Primary school applications - do you need to attach additional info?

[ingridcjones]

Hi-

I am probably being stupid - but I am confused by the e-admission forms for 2014 primary school applications. Do you need to attach proof of address / DOB etc for southwark applications. It's not entirely clear to me and I'm very keen not to miss anything off and void my application!

thanks

[SBot]

We've applied through Bromley council, I nanny in dulwich but I live in beckenham. We applied on Line but had to give also birth certificate, council tax bill letter and a letter from HM revenue stating where our child benefit comes to. The latter has to be dated after nov 2013 so you need to call to get a current one, this took 2 weeks!!! When you did the on line bit did it state what you needed to provide to support your application. If you've recently moved nearer to a school you may also need to provide previous documents of your old address! Good luck!

[sunbob]

Last year for our Southwark online app we didn't have to attach anything. Once a place was offered the school asked for proof of address.

[Monkey]

What sunbob says. Good luck!

[Renata Hamvas]

Hi Ingridcjones.

Yes, what Sunbob says is correct. You don't need proof of address etc at this stage for Southwark applications, this is done once offers are issued.

Renata

[Amaryllis]

I agree, it wasn't at all clear to me either.

[ingridcjones]

Thanks for the clarification - and pleased it wasn't just me being slow!

[oimissus]

just to completely double check - we don't need to attach proof of being our child's carer, do we? - Facebook chat amongst Lewisham chums is saying they have to at application stage.

thanks!

[livebait]

Silly question so deleted!

[oimissus]

a final question (not that I'm getting paranoid about the whole thing!) - does the order you put the schools in make any difference bar which schools you remain on the waiting list for (i.e. any school above the one you are offered, so if you are offered choice 3, you remain on the waiting list for choices 1 and 2) - it seems bizarre to me that we might put down school X as our 1st choice, but someone else puts school X as their 6th choice but they'd get offered it if it was their nearest (or were merely nearer than us), even though they don't want it as much as us (and want 5 other schools more). The whole idea of choice seems a bit pointless, if that's the case, which I believe it is.

[edanna]

Yes oimissus that is exactly how it works. Though someone offered their 6th choice may well subsequently be offered a higher choice, thus freeing up a place.

[AnnaCBH]

Oimissus if you're applying through lewisham you need to provide proof of address and being your child's carer at application stage, either via the post, or by scanning and emailing- or taking it down to Catford. It's such a scary responsibility isn't it. Good luck, I'm now wondering if I should change my list of preferences, such a gamble... Will it pay off?!

[Norfolkvillas]

Eek, now I'm worried - If I'm in Southwark, but putting a Lewisham school as one of my choices, does that mean I have to get a copy of my son's birth certificate to Catford ahead of the 15th Jan deadline??? I've completed all of the online form, just shy of clicking submit, and nowhere has it told me I need to do this...

[Scribble]

When you press submit, then it tells you about the Lewisham requirements! (Useful, right?!)

[kittysailing]

I'm in Southwark, half of my schools applied for are in Southwark and half are in Lewisham - I have submitted my form - at no point did it ask me to submit any documents! Renata - could you clarify? I think if you apply for Lewisham schools and you are in Lewisham it wants documents but if you are in Sothwark and put a Lewisham school down it doesn't?

[Renata Hamvas]

Hi all,

I have checked with one of the Council officers.

Southwark parents applying to Lewisham schools will be treated as out of borough applicants by Lewisham LA. Therefore, they will aim to gather proof of address from any Southwark residents that they offer Lewisham school places to after the offer day.

This will have no impact on the chance of success in your application as the admissions criteria will always be the deciding factor.

Good Luck everyone

Renata

ps my Blackberry is out of action so I'm not currently able to answer emails, please PM me if you have any questions.

[oimissus]

thanks for clarifying Renata.

[prm]

So birth certificate is not enough? What documents do you have to provide to prove you are your childs carer?

[kittysailing]

Thanks Renata.