Southfield or Stamford Green

[Hkelaine]

Hi,

Just checked a house we eyeing on is 0.18 miles from Southfield and 0.55 miles from SG. I initially thought our DS can get in Southfield without problem. But when I come back and do some research. A mumsnet post (forgot the date) saying that the furthest distance got admitted for Southfield was 0.15; whilst for that particular year, the furthest distance admitted by SG was 0.9x (if I recall right). So, can I check what is the latest picture of this year look like? Where will we likely end up at when my DS apply for the academic year starting in Sep 2020? Thanks.

[PatriciaHolm]

SP has an unusual situation of having a defined catchment, with priority being given to those who live furthest away. Are you in it?

[PatriciaHolm]

This year SG went to 1.2k (so 0.75m) and SP to 0.6k (so 0.4m).

[fandabbydozier]

It really depends where the house is as the catchment areas are odd in this area. Applications for 2020 need to be in by the end of January don't they? Will you have moved in by then? Both schools are great though. I would have been happy with either.

[Coldfeetinsummer]

You need to look at the Surrey cc admissions website. They freely give info on further distance admitted each year

[Hkelaine]

@PatriciaHolm - yes. We checked the catchment. We are on the catchment. But how can we have some confidence level we are the further ones so can stand a chance? It seems to me that SP admission leaves even more uncertainty than SG and others. We will be living closer to SP 0.18m (which prioritise the furthest) but live relatively further to SG 0.55m (which prioritise closer distance). That 0.55 vs this year 0.75 is just marginally safe (?). So, the worst case is we end up living too close to SP to get it and on the other hand living too far from SG to get in and end up failing the two. We buy the property mostly because of these two schools.

[Hkelaine]

@fandabbydozier - we should be okay by jan. target for that. Agreed that both are nice. We have made the trip there yesterday. Saw the environments and some student (they just finished party). Can’t be happier if DS get in either. Talked to one parent and she kindly advised the location we targeting is more for SP. but after knowing the “furthest” rule, I am a little confused.

[Hkelaine]

@Coldfeetinsummer - we got the admission information pdf downloaded from survey cc website. The thing is we are marginally close enough to beat the further distance to SG and confused about the tricky criteria of SP. pls see above. Thanks.

[Quartz2208]

Surely you would get into SP under Criteria 5 - closest school. I always thought Criteria 4 and 5 enabled them to cover the most people.

So I think you would get into both - you would need to put down which one you preferred

[Hkelaine]

Note that the SP criteria also have “the nearest school”.

1. LAC etc
   
2. Social needs
   
3. Sibling
   
4. Within catchment with priority given to furthest distance
   
5. SG is the nearest school
   

Just wondering if certain quota is allocated to each of the above categories. Or it it each upper category will have all the quota and then the next category can only have the leftover.

[Hkelaine]

@Quartz2208 - thanks! That really reassure us to go ahead. However, what if there are too many students who have SP as their closest school?

[Quartz2208]

Given the

I take it you have discounted Epsom Primary it really is a better school than sometimes comes across in the area

[Coldfeetinsummer]

Just wondering if certain quota is allocated to each of the above categories

No certain quota. They’ll sort the applications so that any complying with 1. Are allocated first, then any applications complying with 2, etc

[PatriciaHolm]

Looking at the past 3 years, SP has admitted all those who applied under the catchment criteria (you can tell this because this is criteria 4, and they have gone to criteria 5 as well in all of those years)

I really don't think you will have an issue getting into SP as long as you are in catchment.

[Hkelaine]

@Quartz2208 - noted. I will also look in it once I settle. Hopefully I can schedule a visit.

@Coldfeetinsummer - really? The catchment area looks big. Can’t imagine that all the applicants In catchment (4) got admitted but still have space Left for the “nearest school” in (5). That means as long as I am in the catchment, i can guarantee a place? Those got admitted in (5) are living in the Close proximately insouth of the school/catchment

[Quartz2208]

Yes definitely look around. We live two stops further up the Waterloo line and bought our house for a particular primary school. Visited it and absolutely hated it so went for the other Primary right by it. And so glad we did the Year DD would have been in has an awful reputation!

[Hkelaine]

@PatriciaHolm - thanks. Good to know.
@Quartz2208 - I have been to both SP and SG. The former I was impressed by the big and green campus. The latter, I did feel the warm welcome by other parents and the kids are so lovely and good character. But seems the campus of SG is smaller and the location is less as open.

Just wondering if:

Student A

• 0.1m from SG
  
• he put SG as second priority
  

Student B

• 0.2m from SG
  
• but this student put SG as the first priority
  

If there is only one place left, who will be admitted?

[PatriciaHolm]

I think you might have those the wrong way round? SG has significantly more land than SP, and is a much bigger school now it's 3 form entry.

In your example, the child living nearer school would come higher on the admissions criteria and thus be offered the place, assuming they had not been offered a place by the school they had put as first choice.

Admissions are, by law, preference neutral unless a child can offered a place at more than one school. In that case they would be offered the place at the school higher up their preference list.

[Quartz2208]

Schools don’t know preferences when making lists it’s not a criteria that matters to them. So student A because he is higher on the list in terms of criteria

[Coldfeetinsummer]

OP you have misread the admissions criteria for SP

1. LAC etc
   
2. Social needs
   
3. Sibling
   
4. Within catchment with priority given to furthest distance
   
5. SG is the nearest school
   

4 is the Normal distance criteria - ie list applicants in order of distance from school and allocate places from nearest to furthest

5 is for any applicants for whom SP is their nearest school. So they may be further away than furthest place allocated under 4 but they have no other schools nearer to them.

Does that make sense?

[Coldfeetinsummer]

Sorry typo

4 is the Normal distance Criteria applied (bizarrely imo) backwards to normal so that as long as you’re in catchment you are then listed in order of furthest to closest, and places allocated in order.

It’s a bit of a moot point as in 2018 they still had 13 places (of 60 offered) to offer after doing criteria 4, including 6 places offered to criteria 6 - Any other children

[Hkelaine]

@Coldfeetinsummer - sorry but I can’t spot any material difference between your post and mine. Can you tell me what I have misread?

Btw, so what is all members here preference between the two? From the school compare website, the SG seems to perform better academically.

[coffeeforone]

What will you put as first choice OP? Since SG admits 90 then surely 0.55 will be close enough? SP hopefully too if you are in catchment but maybe too close to guarantee it. Would Epsom Primary be your third choice?

[Quartz2208]

Biased here I’m afraid Epsom and Ewell have a few music and sport cross school events and SG never come across well in them