West London Free School Secondary staff

I am about to choose my preferences for secondary school. I have visited Holland Park, West London Free School, Chelsea Academy, Ashcroft, Fulham Boys School, Ark Putney.
So far my choices are 1-Holland Park, 2-West London Free School, 3- Chelsea Academy, 4-Fulham Boys. Are there any parents who have children at Holland Park, West London Free School or Chelsea Academy who can give me some up to date feedback on their experience of the schools?
Many of the posts on here are old and I would like a more recent opinion. Thanks in advance, any contribution will be much appreciated!
Also if anyone is at the WLFS how are you finding the fact that there are no technical or vocational subjects? I like the sound of a classical education and my son's passion and forte is writing and English.

I wondered how long that photo would stay up.

If anyone missed it and is wondering what was in that deleted message just Google images of Toby Young; it was the one of him naked except for a small book covering his genitals.

Thanks Play,

However, I'll think I'll change the question to "Is the school being run by complete incompetents?" since Toby Young has a paid role as CEO of the WLFS Trust so can hardly be classed as an amateur.

And vind was also being very funny. It absolutely made me laugh.

AnnyBee - the picture is of Toby Young, who set up the WLFS. In the years prior to this he was a journalist and author, with no direct experience of education. He presumably posed for the picture posted above as part of a promotional effort for something he'd written (can't see the book well enough to know what). I presume VSVIper is simply alluding to this period in his life rather than making any other insinuation!

??? What doea this last post suggest?

The advert is in the TES this week

www.tes.co.uk/job/headteacher-hammersmith-and-fulham-232059/here

I think the first Head was moved sideways after the first year, so the present postholder hasn't even lasted 2 years I think. I wonder what the problem is, the recruitment or the retention?

That would be terrible if true...watching with interest as it's on our list to visit next year.

Going back to the OP's original message about staff turnover I see that WLFS are advertising for a new Head, am I right in thinking this would be the third Head in 3 years? That seems a bit strange...

Bristol Cathedral Choir School and its primary free school Cathedral Primary School have just been censured by the Schools Adjudicator. I wrote about it here:

www.localschoolsnetwork.org.uk/2014/03/pr-spin-playing-down-criticism-of-two-bristol-schools-by-admissions-watchdog-raises-wider-questions/

Anyone can object to Schools Admission Criteria although it's probably too late to object to criteria from 2014/15. Schools are supposed to publish their admission criteria in time for the next admission round by April 16. That means admission criteria for 2015/16 should be available from April 16 2014.

But some schools don't publish the criteria and the Adjudicator can't intervene until the criteria have been properly "determined". A cynic might say some schools deliberately drag their heels so there's less time to object before the official objection period ends on 30 June.

That said, complaints re Admission Criteria can still be made after 30 June - they're just classed as "referrals".

The Admission Criteria for WLFS were censured a couple of years ago. I wrote about it here:

www.localschoolsnetwork.org.uk/2012/11/20-of-first-wave-free-schools-in-breach-of-admissions-code/

Anyone can report a school to the Schools Adjudicator. I tend not to report schools myself, mainly because I feel uncomfortable objecting to the admission arrangements of a school at the other end of the country. I am happy to help any local parents who wish to object to the admission arrangements of these schools.

So it seems that two schools have been established being in breach of the admissions code. Bristol Cathedral School and WLFS.

So what happens now? Does someone report them, and if so who can do this? (and it has to be someone who knows what they are talking about which - errr - rules me out)

I have quoted the paragraph number. What more do you want? Paragraph 1.35 is quite specific:

"The random allocation process must be supervised by someone independent of the school, and a fresh round of random allocation must be used each time a child is to be offered a place from a waiting list."

(Emphasis is as per the Admissions Code. The word "must" means compliance is compulsory.)

They can therefore only give you a position on the waiting list if you they are treating you as in category 6. You do not have a position in whichever of categories 7, 8 or 9 you are also in as those are random allocation and must be redrawn every time a place is offered. And your position in the category 6 waiting list is misleading - you can be first in the waiting list in category 6 but if all the children dropping out are from category 8 and you are in categories 6 and 7 you won't get a place.

