place in any of their preferred schools listed and has not been offered any other places at all in their Borough! They have been told to apply to another Borough altogether (so late in the day too!).
Is this possible/legal? What should they do? Or is it the same procedure as above, try to appeal and hope for the best?
The child is 5 in January, can they wait until then to get them into a local school and hope they get a place then. If so is it more likely they will get in so late in term? or would they wait until the following September? Soo confusing!
Thanks in advance!
Seems very odd0 -
Were they late in applying? have they moved into that area since applications therefore missing them?
Seems very odd
Thank you for your response. I don't believe they were late in applying and there are a few other mums who haven't got places for their children either in the Borough. I've never heard of it before. I believe they are very over-subscribed in the area this year. Does the LEA not have an obligation to provide enough school places for it's residents?0 -
Unfortunately, by declining the allocated place you are now in the position of not having any place. If you don't get a place at your choice you will have to continue to pay for him to go to a childminder, or give up work to look after him yourself or apply for another place to be allocated - if the place you turned down has been allocated to another pupil you might now be offered a place in yet another school.
You can't appeal simply on grounds of convenience. Even with medical reasons you need a letter saying the child "must" attend a specific school before they'll take any notice (believe me I tried hard when I first became disabled and was having problems with getting DS1 to and from school). But it isn't unheard of for 2 or 3 children to move area before the school year starts (DS2's reception class dropped from 32 to 29 between July and September).
So, first off, find out what your options are with regard to the place you were offered, where you are on the waiting list, make a judgement call and start looking at childminders, either to wait until a space comes free (could be a long time) or near whatever school you can get your child into.
Thanks to everyone who has posted a response.
I now feel i've acted a little hasty in declining the school that has been offered if only to secure my little one a place somewhere. I still stand by the reasons given in that it would be near on impossible for us to get to and the fact that some of the parents in the school were observed comparing electronic crime tags and on more than one occassion children were heard using languaguage that was wholly innappropriate (to their parents) especially for 4-7 year olds.
I'm not a snob and i understand it may come across that way, but my son is very young (late August born) and I can't help feeling concerned that he will be exposed to things, language and situations that he isn't ready for at this school.
Our first choice school has a breakfast club and afterschool club and he already knows and has met the reception class teachers through preschool visits.
If we were to wait and have him enter in year one would we have to go through the whole admisssions process again next year? Also would we still be able to remain on the waiting list for this academic year?
Moving isn't really an option as due to financial problems and redundancies we have had to move twice in the last three years alone. For my little one this has been the longest period of stability he has had and to disrupt that would be really difficult for him and us.0 -
Thanks to everyone who has posted a response.
If we were to wait and have him enter in year one would we have to go through the whole admisssions process again next year? Also would we still be able to remain on the waiting list for this academic year?
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You would have to go through it all again and don't stand any better chance than you did this year sorry0 -
Thanks to everyone who has posted a response.
I now feel i've acted a little hasty in declining the school that has been offered if only to secure my little one a place somewhere. I still stand by the reasons given in that it would be near on impossible for us to get to and the fact that some of the parents in the school were observed comparing electronic crime tags and on more than one occassion children were heard using languaguage that was wholly innappropriate (to their parents) especially for 4-7 year olds.
I'm not a snob and i understand it may come across that way, but my son is very young (late August born) and I can't help feeling concerned that he will be exposed to things, language and situations that he isn't ready for at this school.
Our first choice school has a breakfast club and afterschool club and he already knows and has met the reception class teachers through preschool visits.
If we were to wait and have him enter in year one would we have to go through the whole admisssions process again next year? Also would we still be able to remain on the waiting list for this academic year?
Moving isn't really an option as due to financial problems and redundancies we have had to move twice in the last three years alone. For my little one this has been the longest period of stability he has had and to disrupt that would be really difficult for him and us.
In life children will often come across bad language, and you will also come across bad parents.
If the admissions process has been done fairly and correctly then there is nothing can be done.
Your child will make new friends, its very easily done at that young age. By declining the place at the other school, someone else may have accepted it, if you lose your appeal you will choices will then by very limited.
You must get in touch with the admissions team as they will let you know what school's have spaces (Once all the forms have been returned)0 -
I'll do that tomorrow morning as I'm becoming more and more disheartened about the whole thing. Our second choice school was undersubscribed and its likely they will still have places available come September. I think i'll look into other schools as well as its becoming increasingly clear that i don't really stand much of a chance at appeal.
Thank you for all your comments and advice. Its been really useful.0 -
Your welcome, I went through it all with my son its so stressful but good luck, and I hope you have a happy outcome.:)0
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I think I am correct in saying that children have to start school in the term they make 5, so he wouldn't miss the whole reception year.
pollysMFW 1/5/08 £45,789 Cleared mortgage 1/02/13
Weight loss challenge. At target weight.0
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