How to determine school catchment area?

FrankGrimes

We're currently planning to move house to a new area and have baby #2 on the way (first child is almost 2 years old). There's several schools in the general vicinity - what's the best way to determine the catchment area for each school?

Is it a case of ringing up each school to get the info or is there such info available online?

If you are not in the catchment area for a school does this mean you're definitely out, or just lower priority? For a public primary school can you apply for a school near, but outside your catchment area? And if you want to go private, is it more flexible?

Reckon preference is for public mixed primary school but would appreciate guidance on best approach for gathering this info as house hunting is time-consuming so figuring out the most efficient way to check schools status would be very helpful.

lazygal

Every school sets it's own policies for enrolment and catchment areas may not be relevant. You'll need to check each schools policies and call them if they aren't published online.

MAJJ

lazygal wrote: »

Every school sets it's own policies for enrolment and catchment areas may not be relevant. You'll need to check each schools policies and call them if they aren't published online.

I found ringing schools the best way other than that neighbours but that would be too late for you. As for catchment areas assume nothing they cut down the middle of an estate. That happened to us and we still got in but barely. Best of luck with it the new arrival and house. Seem to remember you from AV forums, funny how all that goes quiet when kids arrive

lazygal

Catchment areas can be a nightmare. We ruled out houses on the wrong side of the road for school places.

Moonbeam

You need to ring every school and ask for their enrolment policy .
Our 2 nearest schools work on a 1st come 1st served basis.

FrankGrimes

Thanks for the advice folks, tis all a bit mad and inefficient by the sounds of it!

Good to know we need to this homework now before buying. Does this mainly/only apply to primary schools or do I also need to plan in the same level of detail for secondary schools or are they more flexible? If we go private for secondary, is catchment still as much of a concern? No idea yet if we'll go public or private, just trying to figure out whether we have to do phone calls to both primary and secondary schools or just primary?

Yep MAJJ - all my media center projects are on indefinite pause at the moment....spare time is a precious resource these days!

lazygal

You need to determine which schools are feeder schools for the secondary school you prefer, be it single sex, religious, multid etc. It can depend on the area-where would you plan on moving to? In Dublin things can be difficult. I know several parents in my daughter's Montessori who didn't look into school places and now have great difficulty finding primary school places. The educate together got 170+ applications for 30 places and another school has a substantial waiting list. So you really do need to to ask schools how many applications they get for how many places.

And bear in mind, based on my own experience of doing this recently, schools can be very cagey about their processes. There seems to be a real lack of transparency around the administation of the allocation of school places. One school I contacted has had a new policy for a year now, but the old policy is on the website and the school refused to send me a written copy of its new policy. Very odd carry on.

tinkerbell

You need to contact each school within the area but basically, religious schools have catchment areas and usually you can only apply the year prior to starting and then Educate Together schools, you need to apply ASAP, ie birth and even then you can be way down the list. Best bet to ring as each school is different.

byhookorbycrook

You are entitled to a copy of the admissions policy.Lazygal, why would a school not give you a copy?

lazygal

byhookorbycrook wrote: »

You are entitled to a copy of the admissions policy.Lazygal, why would a school not give you a copy?

School said it would be published on its website "shortly" so to check there. That was 15 months ago. I was told the new policy which was used by another parent but the school hasn't published it on the website yet.

evolving_doors

lazygal wrote: »

School said it would be published on its website "shortly" so to check there. That was 15 months ago. I was told the new policy which was used by another parent but the school hasn't published it on the website yet.

Seems very unfair that another parent can have access to a new policy but you can't. This would be a nice little vote earner for the right local TD so you could try that avenue.

When considering buying OP I'd be nearly more inclined to think of the long game... I.e. Secondary. We're stuck for a 'good' secondary unless we up sticks and move again ($$$). Right now we're delighted with the primary but we'd also like the child to go into a 'good' secondary with some primary friends.
If you are going to go the fee paying route for secondary then it's not quite as simple as parachuting them in with new 1st year friends and none of them being from your area (I imagine they would want to hang out together locally so you may wind up spending a lot of time taxiing). 1st yr might be tough when they don't know anyone too (depends on the circumstances/child though).

byhookorbycrook

lazygal wrote: »

School said it would be published on its website "shortly" so to check there. That was 15 months ago. I was told the new policy which was used by another parent but the school hasn't published it on the website yet.

Not having it on the website isn't the same as not having it available, to be fair.Why don't you ask for a hard copy to be posted out to you?

lazygal

byhookorbycrook wrote: »

Not having it on the website isn't the same as not having it available, to be fair.Why don't you ask for a hard copy to be posted out to you?

I did. School secretary said she wouldn't as the website was being updated. And this was the same thing I was told a short time ago. From what I've heard about myriad schools their admissions policies are often flouted or don't actually correspond to the written policies, probably because section 29 appeals almost always favour schools. My dealings with schools hasn't been great in terms of the openness and transparency I'd expect from places I've to send my children into for eight years. It's probably because most schools are over subscribed round our way, they can be as cagey as they choose.

byhookorbycrook

Most unusual, as once person request the policy in any school anywhere I know, they get it.

evolving_doors

byhookorbycrook wrote: »

Most unusual, as once person request the policy in any school anywhere I know, they get it.

But it's unusual that op was fobbed off with 'I'tll be on the website soon' while another parent has the new policy!

Maybe it depends how adamant you are?. Or maybe who you are!

Millem

We stick to our enrolment policy to the letter (secondary schools) when offering places. Every year we have parents appealing under section 29.

OP like the other poster said it is an good idea to look at secondary schools too. Especially a good "free" one. In fee paying schools the kids are coming from all over. Just pay the administration fee and put in an enrolment form asap.

In our policy siblings are 3rd on the list, feeder schools are number 1, then religious children in other school. So even of you are lucky to get one child the next one may not get in if not from category 1 and 2.