Primary school places 2010

[toast]

This is a result of the organised campaign backed by Tessa Jowell. Will kids be looked after in the same way in future years? Bulge classes are a necessry emergency solution but do mean more crowded schools. The odd extra class in a school is ok for a couple of years until a new school is built, but is only ok while we are waiting for a new school. We need a long term solution. We need promises of local school places and a new school! Looks like it will have to be on Holmstal playing fields. The council need to be brave enouth to make this move.

[Fuschia]

The Homestall playing fields now belong to Harris academy, surely?

Re a bulge year, as a one off it's fine, but it can only be repeated year on year if extra space is found for 1-2-3-4 extra classes (and so on) Few schools can accomodate that.

[toast]

After talking to the Lib Dems on Tuesday i'm fairly convinced they are all talk and not taking this thing very seriously. Are they parents?, i know this should not make a difference but how else could they be so blase about this problem?

I was talking to someone with excellent knowledge and experience of local campainging, and we are in a 'swing state'! It might be an idea to run as an independent local party on the issue of local schools and local issues. Would that be of interest to anyone?

He did a quick recky on numbers of parents affected over the next few years and was quite optimistic about the impact this would have. Would that be of interest to anyone?

[hoipolloi]

Does anyone know how these extra places are being allocated?

[Jessie]

By distance and where you are/were on the waiting list I think - we suddenly jumped up by 25 places at Goodrich a few weeks ago but still way way down

[hoipolloi]

ah. Should have a knock-on effect though as people who missed out on Goodrich first time get places and free up places at other schools...it's a pity they've waited until 2 weeks before term starts to do something about it.

[Jessie]

I think the offers were made at least a month ago - they (Southwark C) kept v hush-hush about it. Sadly - in our case anyway - there's been practically no movement. We've in fact gone from no. 1 on GG waiting list to no. 7!!! Lots of late applicants apparently.

[hoipolloi]

How incredibly frustrating for you - maybe there will be some no-shows? Fingers crossed and hope to see you at GG or that you get something else satisfactory sorted out

[toast]

They are all allocated a month ago.

And sounds to me that it has been a cash of they who shout loudest. A unified approach will support all of us through this over the next few years.

Try this

http://www.facebook.com/search/?init=srp&sfxp=&o=&q=East+Dulwich+primary#/group.php?gid=120669739604

Or the one helpfully posted on the other thread.

The group page is now called

East Dulwich and Peckham Rye Primary School Places facebeook page.

Catchy !!

[CT Wac]

I spoke the Lib Dem when they were at the Rye, it was a bit confusing. Yes we are getting a new school but there is nowhere to put it. So that actually means we wont be getting it?

Also next year will be better but the population will be bigger so there will actually be more pressure on places so will actually be worse?

The weirdest thing was the shameless admittance that they had been cocking up for years and it had been getting worse and worse and it has only come to a head now.

Very confused.

[Ann]

I have followed these threads with interest. My children went to primary school when there was considerably less demand for places. What strikes me as being wholly unfair is that those of you who made applications at the usual time have been pushed down the list by late applicants. Of course the children of those applicants have a right to a nearby decent primary school; but if I was a parent in that situation I would not expect to 'jump the queue'.

If there has been an unprecedented amount of late applicants then does this tell us the situation is becoming even more acute?

I would like to add my very best wishes to all the children about to embark on their school-life.

Please keep us all posted.

Ann

[Laurie Eggleston]

Hi all,

I'm a Lib Dem council candidate for Peckham Rye and I've also been following this thread and reading peoples' comments. I don't accept the claim that the Lib Dems aren't taking this issue seriously - it was precisely the reason we invited Lisa Rajan down to Peckham Rye last week. I feel this is one of the most important issues in Peckham Rye/East Dulwich, and certainly one of the issues which the council can definitely do something about. And for what it's worth - Lisa Rajan is a mother herself and so understands the anxiety over this issue.

The council has data on demographics and it was expected that the local schools would reach capacity several years from now. They've filled earlier though as the trend of people moving out to the suburbs has ended. So yes, we understand the urgent need for a new school. But we also have to deal with the issues that brings; namely, the lack of suitable space.

