Still haven't heard which school(s) we've got, anyone else survived this?

[quail]

We found out late that my husband had a new job that meant moving house, and we only applied for schools in the new town about 6 weeks ago, because you have to have proof of address before you can apply.

And although we've arranged our new house, we don't move till September 2nd. I called today, having sat on my hands for weeks because I don't want to look pushy, but was told they're still allocating places.

The kids will be going into years 1 and 3, so it's tricky.

I can't buy a uniform (well, I have bought grey and navy pinafores, etc), and can't plan a school route, in a town I don't know. We're completely swamped with our own house move.

Looking through old threads, people talk about getting on the waiting lists of schools they want as if one does that through the schools, rather than through the local authority? Is that the way it's done? And wouldn't the schools then really really hate me? If we haven't heard yet, are our catchment school chances practically nil? Are they likely to put the kids in different schools?

Thanks to anyone who knows anything about this.

[antimatter]

from experience of my friends schools are waiting
on first or second day they will have ppl phoning that child will not be coming and they will phone you

shit, I know

[quail]

First or second day of actual school starting!!

Bloody hell, thank you, though, forewarned is forearmed.

[antimatter]

you will get a place - don't worry
you just have to prepare that it won't be when you thought it will

[quail]

Thanks!! I do worry, horribly, though. I know there are a lot of worse things in life and a lot of people going through harder moves for lots and lots of reasons, it's just, you want your 5 year old to be prepared before she starts as the only new girl, to have war-gamed the walk and the uniform, and... well in a way maybe it's better to be the new girl NOT on the first day? Because everyone will be rushing around meeting their friends again. I don't know. It's not like it's going to scar them for life...

[antimatter]

of course not!
just find right words to explain that you are still waiting and don't panic in front of them

if you treat it as a normal state of affairs so they will, they trust you and will mirror your behaviour

[Shootingatpigeons]

You have an understanding LEA to be letting you apply at all before you move. When we moved back to this area from overseas, to our own house, we had plenty of proof of the tenants moving out and us moving in, we were not allowed to apply to schools until we were actually in residence, with utility bills etc. to prove it . It meant we had no chance of a place in a local school for either DD. The schools admission process is not understanding of those moving into the area, I am not sure what else you can do in areas where schools are oversubscribed, as they have been for a long time in this area. Plenty of parents do actually move here for the schools and do so strategically to get into the best schools, it is not really fair that they supplant members of the local community who have built up friendship networks in anti natal and nursery schools. So the process needs to be at least transparent and clear if not exactly fair when a move is not of your own doing.

[Toohotforfishandchips]

Don't worry about being pushy or upsetting anyone - everyone will understand and you won't loose a place if you are pushy. I know people who called almost every day

[nlondondad]

The poster who mentioned offers being made as late as the 2nd day of term is quite right, in fact offers are being made now, in a trickle, as people relinquish places for one reason or another, then when term starts the schools will often find one or two no shows, and of course, by then most of the people on the waiting list will have, in fact got a place, and so indeed the schools will be phoning down the list trying to fill the last couple of places!

[ladybirdandsnails]

Totally agree there are always people about to move house etc who hang onto places until the last minute ...

[quail]

Thanks for these replies. It certainly is looking like it's going to be the last minute!

[Shizzy]

I'm in this position with my DStepD. She's coming over to live with us from Belgium! We don't know what to do

[DoristheCamel]

Is this primary?
I have been in similar situations a couple of times and jyst turned up with the kids in their old school uniform for the first day. Luckily sweatshirts and polos were sold at the school so day 2 they were pretty much kitted out. Although they needed grey bottoms instead of the navy I had - which was bought at the end of the first week in Asda.
If secondary - then I doubt the kids would go along with this. My dd was allocated a place at the beginning of July but school have failed to send me sny uniform info. So dd is starting school only half kitted out next week.

[Shizzy]

From what the council have told us, we'll not hear about a place for my stepdaughter until after term starts. She's 15 but will have to start year 10 (go back a year) as she's coming over from Belgium. What happens? Does she just sit around waiting for a place? Are we supposed to home school her in the interim? Council won't commit to an answer. Anyone know? Sorry to hijack this post!

[quail]

Yep primary school for us. The council say they're still allocating. Their web site says we're not allowed to contact schools directly (and I guess I don't blame them, schools must really be inundated with people as anxious as us) but I read an article yesterday about how many people haven't taken up places. When we knew we had to move we told the school immediately. But I've found this thread incredibly reassuring and calming, even though every thing I hoped wouldn't happen has happened, just because no one seems remotely surprised, and because a few days into term beginning isn't unheard of.