I have just realised my little girl starts school this year. I may be a bit scared. How on earth have the last 4 years gone so quickly?
For most of you with school age children you will probably have just gone through the school selection process and submitted your application for your chosen schools. Choosing a school is a bit like a lottery and you just don’t know what the outcome will be. You spend all this time deliberating and deciding and then you wait. It’s quite nerve wracking.
I will admit that I only completed my application at the last minute. I thought I’d done it and then when checking for the confirmation email realised that I hadn’t. Oops!
We are very lucky that we have a lovely little school in the village where we live. Rated as Good by Ofsted and improving all the time. There is lots of investment in the school and the teachers are all great. The fact that it is in walking distance is a definite plus (especially when you see the parking situation in the morning!).
They have a fantastic pre-school there which Molly has attended for the last year. It was a difficult process getting her to actually enjoy going. The first few months were extremely hard with lots of tears and dragging of heels from Molly. Now she skips off quite happily and has so much fun. I wonder if perhaps she was just a bit young, only just 3, when she got thrown in to this big school environment but she has settled in really well.
The benefit of this is that she is used to the school and the teachers. The pre-school get involved in all the main school activities such as assembly, plays and sports day. They also eat their lunch with all the ‘big’ children. When she goes in to the reception class she will still be in the same area as her pre-school so it won’t feel too strange and will have many of the same teachers she has been with up until now.
I am writing the above as if she has actually got in. And I really do hope she does. You see I only applied to the one school. Was this a mistake? I sincerely hope not but all being well her chances of getting accepted are high and we are very lucky in this respect. Knowing the school means I was aware that there are currently plenty of spaces for the Reception class. Obviously if they get an influx of applications this may not be the case. I sincerely hope I am not tempting fate by writing this.
On paper we meet most of the requirements. We live in the village, Molly is already involved in the school and ,being a CofE school, Molly is Christened. This final point is one that I know causes a lot of issues for many parents as lots of C of E schools do still use this as a deciding factor.
I feel quite lucky that I haven’t had to trail round lots of schools to see if we like them or asked numerous questions about curriculum and teaching. I have seen friends go through this and then be left distraught when they don’t get their first choice. It really is heartbreaking as really you just want to give your child a good start. Blimey, many people I know move when the children are little specifically to get in to a certain school and I know certain areas of the country are beyond competitive for spaces. It is crazy. We didn’t specifically move to our house because of the school but knowing we were planning on starting a family meant that the fact that the village had a good school was a definite bonus.
So the point to all my ramblings was how did you find the school application process and are you on tenter hooks waiting to find out? Or if your little’s are a long way off school are you already thinking about catchment areas when it comes to houses?
Hello! My daughter is only 10 months old so thankfully I don’t have to worry too much about this. But I am hoping the fact that she already goes to nursery 3 days a week now I am back at work will mean she settles in to pre-school and school easier?? Hopefully??
However, I work for a big city council in the Education department and I do know a fair bit about applying for school places so can offer some general advice to people. Really, you should apply for more than one school. Nationally, I believe the closing date for Reception places is mid January each year and then you find out which school you get in March. If you just apply for the one school and you don’t get that school, you will have to re-apply for a place at other schools but your application will be classed as a late application – so places at all of the other schools could have been offered to children who’s parents applied for them on time by the time you come to applying. If that makes sense.
Since you know there are spaces in Reception at your daughter’s chosen school I’m not saying that this will be an issue for you but where I work in a big city the advice we give to people is to use all of the preferences you have – here they can apply for 6 schools at one time – and always include your catchment school because this is your best chance of getting a school place.
Before I started this job I didn’t know that it was even possible to not get in to your local school – I just assumed it was a given – but in certain places it can be difficult so it’s best to make sure you follow the guidance to give yourself the best chance. I hope that helps!
Jen
Oh god Jen I know. I stupidly asked all my friends in the village what they had put as their second choice and they said they hadn’t bothered so I was just a sheep and followed suit. I have been worrying about it since. That said they all know the school very well (one is a teacher there and three of the others are on the board!) so if it all goes wrong I will be blaming them!! Anywhere else I would definitely have done a second choice and don’t know many people who don’t, hence my rambling post today.
It is so unbelievably competitive in most areas, even a few miles down the road from me, but I have everything crossed that Molly will be fine.
Thank you so much for all your advice. I am a complete novice at this (as you can tell!).
xxx
Argh, schools. We’re desperately house hunting at the moment to get ourselves into catchment for one of the three ‘outstanding’ schools which are less than a mile from our house – but have a catchment of less than 0.45 miles. Our most local school has been in special measures for the last three years.
Such is the joy of living in London!
Oh gosh, I don’t think I’d cope in London. I know my friends think about schools long before thinking of children. It is beyond ridiculous in some areas. You basically have to live next door or you’re not in! Good luck with the hunt xx
Like Sara, I’m unbelievably stressed about this. Our daughter is 1 but if we’re spending half a million buying a teeny flat we can’t swing a cat in, we want to know the area we’re buying in, has good schools. Not outstanding – just good would do, at least for primary.