The council are currently looking at the feasability of several options, and should be ready to report in a few weeks. Once I hear the outcome I'll post it on here. Personally, I'd like to see it built on part of the current golf course in Peckham Rye, as a new school is obviously needed more than a golf hole. But there may be also be a space in an un-used corner of the cemetary. There are a few other possibilities but it may be that the Homestall fields may be the only option - but before any decision about using the Homestall fields is made there would have to be huge consultation with residents and stakeholders. An alternative may be to permenantly expand one of the current schools.

Wherever is chosen as a site, there will be huge opposition from certain groups - which won't go away. Toast - you say you're willing to deliver leaflets to campaign for a school and when a site is found I'd be glad to join you. But you should be prepared for the opposition to any campaign! Any new school will also be dependant on govt funding, so I'd want to work with all the parties to present a united case for a new school - and not to try and use this issue as a politcal football.

In terms of what can be done in the short term - there are the bulge classes this year and these will be repeated next year. I'd like to see what we can do to make the current less popular schools more popular. We also need to make sure lessons are learnt with the admissions process.

I'm running to represent the residents of Peckham Rye to the council, not to represent the council to residents. There are so many young families in the area (I'm always amazed at the number of toddlers around the Rye's caf? or in the Herne Tavern!) and so sorting out the school places issue is crucial to making Peckham Rye and East Dulwich the ideal place to live. Parents shouldn't have the anxiety every year over getting into a local school.

[Fuschia]

Laurie, thanks for your comments but it does feel like the Council (which is run by the Libdems, isn't it?) has made a real mess of this and hasn't communicated at all well.

I made a FOI request to the council for all the documents relating to the ED admissions crisis this year, I made the request on 7th August, there is a statutory 20 days for response. I sent a follow up mail when I received no acknowledgement, in the end I had to get my ward councillor, Lewis Robinson, to intervene on my behalf, and the response was that they didn't think they'd be able to provide the reply within 20 days. I mailed back to say surely they were obliged to, by law... again, no reply.

When I was trying to sort out my own son's nursery admission a couple of years ago, the admissions service seemed shambolic. I ended up speaking to a call centre, who after I'd explained all my concerns, said "Heber, is that a secondary school?" Not very reassuring (not many 4 year olds go to secondary school, either, if she'd have listened to what I was saying!)

There is a complete lack of confidence in the Council over this. I think you'll face a hard campaign for the LibDems, TBH.

[Jessie]

Thanks for the post, Laurie, but I must say Lisa Rajan was one of the more disappointing of the Council members I came across in this year's fiasco - her response to the email I sent her was both lacking in empathy and in information.

The heartache of it all continues for us, after watching my son's face when it dawned on him this weekend he won't be joining his nursery friends at primary school - he was distraught. It renewed my feelings of anger about all this, though I plan on making the best of the situation and putting a brave face on for the sake of my child.

The best person to come out of all this from a politcal standpoint in my experience is Tessa Jowell, who responded to me personally the Monday following the release of the school admissions info, and remained a source of support as the weeks and months went by.

[Fuschia]

Jessie Wrote:

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

>

> The heartache of it all continues for us, after

> watching my son's face when it dawned on him this

> weekend he won't be joining his nursery friends at

> primary school - he was distraught. It renewed my

> feelings of anger about all this, though I plan on

> making the best of the situation and putting a

> brave face on for the sake of my child.

:-( Jessie.

But I'm sure once he's settled in at his new school, he will soon make friends and be happy there. Which school have you got?

[Jessie]

We've got Rye Oak - I really did like it when I looked around, and thought the teachers seemed great. And it's a million times better than the trek to John Donne we initially thought we'd have to do. I just feel sad for my boy!

[toast]

Laurie Eggleston Wrote:

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

Parents shouldn't have the anxiety every year over getting into a local school.

I totaly agree, but parents do have huge anxiety over school places and many of us can see that the pressure on places will only get worse next year. I agree bulge classes are necessary and am reassured by the knowledge that there will be more next year. It would really put parents at ease if we could know your plans for dealing with the upcoming crisis next year, really looking forward to hearing from you on this forum and thanks for joining the facebook page.

