Primary school place allocation chaos has started!

[toast]

James Barber,

Thanks as always for addressing our concerns, looking forward to hearing from Peckham Rye's new councillors on this.

James Barber wrote

'Overall Southwark has 200 spare reception places. The problem is not a local shortage or borough wide shortage of reception places but a lack of perceived attractiveness of some of our schools.'

The problem for us is that the percieved unattractivness on one of ED's schools is draining school places away from Peckham Rye! It's mad that someone who's nearest school is GG is less likely to go there than us, 1 mile away!

Edited to add,

It's not very supportive for this struggling school to have its local intake head off to a Bulge class at Heber. This bulge class has increased choice for those living near GG but has in no way solved the problem of shortage of local places. The council needs ensure that money allocated to provide LOCAL places actually does!

[Fuschia]

mrs.lotte Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I'm not being critical of you, I felt exactly the

> same last year when dozens and dozens of people

> didnt get ANY of their 4 choices the fact that

> only a small handful of people are in that boat

> this year and that the debate is now largely about

> being cheesed off at not getting 1st or 2nd choice

> seems to me to demonstrate that the early bulge

> allocations pretty much did the trick as best it

> can bearing in mind you cant fit every single

> child into Heber or Goodrich.

Mrs Lotte, I think on the contrary, there are a large number of children just outside the ED ward (in P Rye ward, eg the Gardens area) who have no local school been offered. James Barber has been posting very much about hs constituents, rather than the fuller picture of the problem that affects the broader SE22 area.

And re the late applications, most of those will be families who have moved into the area, would be my guess, and if they live closer to a given school than someoen else on the waiting list, yes they do get priority...

[prdarling]

mrs.lotte yes I am feeling bloody raw, can you blame me? If parent have just moved into the area then fair enough, but if they simply have not got their act together then I am sorry but I don't see why my child should be penalised for this. In essence somebody's child is going to come out worse in this situation, so why in God's name should it be the child of the person who has done everything by the book? Why have a deadline if it is meaningless?

I agree with Fuschia, I think the picture is not quite as rosy as it may appear. The situation around The Gardens/FHR/Dunstans/Ryedale/Dovedale etc tells a very different story.

I desperately hope I get a place somewhere that A) I want to send my child and B) I can physically get my child to on time along with my other commitments of pre-school and work

....but in the meantime I keep having to field questions from my son about which school he is going to as it's the talk of the pre-school. It's just not a pleasant situation to be in

[prdarling]

Sorry I have no idea where that stupid symbol came from, it was a letter b!

[Fuschia]

prdarling Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> mrs.lotte yes I am feeling bloody raw, can you

> blame me? If parent have just moved into the area

> then fair enough, but if they simply have not got

> their act together then I am sorry but I don't see

> why my child should be penalised for this.

Only thing is, PRD, if they HAD applied in time, they would still be ahead of you in the queue!

[mrs.lotte]

Youre right I should have said only a small handful APPEAR to have not been allocated one of their 4 choices. I do not know the figures either and based that wholly upon the posts on this forum which this year have only a handful of people posting about not being allocated any of their local choices as opposed to last year when there appeared to be many more. I sometimes forget that there are peoplewho dont read or post on the forum!

It does look to me that this years parents have been much more clued up, possibly as a result of last years situation by putting down 4 realistic choices. No doubt that has helped alleviate the situation.

[James Barber]

Hi prdarling,

I've been told that people accept or reject places by 21 May. That the release of some places this will result in will be used to fullfil waiting lists where possible etc. That later in the month late applications will then be sent admissions letters.

This appears to mean late applications will get second picks after applications on time.

As suggested before keep in regular contact with admissions officers.

Do visit the school/PTA/paretns you've been allocated - you could well find you do like it avoiding further angst.

[toast]

Prdarling

Totally understand your frustration but must keep focused on those who can change things. This years allocation has made it crystal clear that bulge classes may not put places where they are needed, they are just allowing people to flee unpopular schools which could really do with their support (which i understand is an upsetting issue initself but this is not what the money was allocated for).

We need provision on top of the Heber bulge, by the Rye, brake some rules and make a small school! This year if possible but definately by next. If Lewisham had not changed its policy and had so many bulge classes the situation would have been even more drastic. The council have not been on top of this, their expensive solutions have not worked. There are still areas without local school provision.

[prdarling]

As suggested before keep in regular contact with admissions officers.

I assure you they are sick of the sound of my voice.... come to think of it, I am sick of the sound of my voice

Do visit the school/PTA/paretns you've been allocated - you could well find you do like it avoiding further angst

I'm afraid it's not feasible to get my 4 year old to this school in SE5, then go all the way back to the south circ to get my 2 year old to his pre-school and then get myself to work in Battersea, 80% of the time on public transport. I just couldn't make it work

[clux]

I agree with prdarling about the unfairness of late applications going above you on a waiting list. This made me really cross last year when I didn't initially get allocated any of my 4 chosen schools. I also think its unfair that people who didn't initially apply to a school can then put themselves on a waiting list and go ahead of someone who applied, on time, and listed that school as their first choice. Just seems like their are no benefits to applying on time.