(For the benefit of anyone reading this list who isn't familiar with WLFS, everyone goes into category 6 which is allocated on distance but only gets 50% of the available places after the first 5 categories have been filled. The remaining applicants are then put into categories 7, 8 and 9 based on distance from the school. This approach means any candidates on the waiting list will be in two categories - category 6 plus one of categories 7, 8 and 9)

There is a further problem with WLFS admission arrangements in that they don't add late applicants to the waiting list until 1st September. Prior to that they run a reserve list containing only the on time applicants and any vacancies are offered to the reserve list. This is effectively putting late applicants at the back of the waiting list which is contrary to the Admissions Code (paragraph 2.14 - "Priority must not be given to children based on the date their application was received or their name was added to the list"). The Schools Adjudicator has consistently ruled against attempts to get around the Admissions Code by operating multiple lists and calling them something other than a waiting list.

You haven't offered any evidence the admission code says that, all you've said is that for late applicants they have to. WLFS tell you your positions in whatever categories you are in. If a category 6 place becomes available they use that position. If a category 7 position becomes available they use your position in the original random allocation draw. Your assertion that they regard all waiting list places as category 6 is therefore also incorrect.

My friend's child didn't get a place their on offers day and was told that her child was 21st (or something) on the waiting list for his band. I think they also offer 10% of places based on musical aptitude, which I believe is ok, but they also offer a few additional places to cathedral choristers. I assume these children also have musical aptitude, so I think this means they are selecting more than 10% based on musical aptitude. Sounds like this might also bd a breach of the admissions code.

they rank ALL applications in that category randomly once then they use that same rank for the wait list

I didn't spot this earlier. If they do that is a clear breach of the Admissions Code. They MUST hold a fresh draw every time a place becomes available. The Admissions Code is very clear on this.

as they draw out everyone's name prior to offers day

BCCS have to draw out everyone's name prior to offers day as they don't know which pupils will get places at higher preferences. But they cannot use that draw for the waiting list. Paragraph 1.35 of the Admissions Code is very clear that they must hold a fresh draw every time a place is to be offered from the waiting list.

Looking at their admission arrangements they say that they put late applicants in the waiting list randomly. This is not what the Admissions Code requires. They justify this practise with a quote from an old version of the Admissions Code ignoring the fact that even that version insisted on a fresh draw every time a place is offered.

This school should be referred to the Schools Adjudicator.

I understand that Bristol Cathedral Choir School uses random allocation to fill its places, but they do tell you where you are on the waiting list, as they draw out everyone's name prior to offers day. Not sure how they cope with late applicants. My DD's school also uses random allocation but draw ou a new name every time a place becomes available, so you don't know where you ard on the waiting list.

You are wrong

I am right. Category 6 takes 50% of the places remaining after the first 5 categories and is decided on distance. The remaining places are split between categories 7, 8 and 9 and decided on random allocation. So, as I say, WLFS uses random allocation as a tie breaker in several categories.

The fact they were willing to tell you your position on the waiting list suggests they regard everyone on the list as being in category 6. I believe that may be contrary to the Admissions Code. If the vacancy comes about as the result of a child from category 7, 8 or 9 dropping out they should offer it using the rules for the relevant category. That means they must only consider the children in that category and use random allocation to determine who gets the place.

how are late applicants ranked

Any school using random allocation has to hold a fresh draw whenever a place comes up on the waiting list. They cannot simply re-use the results of the draw that determined the initial allocations.

So if they rank ALL applications within a particular criteria according the order they are drawn out of the hat how are late applicants ranked?

And in the category where they use random allocation they can tell you too, they rank ALL applications in that category randomly once then they use that same rank for the wait list.

You are wrong. They use distance from the school. They told me where I was on the list.

we certainly didn't get letters from schools that we didn't get - I think in August maybe from one to ask if we wanted to stay on continued interest list - but then to NLDad's point I had already rung schools after offer day to find out where we were on the list - thereby establishing that we were on it.

Re HA - we are really pleased with the school. Do PM me if you want more specific info.