Getting my son into school

scooke

I need some help.
We moved into Lower Kimmage Road in August 07. This is in Mount Argus RC Parish. Our son will be 4 next month and we want to get him into a school in September. All the schools in the area are well over subscribed. Mount Argus has no Parish school and the Dept of Education don't get involved until your child is 6.
We have his name down in all the local schools but none of them are giving us much hope.
Anyone got any ideas?

ArthurDent

scooke wrote: »

I need some help.
We moved into Lower Kimmage Road in August 07. This is in Mount Argus RC Parish. Our son will be 4 next month and we want to get him into a school in September. All the schools in the area are well over subscribed. Mount Argus has no Parish school and the Dept of Education don't get involved until your child is 6.
We have his name down in all the local schools but none of them are giving us much hope.
Anyone got any ideas?

look at the enrolment policies of the schools that you have his name down for - if he fulfils all the criteria for acceptance (usually the biggies are of that denomination, in the cathchment area and the right age) ask the school to confirm in writing that they cannot place him. If this happens you can then take a section 29 appeal for refusal to enrol - see Dept of Education website. If the school has applied its enrolment policiy properly and he cannot be accomodated - then you're right the dept won't usually get involved until the year he turns 6.Re Mount Argus having no parish school - you will fall into the catchment area of one of the schools in the area - why not ask your neighbours what schools they use.

scooke

Thanks for the reply.
We have got the enrollment policies for all the schools and they seem to be adhereing to them, as far as we can see.
None of them prioritise "catchment" area highly. It seems to be siblings, children of past pupils etc.
We are in a very unusual position in that there is no RC school in the parish and we have only moved into the area so wouldn't have our son's name down.
We will just have to keep our fingers crossed as far as I can see.

undecided

Get in touch with the education welfare offier at the dept ed

I had same problem with the two local schools. I rang the above and was advised to apply in writing they have to respond with 30 days (in or around that no) and what I did was follow up with a phone call telling them you need the place and are considering section 29 appeal.Ring the above as they give you exact procedures to take they are great!

I started off with no spaces in either school and was offered places in both in the end!

TequilaMockingBird

Slightly off topic, but I sent my daughter to school early I wish I hadn't now. She's a clever girl but she will always be struggling to keep up with her peers, most of whom are around a year older than her. At the time she was bored with playschool, and I thought I could keep her back a year if she wasn't able for it, but its hard, she has made so many good friends. I'm giving it till the end of this year to see how she gets on.

Is it better to be the youngest and constantly striving for better, but vulnerable to peer pressure?

Or the oldest "done all this before" EVERYTHING is boring, exams no probs, where can I get a Bacardi Breezer?

SOOO off topic, I apologise, but these are the worries...

P.S. She's only 7

undecided

Hi sueme

My little girl is also 7 and she is in 2nd class. Like your little one was bored with play school so put her on into school. I always said that Id keep her back if she needed it so far she has had glowing reports each year. Before going to her parent teacher meeting I asked her what she thought of being kept back a year and said she didn't mind. However teacher said no need.

If I were you I would judge on how she is both socially and academically ie if she immature socially or struggling in some areas in her work.

The stigma of staying back when we were kids seems to have gone and either way if she not coping well will benifit her more in the long run.

As for being young when leaving school the way I see it is she can Transition year and still has an extra year if she needs it coming up to the leaving!

Hope this helps you in some way!

popebenny16

I'll splice these off tomorrow but being 7 in Second Class is not that abnormal, but I'm assuming your child turned 7 during the summer before?

Second class is a big leap from first from what i can see in my boys homework every night in some regards, but very similar in others. I have a handy comparison as ones in first the other in second.

If you're going to hold her back I'd suggest do it as early as you can as the differences seem to get bigger as they get older.

I assume that your school has no shared classes they minimalise any feelings of alienation, also things like out of school music drama and the like aren't on class divisions and can also help

Nevyn

My daugther is also 7 and in second class she will be turning 8 over the summer, she is the youngest in her class and in her year but seem to be thriving.