Romesh Ranganathan - School Places & Entitlement

I’m hearing 🎶 maybe it’s because I’m a Londoner’ now 😀

Its frustrating for him and he probably thought that the move didn't matter as his sons were already there so usual to keep family together, however his issue of collecting them seems a bit reaching as most highschool kids get themselves home dont they? I got a metro and then a bus home every day, my school was an hour away, hardly anyone got collected from school.

It could well be the case that his middle child got a place after they’d moved, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that the school changed its admissions policy between that point and the point at which his youngest applied. Cohorts can fluctuate- it could be that the school was less in demand when his middle child applied, due to a lower birth rate that year or the school had just had a lacklustre ofsted, or another local school had a great ofsted and loads of people applied there instead…all sorts of possible reasons. When his youngest applied, there may well have been a higher number of pupils applying who happened to score higher on the admissions criteria for some random reason.

Something similar happened at my son’s primary. When we applied (ever so slightly out of catchment), there were very few kids applying to join reception for reasons I don’t quite understand. DS would have been the lowest priority according to the admissions criteria but got in, and the class only has about 22 kids in with capacity for 30. Had we applied the year after, I doubt he would have got a place because the next reception class was completely full, mostly with siblings and children who live very close to the school. No change in policy, just more local applicants that year.

Middle class parents always deal with it badly and dramatically

I agree with the rest of what you said, but was this bit necessary?

Ok, I am telling you my lived experience and what happened to us.
Of course there are parents with their heads in the clouds. I am just explaining why I think the only solution is siblings having priority.
I don't know a reason why I would want my children at different secondary schools, I am not choosing private or single sex, and I guess that is much the same for most of the parents out there.

All I can say is it's WSCC - if you live there you know.

No, people don’t always read them. But they only have themselves to blame when they don’t understand why they didn’t get the place they wanted. Romesh is obviously one of those parents. Never mind Romesh eh?

What is really frustrating though is when one of these parents gets a place off the waiting list in the conventional way but is convinced it is actually because of one of these reasons you state and nothing will change their mind. And they tell everyone about it.

I don’t recognise either of those qualities. I think he’s funny. To say he’s “loathsome” is more than a little unpleasant and over the top.

@Catsandcheese it definitely is true that parents choose schools that they don't have a hope of getting into..,distance criteria is always fluid.

He's my guilty crush. (Misses all the point)

To me, it’s the unique mix of both pompousness and faux self depreciation.

In terms of having children at two different schools - given one is only just moving to secondary presumably he has managed them at two different schools for many years already.

So that isn't always strictly true.
For example if last year all applicants got in to 2.3 miles and you live 2.2 miles away you'd imagine you have a realistic chance. But then because there is a sudden influx 2.1 miles away on the other side of the catchment you get caught out.
Distance criteria is fluid and depends on new house building, far more children this year than last etc. It is not an exact science. That's why siblings should be prioritised, because for all the reasons you and others have mentioned - single parents being one example. It isn't feasible any other way.

It's always depressing to read threads where even basic maths is beyond the capabilities of the OP.

That's what teachers say to make parents feel like somebody's listened to them.

We sometimes find out at a later date that a friend of a friend of a friend or a distant relative has contacted colleagues to see if there's any way they can 'help' or somebody has been very sympathetic and listened to a parent's unhappiness and tried to comfort them with such phrases. Never, ever gets to Admissions at the time, though - because they know it's covered by very strict laws; even the admissions committee make their decisions blind to avoid any hint of impropriety - and the person with responsibility for doing the bulk of the work will not be happy to hear that their impartiality is being questioned.

It's somewhat irritating to encounter comments such as 'Their friend was a Governor, so it was fixed' or 'The Head told me it was guaranteed', just as it is to have the playground lawyers pontificating about only putting down one choice, refusing all other offers and then demanding a place because 'they've got nowhere else to go, so you HAVE to give a place BY LAW' - or on some spectacular occasions, coming and shouting at Reception or buying a uniform and dropping the kid off on the first day thinking they'll get in that way.

And you need to look at the criteria and see if you have a realistic chance of a place. Plenty of people just chose their favourite options regardless of whether they meet the criteria or not.

This. The system is shit.

I always thought he was a pompous Arse and he’s confirmed it.

@Unitarily you put down your order of preference and then the schools will measure you against their criteria. You may be eligible for all of them so your order of preference matters.

Why is he loathsome?🤔

I don’t think his being unreasonable at all! Not only do most people expect to get a place with a sibling link (it’s one of the top priorities in the allocation policy) but he also didn’t get any of his 3 top choices! That is exceptionally bad luck… I’d be pissed off too.

as system that pretends you have choice

Yes thats an interesting point!

I have the joy of this next year for the first time.

I have seen the threads in the past. Bitter regret that they should have put a different first choice and others saying it doesn’t make a difference the order.

If it doesn’t make a difference why are they asking!? It’s confusing and really I have no idea how this works. I have looked at it is not clear imo.

If people don't bother to read the instructions or rules then they can't complain if they fall foul of them.

I won't be moving until all my dc are in secondary