HELP - Son rejected in local school

Polly Pockets

My son will be 4 and 9 months in September and has been turned down by local catholic primary school on the basis of age (his sister is already in attendance) - they had 180 applicants for 90 places! - the next school, 1 mile away, won't even consider him because he is not from their catchment/parish.

The only school that would accept him is an Educate Together school 7 miles away (we have to pass 3 other schools to get to it). There is a bus over there but there's no way that I could put him on that as he's a bit clueless.

Just wondering if this has happened to anyone else or if anyone has advice that they could give?

useless

Get a copy of the school's enrolment policy, see if for any reason they haven't stuck to it when they rejected your son, then see if you have grounds for a section 29 appeal.
Bear in mind the S29 appeal is only relates to whether the school followed its own enrolment policy, and not as to whether that policy is fair or not. Good luck.

byhookorbycrook

Can you hold him until next year?

Polly Pockets

Hi
I really don't want to hold him till next year as he will be 5 and 9 months starting school and 19 leaving school!! As far as I am concerned, that is just too old. It means that he has absolutely no possiblity of repeating if he gets into trouble.

I'll defo look into school policy.
Thanks for that.

PP

Zulu

I was 19 leaving school, and it was a great incentive not to fail. There was no way I was going to be 20 sitting the leaving cert.

That said, I still believe I was far to young to go into college or to pick my third level subjects. There's a lot to be said for giving the guy an extra year in life to choose his path.

byhookorbycrook

The DES usually no longer allow children to repeat a class,unless there is a specific learning difficulty and even then may be slow to let it happen

Mr.Wemmick

I would keep my options open regarding your son starting a year later if you do not want him to do a lengthy journey to the other schools.
Have you asked the school if he will get a place Sept 2013?

My daughter has a place for September but I have since decided she is better to start a year later at 5.5 years than start school this year. The reason is maturity as children do better/ are more able to cope with all aspects of school life and the curriculum being older rather than younger.
I too wouldn't worry about him doing the leaving cert at 19 as a lot of parents are now choosing to send their children later.
It sounds like the Catholic school you want to send your son to have allocated all their September places to the older children first, no? So would they not do the same the following year, meaning your son would be amongst similar aged children in 2013?

juneg

My son was 5 yrs and 7 months starting school. My daughter was 5 years and 3 months starting. They are not the oldest in their classes by any means. I will never regret keeping them until they were mature enough to cope in a class of 30. I believe that I have given them an excellent start in life. Your child may be very well able for junior infants, but is he ready for all the reading and writing in 1st class or mature enough for 5th class when he is among the youngest of 90 students? What about in the leaving cert year when he will be 16 starting and he's asking to go into town to the 18th birthday parties of his classmates.

A classroom can be a very busy place what with special needs, learning difficulties and children who dont speak english, and it is very different from the times we grew up in. It's a tough decision to make either way and everyone has an opinion. I had to defend my self to well meaning relatives who were basing their opinions on the classroom of 30 years ago.
Good luck with your decision.

BostonB

Polly Pockets wrote: »

.... It means that he has absolutely no possiblity of repeating if he gets into trouble....

Can you explain that. Why not?

As demand increase the age is increasing. Most kids seem to do better when they are older. Even if they are able academically, younger kids might struggle socially. Thats all part of learning.

BostonB

byhookorbycrook wrote: »

The DES usually no longer allow children to repeat a class,unless there is a specific learning difficulty and even then may be slow to let it happen

Do you mean in primary or secondary. Because I assume the OP means the secondary. Maybe its all the same difference.