We want our child to go to the second choice of primary school. Any advice?

Question

Our child is already at the nursery section of our first choice but it is farther from home. We put it as first choice because the near school wasn't as good.

But now there is a new head teacher who has turned the near school around and places are now in demand. We now believe he would be better off at the second (near) choice. We have not yet had confirmation of a place at either school yet.

Answer 1

contact your LEA and ask if there are spaces at your second choice school and stress that this school is closer to home I take it your child is going in to reception class in September. If there are no places ask to be placed on the waiting list as children move schools frequently due to thing like moving house or work commitments of parents

Answer 2

Phone up your LEA and ask if you can change your choices round, i would think it would be too late but they may be able to put you on an appeal list incase a space comes avaliable!

Answer 3

I don't think you can change the forms now they are in. All you can do is hope that his your first choice is over subscribed and he gets his second choice. Or put his name on the waiting list of that school and move when or if one becomes available. I found this which may help.

If you would like us to consider any changes to your submitted application you can complete another preference using the on line software if the preference period is still open.  If it is after the preference period has closed we will require something in writing from you e.g. letter or paper preference form.  While we will do everything we can to accommodate any changes we may not always be able to take new information into account before places are allocated.

I would say that is the same for every education authority.

Answer 4

First of all contact the Head of the school you wish your child to go to and discuss the problem...If she refuses or isnt very helpfull, get in touch with your Local Education Department Offices and place the problem with them....Apparently you are alloweed to choose so I believe. I would make haste because they break up soon and you want to know what school your child is going to...

Answer 5

I'm a bit confused here...

If your child starts primary school (i.e. year 1) in September, then you should have heard where he has been allocated a place weeks if not months ago.

If he doesn't start until the following September, I don't think you can have even filled the forms in yet?

If he's already considered to be at primary school, then the fact the other school was your second choice originally is irrelevant. You'll have to talk to them directly to find out if they have a place for him. But in that case, you wouldn't be waiting for confirmation of a place, it would have happened last year.

I think you need to ring up your LEA and find out exactly what his status is now, before you start trying to change things.

Answer 6

I say go for the one you think will give your child the best education and don't worry about the distance, that's what i did aleven thow everyone told me to pick on of the 3 closer school they just did`n feel right and even that its the furthest away from home i know i made the right choice.