Primary school admissions...

[Fidgetsmum]

When is Southwark likely to release their 2011 admissions information? I understand that this will include catchment areas... I know they will change next year (when we'll be applying) but I think we're in a black hole.

Thanks

[Curmudgeon]

They don't publish 'catchment areas' as far as I know

it tends to be SEN, siblings then proximity

hope that helps - lots of good schools for primary aged around here so I wouldn't panic unduly

[chantelle]

Curmudgeon - they do publish the furthest distance to school for last child offered a space on geography alone, effectively a "catchment" used by parents to make decisions. I think the new admissions booklets are out in September. And unfortunately there are lots of people in black holes in the area who don't get into a near school because they are too far out of any of the catchments.

[Renata Hamvas]

The booklet usually comes out in September. The furthest distance offered figure will be published for each school. Be aware though that this can change dramatically from year to year. Bulge classes also have a huge impact on these figure. In a year of bulge, a school has a much larger "catchment" area which can shrink down smaller than pre-bulge years for the next 3-4 years due to extra siblings. Also if a school bulges, neighbouring schools may have larger distance offered figures that year due to an increased pool of places in the vicinity.

If you want help/advice about the street you live in an whther people have had problems with school places from that area Fidgetsmum, PM me.

Renata

[tommy]

Hi, are the furthest distance stats for a child without siblings at that school?

[mrs.lotte]

In the past the figures published by Southwark have been wildly inaccurate, I wouldn't trust them. Go and have a look around your local schools and ask the reception teacher, s/he will have done the home visits and know precisely how far s/he had to trek to get to them! Echo what has been said above, impossible to predict if there will be black hole or where it/they would be given placing of bulge classes and the sometimes rapidly waxing and waning of popularity of different schools. Fidgetsmum if I were you I would be pressing to find out which schools are in the market for a bulge as most have done so in the last 3 years and so couldn't do so again next year.

[ClaireClaire]

Tommy - yes.

Also, I think the distances published in the booklet are based only on the first round of offers of a school place.

But then there is a lot of movement subsequent to that via people being on waiting lists.

And as far as I know the effective catchment distances (aka furthest distance offered figures) are never recompiled. (Correct me if I'm wrong, anyone?)

So for example, for Heber this year, the last child to be offered a place based on the distance to school criterion was 317m, but we went on the waiting list and got a place at Heber after 8 weeks and we live 325m away. As far as I'm aware, the booklet that will be published in September will say something like "furthest distance offered for a non-sibling place was 317m"

You can also get last year's booklet if you want to get an idea of what the effective catchment distances were for the year prior to that.

Claire

[tor]

Like you we are in a 'black hole' for primary school places and we didn't get into any of the four schools we put down on the initial rounds (Fairlawn, Horniman, Heber, Goodrich). But we automatically went on the waiting list for all of the schools.

Within three weeks we had a place at our second choice school, within four weeks our fourth choice and just last month (a year later) we got offered our third choice! Bearing in mind we were 16th on the waiting list for our third choice, it shows that the waiting lists really do move.

We never got our first choice but we are more than happy with our second choice so it all worked out in the end.

[Fidgetsmum]

Thanks for all the advice everyone. Mrs.Lotte - how would I find out which schools are in the market for a bulge class potentially? Would the school just tell me if I asked? And also, they can't have more than one every three years? If so, it does seem that this year there were quite a few who took bulge classes so next year might be thin on the ground.

Lordie. I'm not liking all this already - but trying to stay positive!

[tommy]

Thanks for the info ClaireClaire - jeez Louise, 317m...

[mrs.lotte]

Southwark children's services will presumably have plans for next september's bulges but don't suppose they'll share and in fairness can't finalise them until after closing dates when they can ascertain need. I guess it's a process of elimination as I would be surprised if, absenting an intention to permanently add an additional class, a school could take more than one bulge every 6 years. The following have bulged; goodrich, heber, lyndhurst, st.john's, dvi, goose green, bessemer, horniman. Not sure about fairlawn or ivydale. Who does that leave? Hollydale, dkh, Rye Oak, bellenden?

[Fidgetsmum]

Dog Kennel? OR St Johns and St Clements? They're the ones left for us that we're closest to if they haven't...

[Renata Hamvas]

To add to your correct list of bulges, Mrs Lotte, Fairlawn has bulged and St Antony's has too. The expansion of Lyndhurst to two forms from 1.5 is permanent, this years figures should give the a better idea about Lyndhurst than before as it's the first year of planned 2 form intake. The schools in the wider area that to my knowledge haven't bulged are: DKH, Rye Oak, Bellenden, Hollydale, Ivydale, St Francesca Cabrini and Langbourne.

Bulges are decided once applications are in. This year, due to a large number of late applicants, extra bulges were put in after results day. Bulges are negotiated between Southwark and the schools.

Renata

[mrs.lotte]

Sorry fidgetsmum St.John's is bulging this year so you will have to hope DKH does next year and/or cast your net a bit wider; Bellenden, Bessemer and Goose Green may be good bets from where you are; go and see them when they start back in September. You'll be fine at any of those schools, try not to worry too much!

[Renata Hamvas]

To confirm what is mentioned above, the published furthest distance place offered is that on offer day. There would be no other way of doing it as after that, as there is no later fixed date on which you could look at the furthest place offered. Places are still being offered now, and some will come available in September when a few children do not turn up, eg when a family has moved out of the area and not told Southwark or the school where they are holding a place. The last place offered data is just an indication of the area in which a child may be offered a place at a popular school. At the most popular community primaries, this distance is around 300m or so. This excludes siblings as families may have moved within the area or an elder child got in to a school when there was less pressure on places.

The most important things are: use your 6 choices and be sensible, check admissions criteria. Make sure your application gets in on time, alot of the problems this year were with late applications. I strongly suggest that you apply online rather than by post (can't get lost in post and you can change your mind up to submission date). Don't panic if you are unhappy with the school offered, there is alot of movement of lists between March and September.

Renata