# Schools



## Old Timer (Jan 23, 2005)

Hi ladies

Hoping some of you with older children can offer some advice.

Last year I put DS's name down at one school and they said I wouldn't need to put his name down anywhere else but its been niggling me and so I've decided to fill in more schools forms.  He doesn't go to school until Sept 2010 but I want him to go to the playgroup linked to a school of our choice rather than, or as well as, the private nursery he currently attends for 3hours a week.

How many schools did you register at?

All 3 of our 'chosen' schools are on my way to work and close to relatives but not in our home town (small town).  I really don't want DS going to the local school as it isn't very good and the other ones are only 2-3miles away, ideal for me when back at work etc.

Thanks in advance
OT x


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## magenta (Nov 2, 2004)

We haven't registered yet.  DD goes to school in August 2010 but we have been told that our LA doesn't allow you to register for state schools until the Oct/November before they are due to start (which will be Nov 2009 for us).  I think you put down your 'top three choices' in order of preference (of which one must/should be your local 'catchment area' school i think ).

Local fee-paying schools allow you to register at any point but ask that you only apply to one unless your application is based soley on receiving a full-bursary place in which case you must indicate all other schools to whom you are applying...so they know whom they are 'up against' as it were.

We are thinking about going for the local 'not brilliant but definately ok' primary school as we have been told (off record from a good source) that they have quite a bit of experience of LAC and children with attachment issues which will be helpful to us we think.

Magenta x


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## Old Timer (Jan 23, 2005)

Hi Magenta

Thanks for your reply.  Think it may be slightly different in England, most things seem to be don't they!?!

Our schools have their own forms to fill in and then you get sent paperwork form the LA closer to the time where you  put the schools of your choice.  If you only put one school and they don't have enough places your child automatically gets sent to the closest school which in our case we don't want.  I think 2 out of the 3 are still in our catchment area, at least none of them have batted an eye-lid at me saying where we live.

Off to look round one of them tomorrow and to visit the playgroup as well.  Seems very strange going to look round a school already!

OT x


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## cindyp (Apr 7, 2003)

We put down 3 schools in order of preference.  Although we were given forms (our pre-school passed them on to us) we actually filed our application on-line.  Luckily living in a village there was not likely to be any problems with getting into the local school which is what we wanted.

Good luck getting sorted out.

Cindy


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## ♥ M J ♥ (Apr 17, 2004)

Hi

I did the forms you on about for getting their name down for pre-school- my DD goes to one now and the teacher was fab as she did a form too for DS who starts this sept 
(few days after 3rd birthday - i am so sad he is gonna be the baby of the class!)

The application for "proper" school has been done on line too- i have to say i did use the "adopted child-very settled-keep same school" thing for DD even though i filled the form in day after court as school classed her as our surname from day one as a massive favour to us

good luck hun

xxx


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## Old Timer (Jan 23, 2005)

Hi

I guess we have complicated matters by deciding we don't want the local school but there are lots of others that are better within a few miles and DS is such a bright child I want him to achieve his potential and be encouraged whereas the local school isn't as good for this.

I am a bit annoyed with the original playgroup we'd put him down for, on me chasing them a couple of weeks before Christmas they informed me that the place they said he could have was no longer available.  I could have used the LAC card but decided against it as he is likely to get a place for pre-school year.  When I talked to his SW she questioned why I would want them to know anyway that he is adopted as there are no attachment/behaviour issues and for playgroup its not a problem.  Obviously for school I will have to say something due to the topics they look at.  Anyway, I decided to see if the nursery he goes to had another session available, will find out Thursday, but today I felt the need to do something more and see if I could get him in earlier to one attached to a school of our choice.  

The school and playgroup I am going to tomorrow has a very good ofsted report and if he gets a place there for pre-school I will put a bit about being adopted and well settled etc on the forms to help with the proper school place.

Fingers crossed for tomorrow!
Thanks again
OT x


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## Old Timer (Jan 23, 2005)

School and playgroup visit went well this morning and it sounds as though things will be Ok as far as DS going to school there.  He is going to start the playgroup next week for 1 session a week and then I will have to split the hours between nursery and playgroup when I go back to work as playgroup only do mornings.

He was a star and just got on and played with the other children this morning while I talked to the leader.  She was really surprised at how confident he was.

Ot x


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