The catchment area for our local school is 120 metres. I can see the school from the end of the road but the sign isn’t close enough to get you in. I have a friend who bought between two “Good” schools but is 300 metres from each school. She was told if she’d bought 200m from one and 400m from another, she’d be better off.
I have friends who have been going to church every week to “get in” with the local priest or vicar as its not enough to just be christened – they take attendance records. And get this, when they’re on holiday at their parents they go to church there too – for a second approval letter to support their application. And they’re honest that this is purely for school applications – not their own personal religious preferences.
Personally, we’re moving outside of London. BUT we firmly believe that education, particularly at primary level, is about socialising with other children of other social groups, learning that you have to work hard and life experience. Therefore, at least at primary, its about what YOU as parents contribute. School rubbish? Become a Governor (note: I have a work colleague whose done this with the aim of linking herself to the “outstanding” school for the purpose of their application in due course).
Oh my gosh, 200m? That is crazy. I can’t even begin to imagine the stress. I am so glad we are not in London. All those things you have said are so true of many people I know. Even at our little village school you can get the vicar to write a letter to help you get in. I also have friends who have just got their children christened recently to make sure they get a space. The Govenor thing is a definite way in and being involved always helps. Good luck xx
This is our second time going through the process, I thought it would be easier this time but I still wake up at night worrying that we wont get the school we want!
Our eldest is at a lovely school – it’s not our closest but it is walking distance and it was the one that just felt right when we went to look around. Truth be told we never expected him to get in…the only requirement we met was that we are Catholic! because it is a faith school the catchment area is based on proximity to the church rather than the school and we live way out of catchment, there are 19 siblings in his class of 30 so we just assumed that there would be other children without brothers or sisters who either lived closer to the church or the school than us! Somehow we got in and on the whole we are really happy with the school (although in my opinion they give too much homework!!!)
We are now in the process with our youngest…..I really really hope he gets in as it would be a logistical nightmare getting the two of them to different places in the morning!
Its always lovely to hear when it has worked out with the schools but the criteria for each different school is sometimes madness. I really hope your little boy gets in as you definitely don’t want to be doing two school runs. I struggle enough with one x
Silvia is only 11 months so we have time, but this post has made me realise how much simpler it is living out in the Styx. One of the major factors for moving was our village school a mile away, but I’m now feeling very complacent as she isn’t christened and we had no intention of doing it. The school say that proximity to the school comes first which with the tiny number of little ones in our village should see her through. But will have to investigate further!
Lottie my cousin’s little boy starts next autumn too and is an August lad- it seems so unfair that they can’t have two intakes for the younger ones. They only applied to one school too as felt they had a higher chance of being offered it? That seems to be the general feeling around our way, not sure how based on fact it is!
And don’t lets even think about senior schools!!!
I’m too working on the fact that there aren’t many littles in the village. Fingers crossed! I do however know one child who nearly didnt get in last year as they weren’t christened and they gave the space to someone who lived miles away who was. They managed to get him in in the end but it’s so silly.
My second little girl is a July baby and my husband thinks we should hold her back a year. I’m not convinced and wish they did two intakes like when we were kids.
Senior schools is already a consideration for us. My husband HATES the one near us and says the girls are not going there. Makes for some fun discussions about the future/houses/private school (eeeek) etc etc.
x
Lucy, there’s tons of misinformation around about how school applications work. If you only put one school it makes no difference at all to your chance of getting in, the schools don’t know where they are on your list or how many choices you’ve put down. If you’re in the catchment of schools on your list, they’ll offer you a place via the council. The local council will then look at your list and give you the offer for the school you have highest on the list. If your cousin wasn’t in catchment that year they’d have been given a place at the nearest school with space (whenever that may be!). Better to put more choices down of schools you’ve seen and you know you like rather than leave it blank!!
Rob & I live on the doorstep of a fabulous Ofsted outstanding Primary school which the boys both attend and I am hoping Anabelle will too when her time comes.
Elliott will be leaving the school this July and we visited and applied for Secondary schools in October. I must confess this was a whole other ball game & I felt incredibly emotional during the whole process, one because my baby is growing up and two because this really is the beginning of his future. We all chose together and the decision was unanimous, but I felt massive pressure to get it right. We’ve just got the long wait to see if he’s actually got in now…… xxx
Lorna I am dreading the secondary school element. I hate to say it but it seems so much more important than the primary decision. I think it may be a difficult one for us as our local secondary school isn’t great and there is only really one in the area so it’s either that, a long drive or private schools. Or moving house!! Luckily have a few years to go yet but I know it is going to come round quickly. Everything crossed for Elliott xx
I’m going to rant a bit now but where I live there are two great schools literally within spitting distance of our home but one is Catholic and one is (after looking at their website) a heavily religious c of e. I’m atheist and can’t help feeling discriminated by the way schools decide which children they will ‘let in’. I am sticking to my guns and will not go down the route of having my daughter christened or going to church once a week to ‘score points’. Maybe that makes me a bad mother but I feel really strongly about the discrimination of it. I think the whole system is ridiculous and so old fashioned. Fingers crossed when I do come to apply she will get in to the ‘not as heavily based on religion’ school at 1.3 miles away!!
