registering for school

schwam66

how does it work in this country? my sister in law went to the school she wanted to have her son get into way back ages ago and thought that was it then she had to do something to register through the council last year...so who decides who gets in?? do the school say 'we will take these ones' and then the council tell you or is it done through the council and the school doesnt have any say?

was also curious about the catchment area or whatever its called criteria was foster kids got in first, then kids who already had brothers and sisters in the catchment area and so on, so say you had a child in the school already and have moved a few miles down the road and are now out of the catchment area you have to put your next child in different school just because your not in the certain area!?!?! surely not?

ellesbellesxxx

It all goes through the local county council now, but each school does have their own admissions policy - children in care, siblings, sometimes special needs often have priority before catchment area...it all depends on policy.

schwam66

ellesbellesxxx wrote: »

It all goes through the local county council now, but each school does have their own admissions policy - children in care, siblings, sometimes special needs often have priority before catchment area...it all depends on policy.

how does the council know your in the catchment area? or is this something passed along by the school as to the address thats been given? curious cuz if your not in a catchment area whats to stop ppl from putting down say their parents address who is in the catchment area to secure a place in the school?

balletshoes

schwam66 wrote: »

how does the council know your in the catchment area? or is this something passed along by the school as to the address thats been given? curious cuz if your not in a catchment area whats to stop ppl from putting down say their parents address who is in the catchment area to secure a place in the school?

for popular oversubscribed schools, you need to show proof that you live in the catchment area (ie parent of the child being enrolled has to be on the voters roll there, or paying council tax there etc).

Contact the school themselves, they are best placed to advise you how to apply for a place.

meer53

schwam66 wrote: »

how does the council know your in the catchment area? or is this something passed along by the school as to the address thats been given? curious cuz if your not in a catchment area whats to stop ppl from putting down say their parents address who is in the catchment area to secure a place in the school?

Some parents do try this. You risk being caught out though, schools carry out checks if they suspect this has happened. In the UK (i'm assuming you're not in the UK) people register on the Electoral Roll which the councils manage. This shows exactly who lives in which property.

Not everyone registers, (although you can be fined for not registering) this is their choice but obviously if you are on the Electoral Roll it's easy to prove you live in a catchment area. It's all a bit of a lottery these days though. Some popular schools are massively oversubscribed, in some, even siblings and people within the catchment area don't get in. There's no guarantee.

schwam66

meer53 wrote: »

Some parents do try this. You risk being caught out though, schools carry out checks if they suspect this has happened. In the UK (i'm assuming you're not in the UK) people register on the Electoral Roll which the councils manage. This shows exactly who lives in which property.

Not everyone registers, (although you can be fined for not registering) this is their choice but obviously if you are on the Electoral Roll it's easy to prove you live in a catchment area. It's all a bit of a lottery these days though. Some popular schools are massively oversubscribed, in some, even siblings and people within the catchment area don't get in. There's no guarantee.

yeah was shocked seems like a right joke how its all done to me at least, i could go on all day i suppose of how to beat it if someone wanted but seems you could just get someone say in a catchment area, say your own parents to change the council tax to your name and register to vote at their house and your in, couldnt be that simple could it? like everyone says its all different across the country no doubt but if your school wasnt that over subscribed would seem like the easiest way to get to where you want to be

Janepig

schwam66 wrote: »

yeah was shocked seems like a right joke how its all done to me at least, i could go on all day i suppose of how to beat it if someone wanted but seems you could just get someone say in a catchment area, say your own parents to change the council tax to your name and register to vote at their house and your in, couldnt be that simple could it? like everyone says its all different across the country no doubt but if your school wasnt that over subscribed would seem like the easiest way to get to where you want to be

So how do you suggest that we do it then, oh wise one?

Jx

moomoomama27

My local area gives priority to sibling, SEN and foster children, then those in the catchment area, for which proof of address is asked, and then if the school isn't over subscribed they will take children from outside catchment,

schwam66

Janepig wrote: »

So how do you suggest that we do it then, oh wise one?

Jx

if you have a child in a school already the rest of your kids are guarenteed place surely you cant take one to one school and truck the rest off to a different school....that would be a start for me, dont get me wrong i not trying to act like a big shot and i could sort it but crazy reading some stories how one sibling goes there and the other goes across town.....

moomoomama27

schwam66 wrote: »

if you have a child in a school already the rest of your kids are guarenteed place surely you cant take one to one school and truck the rest off to a different school....that would be a start for me, dont get me wrong i not trying to act like a big shot and i could sort it but crazy reading some stories how one sibling goes there and the other goes across town.....

That's not the case at all.

The school I work in does not have a sibling policy, I know many families whose younger children did not secure a place in a school with their siblings.

Each LEA has different guidelines and policies. One size does not fit all. You can fit all the criteria, and not get a place at an oversubscribed school.

schwam66

moomoomama27 wrote: »

That's not the case at all.

The school I work in does not have a sibling policy, I know many families whose younger children did not secure a place in a school with their siblings.

Each LEA has different guidelines and policies. One size does not fit all. You can fit all the criteria, and not get a place at an oversubscribed school.

sorry mama i was replying to the other posters comment of how i would IMPROVE the current selection proccess i was saying it should be the first thing on the list if you have a sibling in the school your other children get a place, maybe i misread what you were saying but i think you thought i was saying places are guarenteed, which i know they are not, sadly