East Dulwich and Peckham Rye Primary school places, its a group page and (tricky to find, try this link)

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gid=120669739604&ref=nf

PS The new school could start at year 2/3 so that the older siblings could be moved closer to home and be with their younger siblings?

[Fuschia]

Usually a new school starts with the bottom classes, so either just nursery/reception or nursery/reception and year 3. Adding extra inbetween classes causes instability in neighbouring schools, and it's not economic for the new school to run with part-full classes.

[toast]

I'm sure your right, a new school would be good enough.

[Fuschia]

That's just my experience, I used to work for an LEA, now work in a school, which is expanding in Jan 2010, due to increased demand for places.

[trinity]

Laurie Eggleston Wrote:

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

>> The council are currently looking at the

> feasability of several options, and should be

> ready to report in a few weeks. Once I hear the

> outcome I'll post it on here. Personally, I'd like

> to see it built on part of the current golf course

> in Peckham Rye, as a new school is obviously

> needed more than a golf hole. But there may be

> also be a space in an un-used corner of the

> cemetary. There are a few other possibilities but

> it may be that the Homestall fields may be the

> only option - but before any decision about using

> the Homestall fields is made there would have to

> be huge consultation with residents and

> stakeholders.

What about the big house that was for sale recently on Forest Hill Road at the corner of the Park. Could that be converted to a small primary school?

[cloudnine]

I've been following this thread with interest - and feel like I have to say something about an issue which no-one seems to be raising.

It's understandable pushing for extra classes to be taken on to accommodate more children at schools in the area - but what I find worrying is that no-one is questioning just how these 'bulge classes' might adversely affect standards. We're all so desperate to get our kids into schools on our doorstep that we're not stopping to think about the long-term implications. Can Goodrich, Lyndhurst and the other schools taking on bulge classes really cope? It's all very well employing extra teaching staff, and allocating a bit more funding, but what about the stretch on other resources within the school - from buildings and teaching equipment, to having enough basic items such as books to go around?

New schools being built are obviously years away. Therefore while lobbying the council for extra places in the interim, we must ensure that quality is not in anyway diluted in this quick-fix panic to pacify.

I'm sure that I will be shot down for this thread. But it is an issue that concerns me greatly.

[Fuschia]

cloudnine Wrote:

> It's understandable pushing for extra classes to

> be taken on to accommodate more children at

> schools in the area - but what I find worrying is

> that no-one is questioning just how these 'bulge

> classes' might adversely affect standards. We're

> all so desperate to get our kids into schools on

> our doorstep that we're not stopping to think

> about the long-term implications. Can Goodrich and

> the other schools taking on bulge classes really

> cope? It's all very well employing extra teaching

> staff, and allocating a bit more funding, but what

> about the stretch on other resources within the

> school - from buildings and teaching equipment, to

> having enough basic items such as books to go

> around?

>

I think it's down to the school management to make sure it doesn't affect standards. I am on the senior team of a school which is expanding from 1fe at primary to 2 fe. We get money for classroom conversion (in due course mobiles) in advance of our move to a new, larger site in 2012. We also get ?? for furniture and equipment, we have to make a case to the LEA at the point we agree to take the extra pupils. The additional funding that comes with the pupils (age weighted units) pays for materials, books, staff etc. The issues really are around things like size of playgrounds, lunch hall, PE space, trying to accomdate expansion.

Actually being a bigger school is better in many ways, allows staff to paid more for responsibilities and more funding for chared facilioties like library, ICT room. Heber has expanded from 1 fe to 2 fe and noone has a problem with it (though I don't know whether there are enough rooms in the school to accomodate 14 classes evantually, plus nursery.

IMO, a 1 fe primary is unsustainable (though nice!) and 2 or 3 fe is the optimum no for financial sustainability.

[Moos]

What's an fe?

[cloudnine]

Fuschia Wrote:

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

> The issues really are around things like size of

> playgrounds, lunch hall, PE space, trying to

> accomdate expansion.

>

>

You've emphasised my concern. What we're looking at here is squeezing more and more into existing, old Victorian schools that occupy what are effectively finite, inner city spaces. Surely all this 'cramming in' is detrimental to the children?