School choices for Sept 2013

Abbafan1972

My DD is in year 6 now and we are at the stage of choosing the secondary school for next year. There are 2 schools that I have in mind for her that are nearby.

My DD has mild special needs and emotional problems. The SENCO at current school have recommended I put her down for school 1* and I have been to visit school 2* this morning and was impressed. The open evening for school 1* is not till Thurs 20th Sept.

I am going to do the application online and the closing date is 31st October. I know that the application page opened on 1st Sept. When the kids went back on the 4th, one of the parents had asked if I'd done the application and said she'd done theirs, I said no I was waiting to view the schools first.

Would you do the application without viewing the school(s) or wait till after the open evenings?

Next week DD's year are going on a visit to both of these schools which has been arranged with one of the teachers. So I want to get her feedback on that too.

dancingfairy

Um does it matter how early you apply? Are either likely to be oversubscribed and if so, how would you fit within their selection criteria?
df

newbutold

Places are not allocated on a first come first served basis, therefore you will be able to view the 2nd school & still have time to apply.

cottonhead

same as newbutold - so long as you get your application in before the closing date you will be in thr first round of allocations. Go and see the schools first for sure. Its hard to tell just by reading about them.

Abbafan1972

I did think it was odd that my friend had already done the application without looking at the schools first, as their could be a chance of her changing her mind? I didn't say anything though.

I would say that we are good candidates for both schools, we are in the catchment area, the school that we thinking of putting down is under a different council though as we live right by the border, but lots of kids from DD's primary school go there, so there shouldn't be a problem. It's the same school that my friend has put down.

balletshoes

newbutold is absolutely right - its not first come first served. Go see both schools, find the teachers/tutors and ask them the questions you want answers to, then make up your mind and complete your preference application and submit it before the end of October.

balletshoes

Abbafan1972 wrote: »

I did think it was odd that my friend had already done the application without looking at the schools first, as their could be a chance of her changing her mind? I didn't say anything though.

I would say that we are good candidates for both schools, we are in the catchment area, the school that we thinking of putting down is under a different council though as we live right by the border, but lots of kids from DD's primary school go there, so there shouldn't be a problem. It's the same school that my friend has put down.

my DD's friend's mum did the same, had her application submitted before she visited any schools. However, she was adamant her child wasn't going to any other school so she only put one preference down (which is another topic altogether, because I don't know what she would have done if she hadn't got into that school :cool:).

Poppy9

How many schools do you have to apply to and is there a catchment area criteria?

Places are awarded at schools strictly on the school's / LEA admission policy and all applicants received by the closing date are considered against this criteria. Late applicants who meet the criteria i.e. living in catchment area etc. will only be accepted if there is available space.

The admissions criteria should be on the Local Authority's website or schools website.

Foundation and Voluntary aided schools e.g. Church schools will always have their own admission policy though after the initial criteria is met then you might find the lower down deciders are the same/similar.

Generally criteria is in Wales:

1. Children who are in the care of the Local Authority (LAC).
2. Children living in the catchment area whose parents have requested a place by the deadline of 30th November 2011 (for parents applying for Year 7 places for September 2012 only).
If there are more applications than places, the places will be allocated in distance order withthose living nearest to the school receiving priority
3.If there are still places remaining children who have a brother or sister who already goes to that school will be given a place. A brother or a sister will be defined as a natural or adopted
child of either parent living at the same address. The brother or sister must be attending the school when the younger child starts. 4. then the places will be allocated according to distance, with those living nearest to the school receiving priority.
5.If there are still places remaining then children who already attend a designated primary feeder school (one which is linked to that secondary school - see Appendix A) but who live outside
the catchment area are given places. If the number of applications in this category exceed the number of places available the places will be allocated on distance with those living nearest to the school receiving priority.

Please note that schools have a duty to admit children with a Statement of Special Educational Needs who have been placed in a school by the LA. In any circumstances in which there is one place available and the next eligible children for that place are twins/triplets, the LA will admit both/all children.

daisiegg

Abbafan1972 wrote: »

I did think it was odd that my friend had already done the application without looking at the schools first, as their could be a chance of her changing her mind? I didn't say anything though.
.

Did she maybe look round schools last year? I know we get loads of Year Fives at our open evenings because their parents are aware that the application dates are early in Year Six and they want to be prepared.

Anyway, as for your question, I think you should definitely wait until you have seen all the options before doing the application. However, I also think you should take heed of what your SENCO has said. I know my school looks amazing on open evening, and has the best results locally (and is very very high nationally too)....but if I had a child with SEN it would be the last place I'd send them to. Be mindful of this and don't be wowed by a great open evening - the place that has the best SEN provision might not be the one that looks the best on the day, or on paper - but your SENCO should know what s/he is talking about.

Good luck!

bestpud

balletshoes wrote: »

my DD's friend's mum did the same, had her application submitted before she visited any schools. However, she was adamant her child wasn't going to any other school so she only put one preference down (which is another topic altogether, because I don't know what she would have done if she hadn't got into that school :cool:).

On a similar note: What is it with parents who think putting the same school down three times will increase their child's chance of getting in??

There is three choices around here and children are automatically offered their first choice if possible. They only start looking to the second choice once the preferred school is full. So why do I always hear parents tell me they've put their first choice three times!

These are the same parents who moan like crazy when their child doesn't get into said school and they are left with the catchment school they were so keen to avoid because there is always places at that one! If they put another two choices down, they may have had a chance of avoiding their worst nightmare!

Idiots!

Abbafan1972

Thanks for your replies.

The school I visited this morning, was while lessons was going on. But the other school (the one the SENCO has recommended) there is only an "open evening", which as you say, are a bit "false" as everyone is on their best behaviour.

But as I said in my original post, the class are visiting both schools on Monday and Wednesday next week.

My friend didn't say that she'd already visited any schools, but yes, she could've done that already.