School place for ds not dd

[spidermum]

We are moving to Brighton next month but have only managed to get a school place for my son. He is going into Yr3. There isn't a place for my dd atm. She is due to go into Yr1. I am really pleased ds has a place but quite anxious about both of them. She won't understand why she can't go to school. He'll be quite cross that she won't be going to school.

I am looking into other schools but can't quite get my head round the logistics of having children at different primaries.

There is a chance she won't get a place at the same school until Yr3, two years... I am a qualified teacher so could quite easily home ed tho' not my top choice as I have 2 others as well. Any views or comments would be very welcome. Thank you

[Yorkiegirl]

Message withdrawn

[mandyc66]

I once was told when thinking of moving that they didnt have to take all children if there isnt a pplace then there isnt a place. You could try and appeal but I dont know what your chances would be!
Hope things work out for you

[spidermum]

I wouldn't have a case for appeal because we are only just moving into the area. There are only 30 children allowed in Year one and all the places are taken. Noone is moving out of the area...The only reason ds has been given a place is because the class size can go up to a max. of 32. I just hope someone moves over the summer. Fingers crossed

[mandyc66]

can we think of a plan to make someone move?!!!

[Tortington]

i appealed for somethign similar. my son continued to go to a school after i had moved out of an area - as i wasnt in the catchment area they then refused places for the twins - i appealed under the grounds of how the fuck am i going to get three kids to two different schools in a morning - i won. - you have nothing to lose

[spidermum]

Any ideas, Mandyc? Custardo, I know I don't have a leg to stand on as class size cannot exceed 30. She'll be top of the waiting list. The school have been really nice so far and don't want to start off badly by appealing when I know the situation. Thanks for the support though. Glad you won yours.

[SoupDragon]

DS1's Y1 class has lost 3 children this year through house moves (and that's only 1 of the 3 classes). All is not hopeless.

[Gobbledigook]

Yes - how would you get 2 children to two different schools at the same and how would you pick them both up on time? It's ludicrous.

[tortoiseshell]

A neighbour of mine could only get 1 of her children into the local school, so the head gave her the stuff the other child's potential class would be doing and they home educated following the same syllabus and using the same resources until a place became available. If there are 30 places in each class taken then there's not a lot they can do, but people do move lots.

[SoupDragon]

Thing is, they may well suggest you send them to a Primary which can take them both.

[spidermum]

Exactly soupdragon. There are a few who do have places for the two of them but they are not near where we want to live and I don't want to have to drive to school. Also I want them to have local friends. I do agree with putting a cap on class sizes but it does make it difficult when you are moving into an area with children who are already school-aged. I will definitely be finding out what her would-be class are doing, thanks for that. I only heard today that ds had got in. I hadn't really thought any further ahead. Ds's new school is only one-form entry which makes the chances of her getting a place sooner rather than later slighter. But you never know. I'm praying for a job relocation.

[mandyc66]

its suprising how much 'moveage' there is in schools!! so you may be lucky. Is their a school close by that can take 2nd child? otherwise it looks like teaching at home!! I wouldnt be disciplined enough to do that?
I know there is no way around it but it does seem silly that both children cant be educated in the same school and no real alternative!

[SoupDragon]

As well as the losses this year, at the end of reception, DS1s class lost 2 children so movements are common - at least here!! It's a good school too so it's not for any bad reasons that these children are leaving

I doubt you're going to get a place to start in September though as the parents are more likely to notify the school of a move when they go back rather thn in the holidays so you would need to have a back up plan.

[firestorm]

where i live if the only school with places for your children is over 2 miles away then the lea have to fund transport to get them to & from the nearest school. maybe your lea do something similar.

[sunnydelight]

Once your DS is at the school, your daughter will be at the top of the waiting list for the next space in her year group (unless there is another child with a sibling already at the school waiting). In Brighton & Hove, like a lot of LEAs, siblings will take preference over most other categories of applicants, apart from looked after children. Personally I would home educate until a space becomes available rather than accepting a place at another school. Try and establish contact with one specific admissions officer, stay in touch and stay friendly, and make it clear you are only home educating as a short term option. Just being nosy, but which school are you going for? We lived in Brighton for 14 years and my eldest went to primary school there. He was in one of the most popular schools in Brighton (which incidentally wans't particularly "fashionable" when he started but was on the up, then got so popular that everyone was desperate to send their child there and by overcrowding it it lost a lot of what was good about it in the first place!!!!) I ended up removing him at the beginning of year 5 and sending him private for two years before moving to Lewes for secondary schools. I'm sure a lot of places are the same, but in my experience certain areas of Brighton are particularly bad at whipping up what I call "school hysteria" - the school that was the in place a couple of years ago falls out of favour, a new one takes it's place and the whole thing seems to go round in circles. I know a lot of people with children in a lot of different schools so if you want me to add to the gossip......