Primary application - in no-man's land, any advice

[Lucy]

Hi,

Goodrich is our closest school and that's our first choice, but we find ourselves 50metres out of last year's catchment area. (It's also where our childminder drops off/picks up, who is our lifesaver and will be hard to cope without).

Fairlawn is our next closest, and we were told that we didn't stand a chance of getting in.

We've heard great things about Harris, so we visited and found we're likely to be just outside that catchment area.

Whilst we can put 6 schools down, I've been told only to put schools down that you are happy to send your child to. And if you don't get your first, second or third choices and get a school that you don't want then it's harder to appeal. As opposed to only putting your preferred down and not getting in and being given a school by the council, and appeal is more likely to be successful.

At the moment I'm thinking of putting Goodrich/Fairlawn/Harris down in that order, hoping I get Goodrich & could go down on the waiting list for Fairlawn. I really like Harris, but it's going to make life for us a whole harder vs Goodrich.

Any advice?

[kristymac1]

Put 6 choices down, the grounds of appeal are very limited and only selecting 3 schools won't favour your appeal chances.

[edanna]

Yes definitely put 6 down because you will get a place at one of them in the end. It must be really nerve wracking but there is a lot of movement during Reception so even if you don?t have a place you want on 1 Sep it will happen. If you are near Fairlawn you must be fairly near Horniman too?

[carebear]

I have always read better to put 6 down for the reasons above - you could be sent miles away if you don?t...

I believe Heber wasn?t full this year and have heard good things so could be a contender (appreciate may be a bit far but might work if you?re considering Harris?).

Good luck!

[poch]

We were much further outside the catchment area at Goodrich than you are when we applied a few years ago now, and we got offered a place very soon after the start of term. I reckon if you're 50 meters outside last year's catchment, you'll be okay by September. Not easy I know and of course these things vary from year to year, but there is a lot of movement over the summer (particularly in August I think!). And Heber and Harris are great back-ups! Good luck!

[midivydale]

Ditto, we were outside catchment for our first choice School but got a place in May. Out the school in genuine order of preference but definitely use all your six choices. There are definitely six (and more) decent schools in the area so put them all down. Good luck, it is stressful but all will be well in the end.

[yeknomyeknom]

Also in no mans land beside Peckham rye. Applied to Harris and got in. Fairlawn is unlikely but I would say harris and Goodrich and certainly Heber you would get in. Definitely put 6 as I know people that haven?t and end up miles away. Also, I know both Goodrich and Heber accepted people from the waiting lists this year. We were scared too but got exactly what we wanted. Just pick based on preference, fill in all 6 and try not to worry.

[Monkey]

Put 6 down. And wait for a place to become available at your favourite school. There's a lot of movement, including mid-year (not ideal, I know). Good luck.

[Coach Beth]

As others have said, your appeal will NOT be more likely to be successful if you don't put down all schools. Successful appeals are very rare and always on some grounds to do with the admissions criteria of the school and nothing about whether you have another place due or not will be taken into account. Best put 6 down you are relatively happy with... rather than put down just 3 and then find the council has sent you to a school miles and miles away that you have never heard of.

[goldilocks]

Also consider if you're working, how you might get to work. For example if you travel from ED Station, you could consider Goose Green too as its a bus ride up Lordship Lane and then handy for the station.

[hellosailor]

Lucy the goodrich catchment was unusually small this year due to an unheard of amount of sibling places. It's likely to be bigger this year so you stand a very good chance of getting in.

[etta166]

Try visiting schools (or at least putting down schools) that took all on-time applicants. There are very good schools in the borough that take all applicants and then you at least get to choose a guaranteed school rather than getting assigned to one you didn't choose.

[Carbonara]

The published 'last distance' refers to the offers made on National Offer Day, not the eventual admissions,where there is often a wider catchment. People may decide to go private, move house, or get a place at a school higher up their own list of preferences. So don't despair! Waiting lists start to move a couple of weeks after the acceptance date, and places come up even in the first week of term.

Are you close enough to Bessemer? You can apply to Lambeth schools, too. (But you are probably not that direction if Fairlawn is your next nearest).

"And if you don't get your first, second or third choices and get a school that you don't want then it's harder to appeal. As opposed to only putting your preferred down and not getting in and being given a school by the council, and appeal is more likely to be successful"

This is total nonsense!

There are very very few grounds for successful appeals to primary schools anyway , because of the adherence to PAN (published admission number).And what other schools you did or did not put down are immaterial. But you do have to have applied to a school to appeal it.

Use your 6 preferences to include the least-worst school that you would definitely get into, and put them in the exact order that you prefer them. There is no way to 'game' the system.

If you get a place you are less than happy with - accept it! But stay on the waiting lists for all the schools higher up your list. There is no disadvantage in accepting the place. It does not reduce your chances of a waiting list place.

[Renata Hamvas]

I know applications are in for this year, but to point out there was actually an excess of primary school places in the area in 2017, so everyone got a place at a local primary school. If you live east of Peckham Rye dependent on whether you are closer to Nunhead Lane or Homestall Rd there are the usually considered contenders eg Heber, Goodrich, Fairlawn if HOP. There are other schools to consider too, Rye Oak if near Nunhead Lane, Hollydale (a good small Nunhead School that is often undersubscribed), Ivydale (expanded onto Stuart Road) and St Francesca Cabrini (around 25% places allocated on distance). If you don't get one of your higher choices on offer day you will be put on the waiting list for higer ranked choices and there is quite a lot of movement by September.

Renata

[Lucy]

Thankyou all.

I listened to you advice. Application in. No sit back until April!!

[semgrilo]

so where did your children ended up going to? We got accepted at Fairlawn!