Children Going To Primary School

[Guest]

Hi. There's been a few posts recently about children going off to primary school and i was just wondering when was the time they went? I know there are certain times when parents have to start applying for school places and I just wondered when these were? Also what role does the pre-school/nursery play in children's transition from early years setting to school?

[Guest]

In Bristol the applications have to be in by mid October to start the following September. We have a single intake in the September following the 4th birthday. This year we knew in February which schools the children would be going to.

 

Al

[michaelle]

In Stockport, there is 1 intake in sept following the childs 4th birthday.

 

Applications have to be in to parents 1st choice school by Dec then offers go out to parent by end of march. they then have a few weeks to accept place for following Sept.

[Guest]

Thanks for that! I was wondering how it all worked. Do you give advice to parents about choosing a school, or do they find info out for themselves?

[Marion]

In Durham we have a single intake in Septermber following the child's 4th birthday. Im not sure what day nurseries or pre schools do. I work in a FS Unit so most children starting the reception year will have already been in the unit. Next September we are currently only expecting 1 child who has not been in our unit. I work in a village and it is the only school for the village so is most parents first choice, we get a small number of children from nearby villages.

From what I remember as a parent in Durham the LEA sends out a brochure with infomation of all school in the county to parents of all children the year before they are due to begin in reception for them make their choice. They are informed in the Jan / Feb of the year their child is due to begin if they have got their first choice.

[Guest]

Thanks for that! I was wondering how it all worked. Do you give advice to parents about choosing a school, or do they find info out for themselves?

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As an infant school, we advise our prospective parents to look at all the local schools before making their final choice and to try and view the schools in session with their child.

[nicki-k]

In Kent parents have to send their application to the KCC for their chosen school by mid Feb. There is only one intake in September so all children who are 4 start school then (even if they are 4 on 31st August). Our children have a choice of a couple of schools. We advise parents to visit both and decide which they feel is best for their child - there are pros and cons with both.

 

Once the children are allocated their places at school we arrange visits with the schools, usually during June/July. The teachers also come to visit the children in pre-school. Once the children have spent their first morning at 'big school' we usually find they don't want to come to us any more .

[Inge]

Parents usually find out about local schools themselves. We are sent a poster each year to put up and remind parents to complete the forms and where to get them.

We do no more than tell parents about where the schools are and advise them to visit.

I do find parents who have not been through the process occasionally need some reminding of what to do..

I also offer to fill in the forms with them once they know which school they want as first choice, as we have found several are a bit daunted by the forms and paperwork involved.

 

Inge