Are Kensington & Chelsea's state primary schools 'socially selective'

[LocalEditorKensingtonChelsea]

Interesting report from the Sutton Trust today about social selection in state primary schools with K & C in the group of local authorities with the highest number of schools where the 'social composition' of their intake 'differs substantially' from that of the 'local neighbourhoods from which they recruit'.

You can read the full report here.

[SherbrookeFosterer]

It may be because 50% of all children in the RB attend independent schools, which is a lot higher than the national average.

[ArcheryAnnie]

Short answer: yes. A state primary on a Notting Hill street lined by pastel-coloured townhouses has a very different intake to a state primary in, say, the Lancaster West estate (where Grenfell Tower is).

State faith schools also confuse matters, as in West London generally many have very, very strict admissions criteria that demand a level of forward planning, confidence, and time and energy that aren't always available to everyone. (Eg if you do shift work then you may not be able to attend church for the required amount of times.)

[Dawnedlightly]

I lived in an adjoining borough and was actively recruited by a governor to send my kids to a well known k&c primary- she was offering me the low down on the application process and offering to 'have a word'. It might have been grandstanding but as her dcs attended the school and lived in the same borough as me I suspect there's quite a lot of truth to the claims.

[ArcheryAnnie]

That's a bit grim, Dawnedlightly, but I suppose also unsurprising. Urgh.