Proposed changes to admissions at Harris Girls - Making it harder for local girls to get a place.

[James Barber]

Hi ITATM,

All I'm saying is if Southwark Labour aren't talking or even trying to talk to Harris then they can't have any influence over them.

Not one single meeting request to meet the Harris Federation.

How is that serving the interested of Southwark parents?

hi rahrahrah,

It is a painful consultation to respond to. Hopefully everyone who has commented has responded. I've advertised ti ino one of my mass emails to residents.

[intexasatthe moment]

But it wasn't all you were saying James . " Harris feel neglected and my take is these proposals are one sad result from that. "

I quite agree that there should be dialogue between schools and Southwark .Out of interest have Harris made any requests for meetings with Southwark that have been refused ?

[Kes]

Thanks RahRahRah for adding that.

Just a reminder the dealine is the end of the month for anyone else planning to respond.

Also, to add - I have no idea if Harris is doing this because of any particular political party, and I'm not completely opposed to free schools/academies in general or Harris in particular. I'm just concerned that this specific change will make the secondary place situation worse in the area as a whole and especially for girls close to the school who will have little hope of getting into anywhere local if they don't win the Harris lottery.

[Peggy37]

James, I just want to get this straight, because I can't quite believe what I'm reading.

You are suggesting that Harris are proposing to change their entry arrangements to ones that will damage the local community (because that's what lottery systems do, depriving local children of access to their local schools) out of spite? The federation is piqued because it thinks Southwark doesn't love it, so this is why it's doing this? And you want us to trust them with another primary school?

I really don't want to twist your words, but that appears to be what you're saying. Obviously a lack of conversation between local authority and school is dreadful, although a consequence of this ludicrous situation we're in with education right now, but Harris have an obligation to the community that runs far above the personal feelings of its staff, whatever the council may be doing.

You are acting as a mouthpiece for Harris on here; if this is NOT the message you mean to put forward, then you should think very carefully about what you have said.

[bli]

Any tips on how to submit this? Have filled out pdf form on website but can't work out how to save it for emailing? Just end up with a blank form...

Thanks

[James Barber]

Hi bli,

I think you have to email it as an attachement to n.francis@harrisdulwichgirls.org.uk

Hi P68,

All I'm saying is not talking to the second largest school place provider in Southwark after Southwark Council iteself at a senior level for 5 years is a bit dumb. That if such meetings were taking place I would expect this admissions change proposal and others to be included in a regular agenda and Southwark Labour could have said they weren't keen. But that opportunity to head of this proposal isn't possible because Southwark Labour hate Harris Federation so much they don't meet with them.

Clearly Harris aren't acting out of pique. But they also can't act from talking to Labour cllrs because those cllrs won't talk to them!

NB. Southwark Labour cllrs have waived through lots of planning applications on Metropolitan Open Land for private schools in Southwark for permanent structures. I've seen the most partisan hard time given to Harris for a temporary structure by Southwark Labour councillors.

[nunheadmum]

I had to fill the form out online, print and then scan it back to be able to email it. But depends how much you write whether it will all show when you print it. Maybe better to fill in the basic bits, print then write on your comments and attach an extra sheet if it goes over.

But not exactly an easy form to complete.

Have to respect though the fact that I accidentally sent a blank form and they did get back to me to alert me to it.

[first mate]

I do hope that the EFA are in the loop on Harris' proposed changes to their admissions policy. After all, a shortfall in primary places for local children is the underpinning rationale for the 2nd ED Harris Primary application.

[James Barber]

hi first mate,

H don't get the connection you've made between this secondary school proposed admissions policy change and a 2nd Harris primary school for the area?

Regards james.

[Renata Hamvas]

Hello James,

I have seen your comments above, I certainly have had contact with Harris Girls! I've attended a variety of events and have been a guest on their GCSE course in citizenship too (discussing with pupils about the structure of local government, councillors etc). I've also bumped into my Labour Colleagues at some of these events, therefore I'm disturbed by your factually incorrect comments above. This is a school in Peckham Rye Ward and therefore, like all the other schools which significant numbers of Peckham Rye Ward residents attend (or may attend in the future), I have an interest in it.

