First primary school allocation worry

sheramber

Somebody's child has to go to that school.

Why should it not be your grandchild? Should it be the child next door or from the next street rather than your grandchild?

DonPoppleton

The issue is childcare. When my daughter selected 2 schools it was because she has a childminder who does a school run and picks the children up and takes them to her home until parents pick them up. Both my daughter and her husband work shifts both work for the nhs so do nights etc. They live 60 miles from their nearest family, which are us, we simply cannot do school runs as blth myself and my wife also work full time. This selected school, schools were the reason for this, child cover helling to make a 4 year olds life easier.

tea_lover

Do you not think other families also have childcare issues that have to be worked out? Surely you're not saying that should be an admission criteria?!

Andypandyboy

Unfortunately, the criteria does not ( could not) take account of personal circumstance. I am sure that another local childminder will also do a pick at the school allocated.

pigpen

DonPoppleton wrote: »

Good morning. Im sure many mums are waking up this morning to find where their 4 year olds will be going in September.

My daughter lives in a different county from me and has woke me very early in tears. My grandson has been given a school which they never selected on the list when they went to view several a few months ago.

This school has a very unhealthy ofstead report, they speak 15 languages so thats telling us how many different kind of children go thrre. Its very worrying that there is a very high percentage of these children are not the same nationality of my grandson

How do you lodge an appeal, this is very unfair to do to a child, sending to a school that was never considered but sending to a school that is in special measrures and has a very poor ofstead report.

Children cannt develop to a good potential in schools like this.

Im sure there are going to be many heart broken mums and dads this morning over the Uk.

absolutely disgusting attitude.. those are children you are being racist about!!

My children went to a school with children from over 40 countries over the years.. they are entitled to an education too !!! Their parents are probably over here working in low paid jobs or studying, we had children of students and international lecturers and doctors... the cultural diversity was one of the positive points to the school .. it meant the children were exposed to different cultures and skin tones and religions and cultures and weren't racist.

The schools are sometimes in 'special measures' because they have a very transient popukation.. it is an area thing rather than a sign they are failing.. a child with adequate support from home will do well wherever they go

pigpen

DonPoppleton wrote: »

Thanks for the replies. The ofstead report is very poor, way under national average in every catagory. Only 43% speak English, itchas a rating of 2. 54% acieve the maths score where average is 80% only 10% reach the maths level the average point score is 25.5 and 42% on free school meals, thats ofstead talking not me. As for the comment regarding racism, thats very unfair as its an ofstead comment. So are ofstead racists? Very unfair.

no OFSTED are not racist.. you are

One of the best school in my area has 66% Asian children, mainly from Bangladesh.. highly motivated to learn because they appreciate their free education unlike many English families who take it for granted or dont think education is important or necessary!!

miss_independent

Different kind of children?!

What a disgusting attitude. Children are children full stop. The fact they come from a different culture or nationality to your grandson doesn't make them a different species. Nor does the fact that a large percentage of children are entitled to free school meals. Should children from poorer backgrounds not be entitled to an education? Should children who do not speak English as a first language or have a different skin colour to your Grandchild only be allowed in schools for their "kind"?

Quite frankly, I'm shocked at MSE for attempting to turn this bigoted post into an official discussion.

thorsoak

Children who speak a different language at home to that which they use at school are educationally talented - not challenged!

And a school which has been rated poor in an OFSTED report willl be in receipt of a lot more attention - and will have more money thrown at it - than other local schools.

It shouldn't be considered a problem - just a challenge - and a chance for a broader educational opportunity.

DonPoppleton

People are trying to turn this into a racist thread, so saying different kind of children is racist? If i had said children from many races or children from all around the world would still be a rasist comment? Im far from rasist people are packing like wolves picking out words to make this a rasist thread. Ive seen this many times in topics you get 1 person who begins the pebble on tbe pool and soon others jump on the bandwagon. I have many friends from other cuttures. And not one of my friends have ever called me a racist. I wont be looking at this thread again, infact i wont be here again. Disgusting behaviour from people here.

thriftyemma

My children go to a CofE school. It is rated 1, outstanding, by Ofsted, and is consistently in the top 10 for league tables in the county. It is a very good school. It is also massively oversubscribed. 350 children applied for a place this year, only 120 will get a place. Someone's child will not get a place, even if they're high on the admissions priority list.

It should also be said, roughly 40% of the children are what you might call "ethnic minorities", and they speak about 10 different languages. The school embraces the diversity, and regularly includes the different countries of origin in their learning.

You cannot appeal this decision based on your feelings for people of other cultures. It has to be based on fact. Such as the school didn't follow their own admissions policy.

And even if you are successful, the child might still not get a place. If the school is full, they will not boot out another child to give yours a place. All schools can take on an additional couple of children, but it's usually in extreme circumstances, such as a vulnerable child, or child in care.

There are companies who specialise in helping people appeal the placement decision. It may be worth you (and anybody else who reads this looking for help) contacting one of them, and seeing what your options are.