Changing Schools - advice

wifeanddaughter

Unfortunately we need to find a new school for DD - she attends a village school some 5 miles away from home and OH is losing his driving licence so we will not be able to get her there (checked public transport no good). Our local school (walking distance) is an academy school - this is new to me and I have no idea what this means in practice.

I'd really welcome some advice on how best to present this - should we be going through the local education authority and what would happen if the local school had no vacancies and we cannot get her to the existing school. She is currently in year 2 and tbh this year has become very switched off with current school, moaning each morning that she is very bored so we had been considering her long term future at the school before circumstances accelerated it! Getting to school isn't the problem it is getting home that is the difficulty and I am starting a new job which means that although I can take her to school daily I will not be able to pick her up - friends and family will be able to help some days but not all week

Real mess and OH is not very popular at all at the moment. Any advice would be gratefully received. Thanks

balletshoes

do you mean you want her to transfer now, ie before the new school year starts in September?

I'd contact the new school first, see if they have any spaces for your DD in her current year, then they would be able to advise you on how to apply for the school transfer.

jackyann

Go on to your local authority website and get all their info. Call in to the school you are considering and ask to make an appointment (calling in always a good plan to get the "feel").
Simply say that circumstances have changed - that the other school suited you before "for family reasons" but that has changed and you would prefer a local school. Anyone can read what they like into that.
I am always a fan of using the nearest school whenever possible - encourages useful friendship networks, community cohesion & independence.
BTW - maybe teaching granny to suck eggs - but don't moan about OH too much to her - don't make her feel this is "second best" or it will be.

wifeanddaughter

Thanks for the advice. DD doesn't know about OH and we hope to keep it that way! We have an appointment at our local school next week and would be looking to move her from September, have heard that they may not have any vacancies in year 3 for next year at the moment and not sure where this leaves us if we cannot physically get her to her existing school.......

duchy

Edited as hadn't read it properly -sorry.

Are there other children local to you who attend who do the afternoon run ?

Otherwise speak to the school as soon as possible -generally after the first year places aren't such an issue as families move so it may not be as difficult as you think and the school will advise you of the procedure (probably direct with the school as it's an academy). At least it's not bang in the middle of her GCSE years so it could be worse.

Spendless

Some schools do have a few more places in yr 3 as I think you are able to go above 30 in a class though there will still be a maximum limit to how many. It might mean that though there are no current vacancies for yr 2 there might be some in Sept. Your issue would be if you could manage from now till then and if you need to go on a waiting list if anyone else joins the list who would take priority over you. You'll need to ask these questions at the local school.

With regards to you working and someone not always being able to help out. You need to look into availability of childcare, wrap around care on school site or by an outside provider or childminders. This is also something you can ask about at the local school and any other school you look round with vacancies.

charlieann

wifeanddaughter wrote: »

Our local school (walking distance) is an academy school - this is new to me and I have no idea what this means in practice.

Depends when they became an academy would depend on the meaning.
My understanding is schools that became an academy with the old gov were failing schools that had money and support put in to turn them round, with a new name/rebranding.
Schools who became an academy with the new gov were outstanding schools, who now have greater independance from the local gov.

silvercar

have heard that they may not have any vacancies in year 3 for next year at the moment and not sure where this leaves us if we cannot physically get her to her existing school.......

It would be your responsibility. The only time it would be the local authority responsibility is if there was no room at the local school when she started school and this was the nearest school that was allocated to you.

Look into rotas with other parents, paying for childcare that included taking to/ from school.

Are there other schools that have places that are reachable on public transport?

duchy

Ultimately though it is your responsibility as parents to get her to and from school -even if that means giving up a job to do so-sounds harsh but you chose to send her to a school without public transport links so the LEA will deam it down to you to find a solution if there are no places elsewhere that are reachable.

Perhaps your OH could take on an evening job to pay for taxis as a last resort -he made the situation perhaps he should supply the solution too.

jackyann

An academy is not obliged to take your child, if they do & you are happy, great.. If not, the LA are obliged to ensure she has a school place & enable her to get there.
They may huff a bit if you appear to be changing your mind, but my advice is:
be polite - apologise for changing your mind
do not explain other then saying "a change in circumstance" - if questioned, say that the arrangements around pick-up have changed. Don't feel you have to explain about the licence.
Do say that you want her to go to a more local school - sadly it didn't suit when pick-up arrangements were different
Get these people on your side if need be: http://www.ace-ed.org.uk/
Good luck!

wifeanddaughter

Thanks again for the comments.

Gosh, I don't think giving up my job is the answer! If I did that I'd have no money to pay for the petrol to driver her to school! We have thought about taxis as the last resort, if all else fails and we have friends and family who can help out in an emergency but not on a regular basis.

Oh well, let's see what happens at the school visit next week before I get into too much planning.