Renata

[intexasatthe moment]

"NB. Southwark Labour cllrs have waived through lots of planning applications on Metropolitan Open Land for private schools in Southwark for permanent structures."

James -can you give details of these lots of planning applications on MOL granted to private schools ?

[redjam]

I am very grumpy about these proposed changes: a) that they're being proposed in the first place, for all the reasons mentioned above; b) that the consultation has been so badly publicised by Harris (I'd never have heard about it were it not for the EDF, despite living nearby and being bombarded by Harris marketing material normally); and c) that the form is so sodding difficult to send back - as others have mentioned, I had to print it out, then scan it, save it and email it. Which is fine if you are tech literate and have a decent printer/scanner at home, not so much if you don't.

Ten days till the 'consultation' closes - I would urge others to fill in the form, despite them not making it easy for us.

[katgod]

i gave up, printed it out and posted it (y'know with an envelope and a stamp :-))

Most people have only heard via the EDF. No glossy ad in the SE22 magazine for this, but there is whenever it suits Harris to publicise something.

[first mate]

James Barber Wrote:

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

> hi first mate,

> H don't get the connection you've made between

> this secondary school proposed admissions policy

> change and a 2nd Harris primary school for the

> area?

>

> Regards james.

Hi James, Harris' rationale for a second ED Harris Primary is based on local need, if another local Harris school can so easily change its admissions policy so it no longer serves local children (Harris Girls and possibly Harris Boys ED) it is entirely possible other Harris schools will follow suit. Or to put it another way, what guarantees could you offer that this won't happen within a few years?

[nunheadmum]

Has there been any discussion of attendance at the Harris Primary giving preferred entry to the Harris Secondaries? It's not in their current policy but then I don't think the Harris primaries have started having kids of age yet to feed into the secondaries. Just wondering if this was discussed at all with those looking at the primary?

[Kes]

Just home from the school run to find another glossy leaflet through the door promoting Harris girls.

Can't see anything in it about the admissions changes.

[Monkey]

Just received the Harris Girls' newsletter. No mention about the consultation!

[first mate]

It sounds rather underhand.

[Monkey]

Yeah, to be honest it reflects the state of education at the moment. I don't think Harris is any worse, sadly.

[Monkey]

I just sent my views to Harris. "Consultation" closes on 31 January. Hurry up people!

[Monkey]

I have not seen any news on this... Does anybody know if Harris Girls has changed its admissions policy or not?

[Renata Hamvas]

Hi Monkey,

It has, after the usual priority allocation, 1/3 of remaining places will be allocated on distance (but only up to 1km), the remaining 2/3 will be on random allocation (ie Kingsdale style lottery).

http://www.harrisdulwichgirls.org.uk/uploads/key_information/2_0_admissions-policy-2016-17.pdf

I'm not a fan of random allocation, I did put in my thoughts into the consultation process.

Renata

[nunheadmum]

It's worth noting that the distance is measured from the corner of Shelbury Road and Colyton Road - so further towards ED than the school is situated. So not sure if 1km from there covers all of Nunhead or not.

Better than 100% lottery I guess.

[Kes]

Thanks for reporting back Renata. I don't understand why they are measuring the distance from Shelby/Colyton road rather than the school entrance? Like Nunheadmum says this would rule out a lot of Nunhead including the area around the station and most of Ivydale road.

I also note that this will be banded so even those living within the 1km zone might stand little chance of getting in if there are a lot of kids in the same band. We're just inside it but with only 1/3 of places and banding we may well not get in so where does that leave us?

[intexasatthe moment]

junction of Shelbury Rd and Colyton ?

" One third of the remaining places available in each band ( rounded up the next

whole number) will then be allocated to those living nearest to the Academy as

calculated by straight line distance from the student?s home to the road junction of

Shelbury Road and Colyton Road and living no more than 1 kilometre away from that

point."

why not go the whole hog and make it junction of Pickwick and Turney ?

How does Harris get away with this ?