Lucy, my husband would firmly be in your camp. Even though I chose to have the girls christened it was a battle with him and despite me doing this it was nothing to do with getting in to the school. I am not overly religious but it was just something I wanted to do and I still can’t believe how much schools put the importance on this. If Edd had his way then I would be in the same boat as you and it does worry me that people who live near CofE schools can’t get in because of this reason. Fingers crossed you get the school you want xx
We applied for schools for our little girl last year. We had the choice between a fab forward thinking outstanding school which we loved and then a completely different but equally as good Catholic school (they are both baptised Catholic) which also happens to feed into an outstanding secondary.
We chose the first one as we thought it was a great fit for her, but as it is only an infant school, we have to apply again at junior level (and will have do this for my youngest as well), and then the feeder secondary is awful! We decided to make our choice based on what was right for her now, she has been at the school since September and we all love it – but I am already in a panic about secondary schools! And it means we have to stay in catchment until we have applied for our youngest to get into junior school which is a bit of a pain!
Also just to add, last year when we found out, they didn’t send the email until 330pm – we had to wait ALL day…it was the most stressful day ever! x
Oh gosh. I’m not sure I will be able to wait all day to find out. I might just not look at what date they announce it so that I’m not anxiously waiting. Hopefully it will be a nice surprise then. I agree that you have to do what is right for you now and things change so quickly so you can always reassess the secondary schools situation when the time comes x
Quite frankly, I wanted my Mum to do this for me. I didn’t feel nearly grown up enough to chose a school for my daughter. I mean, I’m only 36 for God’s sake.
We filled the fill 6 spaces, we’re in Bexley (just outside of London) and the risk of listing one school and her then going to one miles away is very high. Three of the schools that I put down that we’re happy with, the other three I didn’t get a chance to look around. What’s with the 11am visiting slot? That’s a half day holiday for each visit and just not viable at the end of the year. Writing that makes me feel awful.
As both my husband and I work full time we also had to consider breakfast club and after school club. That or a child minder? My brain hurts and the mother guilt is back bigger than it was when she went to nursery at 7 months. Am I being dreadful sending her to school at 8am because I work? Should she stay after school because I can’t get home earlier?
#motherguilt
I definitely think we aren’t old enough to make these decisions. I often think that. Far too much responsibility!
Blimey, no way you would have time to visit them all. Hopefully you will get one of those top three.
I think whatever you do the mother guilt will be there. It always is. I haven’t considered the breakfast club thing yet but it is something that I will need to think about. That said most of my friends kids love it there and choose to stay at after school club even if the parents are at home! I think it is like a play date with their friends. I actually think they really enjoy it when they get a bit older (if that helps the guilt a bit) xx
My eldest will start school in September 2017 so it’s time to really think about it. My nearest school, 2 minutes walk is CofE, rated Outstanding, and doesn’t even have a catchment area because demand is so high. It’s all down to church attendance.
The school we are in the catchment for is 20 minute walk and is in special measures.
Needless to say we have been attending church for the last 18 months, and are shortly getting the girls christened. Hopefully it’s enough to get in!
No catchment area?!! That is madness. If you attend regularly you can get the vicar to write a letter for you to support your application. I’m crossing everything for you that you get in. xx
Primaries? Fern’s not even in nursery yet and we’re already making provision for secondary school fees. Sounds batsh!t crazy, I know, but we have a great village state primary and zero plans to move ever, yet the secondaries round here are… not great. Largely due to the proximity of some top 20 public schools and the chicken-egg situation of parents like us opting for those over the struggling local comps.
I think were the fee-paying schools average, it would be less cut and dried but the fact that they are particularly highly regarded adds to the feeling that its worth it.
A lot can change in 10 years so I’m remaining open minded, but its sensible to be realistic and prepared…
Not crazy at all. Ever since the girls were born Edd has been adamant they will be going to private school due to the secondary school in our area. It’s pretty daunting and still not something we definitely know will happen. Let’s just say we haven’t done any saving yet! It is creeping up quicker than I thought though and there are so many elements to consider. Like you I keep thinking, at least it is still a way off. Best get putting the pennies away! x
Late to the post – sorry. Ducking for cover, I’ll admit to being a headteacher of a primary school. I’m also a parent. I totally understand the frustrations – it is a flawed system. Be aware that becoming a governor will not help with admission (unless it is a free school or independent school). Good luck!
No need to duck! We definitely need to know the reality. Here’s hoping everyone gets the places they want xx