want DD to get a place at a school en route to my work rather than close to my house - will it work?

[charlottenina]

currently we both work full time. DD is going to reception - we got a place which is 2 miles away from home - opposite direction to my work... not happy with this, so now want to apply for a waiting list in a very good school en route to my work. The scenario would be: I travel 30 min to my work, so I would leave the house 7.30, getting DD to childminder near school 7.45 am, then get to my work 8.10 am. after school - DD would stay in after school club OR chidlminder near the school and then I would pick her up at approx 5.00. In case of late meetings at work, my DH would pick her up on a tube and travel with her back home on a tube. I just feel that in this way, DD would get a very good school + I would enjoy taking her in the morning and picking her up. PS: I have another one 1 year old DS and he would stay with the Childminder where we live and attend preschool where we live... I would apprecite if someone share their experiences of choosing the school en route to work rather than local school.

[Pyrrah]

If the school is undersubscribed then you should be able to get a place, otherwise you will have to join the waiting-list and are likely to be low down on the list as distance will still be measured from your home address.

[charlottenina]

this is the faith school and they said that this year they did not get enough faith candidates and if I applied earlier - I would get a place (I am so gutted that I did not put that school on my choice list!!!). please let me know if this idea would potentially work?

[scottishmummy]

don't school go by catchment?youve been. allocated by residence not workplace
I do think it v unlikely LA will accommodate your work needs over catchment
like everyone else you'll need to make arrangements

[AuntieStella]

If it's travel by Tube, OP must be in London and lots of London doesn't have catchments. It'll be take your chance on the waiting list by distance, and perhaps also look at going on the waiting list for any other schools closer to your home than the 2 miles in an inconvenient direction.

[scottishmummy]

if there no catchment how does la. determine eligibility?

[AuntieStella]

By ranking the applicants against the published entrance criteria and offering places to those who fit them best. Only one offer is made, so you get your highest preference. Anyone left without an offer from any f there preferences is allocated nearest school with a vacancy - which might be an inconvenient fit with commute, as seems to have happened here.

[tethersend]

Whilst undoubtedly convenient, it can be hard for children to have all their friends living far away as they get older, so I'd give that some thought. I'd also want to consider the probability of my staying in the same post for the next decade.

[BabiesAreLikeBuses]

Tethersend i was about to make both those points!! Mine are at school out of catchment as it's convenient, i work there, but i accepted that to do this i would have to make conscious effort socially with having friends round etc

[noramum]

I travel through London and would never take my child into the tube during rush hour, sorry that maniac for a small primary child.

Also, what if you have the day off or you are sick? You still need to do the whole trip. When we recently all had the flu I was able to get a neighbour to take DD, saving me a stressful walk to school as I was in no condition to drive.

It will also restrict the play dates, not all parents are happy to ferry their child across town. What is with after school clubs? Parent evenings? Social occasion with other parents?

[Chocovore]

What is the situation with regard to siblings? Will your second child get priority. You don't want to risk 2 separate schools.

[meditrina]

15 minutes drive in London could actually be less distance than the currently allocated 2 miles, couldn't it?

[Picturesinthefirelight]

We've done this and it works brilliantly but it is a private school.

I drop the dc off at school at 8.30 (playground opens 8.30 for 8.45 start then I'm at work by 8.50. My start time us 9am

I leave work at 3pm and I'm at school by quarter past.

It also means if Snything happens like they are ill I can be there in 10 mins instead of half an hour.

[nulgirl]

Be careful with this approach if you have more than 1 child. My friend did this and got her eldest into a school 45 mins away but very close to her work. 2 years later she has not been able to get her second child into the school and they have been given a place at their local school. She is now faced with either pulling her eldest out of her school where she is happy or having 2 kids at different schools miles and miles apart.

[dixiechick1975]

Picturesinthefireflight I had to check i'd not already posted - I do almost the same timings with DD in a private school near work.

The perks of school being near work are

I spend time with DD in the car to and from school

If we get a call from school DH or I can be there in 10 mins

Less time out of work for assembly or sports day

Friends not a problem as children come from wider area due to it being private - 3 live very near us though

I can work more hours and still do drop off and pick up

[charlottenina]

thank you for all ideas - it helps me a lot. I just really liked the school en route to work. But on the other hand, it is porbably wise to get school nearer home. I will put my son on both lists and see which one comes up earlier - that will be the school for him. I am overthinking it now... so maybe just have to leave it and see what happens