On 21 Jul 2010 at 10:40am Worried Mother wrote:
Planning to move house soon (possibly semi rural area) and it has to be near a Primary School. Is there anyway of knowing whether a school has places available (for 5yr old) before you move? Nightmare scenario would be to move and not get a place at a nearby school (do not have car).
Am having sleepless nights worrying about this 
On 21 Jul 2010 at 11:16am iii wrote:
Phone the school and ask (before the 6 weeks holidays)
Barcombe school is under-subscribed this year, so should be a place there.
On 21 Jul 2010 at 10:27pm Brixtonbelle wrote:
You should be okay with the rural schools - they are usually underscribed and small classes. We did exactly the same last year and applied to the schools we wanted - for the secondary we were guaranteed a place, for theprimary we had to take a chance with the waiting list but got aplace after a week. Everyone I know in Lewes has got a place at the primary school they wanted even if they went to appeal, so don't despair, just decide on which school you like, talk to the head teacher and find out if there are places and then find somewhere to live. have you spoken to east sussex county council education officer ?
On 21 Jul 2010 at 10:52pm DrTrickCyclist wrote:
Intakes are apparently low this year for reception classes and numbers are down right across the area. A five year old is presumably going into year 1 though. I agree that phoning directly is likely to be the best way.
On 21 Jul 2010 at 11:01pm brixtonbelle wrote:
depends on birthdate and whether school has one or two intakes to reception. Most kids start school the term or year they are rising five, but both of mine where 5 when they started because they were born early in school year which had sept and jan intake.
birthrates are up in some areas and many new classes being provided to accommodate - but not rural areas. it's just the urbanites who have been shagging it seems !
On 21 Jul 2010 at 11:49pm Roly Mo wrote:
DrTrick, I don't think an intake of over 50 children in Ringmer is low, do you?
BB, it obviously means we shag a lot over here.
On 22 Jul 2010 at 12:17am Ringmer's a Sh1t Hole wrote:
She was talking about fanny Roly Mo, not sheep.
On 22 Jul 2010 at 7:41am Annette Curtin-Twitcher wrote:
(Guffaw) A large amount of tea has just found its way into my keyboard.
On 22 Jul 2010 at 8:41am Ah haa wrote:
Thanks Brixtonbelle, you have eased my worrying (slightly)!
It will be a reception class I need...I'd love to move to Barcombe/Kingston....but may need to rob a bank to do so!
On 27 Jul 2010 at 9:33am Cooking Ma wrote:
I'm panicking badly. We live in the country, the three schools we applied to for yr 2 in Sept are full, still haven't heard about a place despite daily calls to County Hall. I hope that you have some luck speaking to the schools to find out about intake/class sizes, all of mine refused to tell me anything. It may be that on appeal we get into our local school, but what size will the class be? I don't want to force them to take our child only to have it put into a class of 35-38. I'd rather drive to somewhere further away. I'm anxious, can you tell? :|
On 27 Jul 2010 at 4:42pm Brixtonbelle wrote:
Cooking Ma - ESCC class size max is 30. They refuse to go above that even on appeal, I was told, although if the goevrnors of the school concerned allow it, then its different matter. Most schools would probably try to to split a class into two if it reaches 38- just for the space reasons in the classroom alone.
You probably won't hear for sure until schools go back - sometimes kids just don't turn up again, or parents hold onto two school places, hedging their bets. I would just keep ringing the heads of the schools concerned madly from the week before school starts and try and have a relaxing few weeks over the holidays not worrying.