[toast]

-------------------------------------------------------

James barber wrote

'As suggested before keep in regular contact with admissions officers.'

prdarling Wrote:

I assure you they are sick of the sound of my

> voice.... come to think of it, I am sick of the

> sound of my voice

:)

Well put prdarling, this advice may be well intended but it is utterly useless!

[James Barber]

Hi prdarling,

Completely understand the bind of getting from Goose Green in SE22 to south circular to drop of 2 year old and then get to Battersea and then reverse at end of the school day.

Have you asked about school places at Langbourne which is clearly much nearer the South Circular?

Or look if you can change to use the Goose Green nursery making your and your kids days very much easier?

[mrs.lotte]

prdarling, hadn't appreciated that you were GG.

GG has a breakfast and after school club on site which is highly rated by those I know who use it (and very reasonably priced) there are also a number of childminders and nannies that do pick up and drop offs.

The nursery is lovely but doesnt take children until the term after they are 3 but I highly rate (and indeed use) Oaktree nursery which is very nearby; we moved our daughter there when we our son started GG and she is very happy, lots of places free up in September as the older children go to school

It sounds like there may be a number of people who live near you in the same boat; maybe share the pick up/drop offs? Would be happy to ask around on your behalf if you would like (PM me if so)

Also happy to answer any qu's about the school if you have them.

There is to be a school tour on first monday in June. You have probably been on one already but it will be a chance or another chance to have a look round, meet the head and as there will be a PTA coffee morning that day, to meet other parents too.

[prdarling]

Sorry don't know where you got GG from James - I said it's SE5! Now as our councillor I'm sure you know that GG is not in SE5!!

The school I have been offered is Bessemer Grange. Is not practical at all. GG would be a relative piece of cake.

Problem with using a school nursery is that as far as I know the hours are only 2.5 per am or pm which doesn't work for me at all - my 2 and a half year old currently does 9-3.30 at Buds.

Don't know anything about Langbourne, never heard of it - not familiar with Lambeth schools but having a quick squizz at the Ofsted I would be immedately concerned by it being graded a 4 (exceptionally low) in the "Standards reached by learners."

Maybe I am missing the point but I was hoping for something slightly more aspirational for my son :(

[Fuschia]

i think a lot of people are not reading propwrly and have realised that the disgruntlsd parents have not been allocated a school close to ed at all. these parents wush they HAD been offered GG but that's not the case at all. there does seem to be a black hole down the side of p rye pk where families are too far from any ed school to get a look in

[James Barber]

Hi prdarling,

Apologies. I must have been thinking of someone else. And yes I do know the postcodes for Bessemer and GG.

[prdarling]

James don't take offence I was only joking

Let's hope the 21st brings some more positive news following the shakedown - although I assume we'll have to wait until at least Mon 24th to get feedback?

[toast]

Oh dear, going the wrong way on the list for nearest school. Now number 13 rather than 12, not the best sign.

[batgirl]

Can somebody tell me how a child living off Meeting House (down by peckham police station) lane got into St Anthony's when I could not get my daughter in last year and I am in Nunhead???? It is not a fair system.

[Fuschia]

batgirl Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Can somebody tell me how a child living off

> Meeting House (down by peckham police station)

> lane got into St Anthony's when I could not get my

> daughter in last year and I am in Nunhead???? It

> is not a fair system.

Church schools are a law unto themselves really. I guess it's to do with frequency of church attendance...

[batgirl]

I attend every week, did appeal the decision but got no where, even took a local councillor along. She told me that the fact I was not married was an issue,I do believe I could have won if took it further but felt so worn down from the whole process and gave up. Wish I pursued out of principal.

[prdarling]

Oh crap toast that'll mean I have moved down one too. Would be nice to wake up and find it all over with

[prdarling]

batgirl church schools seem to pretty much please themselves re applications, and yet are still funded by taxpayers like myself who wouldn't have a cat in hell's chance of getting in. Not what I would call a fair system full stop.

[emc]

Batgirl - I'm no longer married either but my daughter has got a place at St Anthony's - we are in Nunhead too and did not expect to get in and I think the only reason she has ha is because they made an extra fifteen places available this year. Father John was supportive of my single parent status so I don't think that's a problem - I think you were incredibly unlucky that they did not make those extra places available last year.

[goosemum]

Probably not a popular thing to say, but it might be useful to rethink the definition of the term 'local'. We walk from Nunhead to Goose Green - it takes 20 mins and is a lovely walk past Peckham Rye and then Goose Green Common. I consider this to be one of our local schools, which is why I put it on my list. If we lived in out in the sticks it would probably be considered 'on your doorstep'!