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Original poster

Secondary admission conundrum

33 replies

Newbie061980 · 11/04/2021 11:03

Hi there - I'm hoping for a bit of advice. My DC is a bright, inquisitive and happy child that is currently well above average academically in her class (top 5). We live in an area where most of our local schools for year 7 entry are partially selective (3 out of our closest 5) and we have been told by our current school it is unlikely DC will get in to these as there are so few academic places and we live more than 200m away (the majority of the remaining places go to siblings and music / academic children outside the school catchment). A new non-academic school was built recently which we love the look of, and is our nearest school. However, that is now over-subscribed and we are 0.5km outside the distance rule. This will mean DC will likely be allocated a particular school that we know has a problem with bullying and teaching. I know of two children near us who are very unhappy there (and parents have noticed the children have lost their love of learning). My DC dreads the idea of going there (that's without us saying anything about it). So I was wondering if anyone can think of any other options - we are considering private but £20k+ per year (and a sibling) puts a real stretch on us. Any advice very welcomed!! 

OP posts:
Original poster
Newbie061980 · 11/04/2021 14:22

Yes it's SW herts consortium. It's the Watford / Rickmansworth schools. And Croxley Danes is the new school which is not academically selective but heavily over-subscribed.

OP posts:
Original poster
Newbie061980 · 11/04/2021 14:18

Sorry I didn't explain some of this do well 🙂! Yes it is England. And we are Y5 - should have researched all this much sooner!

Basically, in our area, the partially selective schools take in a proportion of children who are siblings (majority of the intake), then c.50 on academic (local) and then another 50 academic (outside region) and the rest on distance (which is

OP posts:
RedGoldAndGreene · 11/04/2021 14:16

I was in a similar situation so moved house. It meant that dc1 started a new school in year 6 but he went to secondary with some of his primary school class so it worked out long term.

daisypond · 11/04/2021 14:11

Partially selective comprehensive schools are common where I am. It means a proportion of pupils, say 25%, are selected on academic ability and those that scored highest will get a place - up to that 25% -no matter how far from the school. Everyone in the borough or neighbouring borough sits a test, because many other schools do fair banding -they take an equal number of pupils in each ability range. Other comprehensive schools are partially selective on things like music or sport or art etc and select a few pupils on this.

catndogslife · 11/04/2021 14:11

Personally I am not sure that I believe what the current school says about your dc "not being academic enough".
It also depends on how these "partially selective" schools allocate places.
How many preferences do you have on the application forms for Y7?
If 3 preferences you could put down 2 of the partially selective schools and one other.
Are there any undersubscribed schools a bit further away than your closest one that you would be happy with?
If so you could put this one down as your final preference.

Zodlebud · 11/04/2021 14:06

I am guessing you are in the Clement Danes / Watford Girls / Parmiters triangle and the non selective school you are talking about is Croxley Danes?

You might get more help if you are more specific on your actual location.

UserTwice · 11/04/2021 14:01

So do children who live near you always end up at the school you don't want, or are there any other schools in the area that your DD has a chance of getting into? The newly built school must be reducing pressure on other local schools, so it might be that schools she historically wouldn't get into, she now has a chance of. I agree with PP - unless schools have fixed catchment areas (and even then) the fact you wouldn't have got in this year, doesn't mean you won't get in next year.

If you really have no chance of a state school you would consider, then I'm afraid your only options are private or move.

clary · 11/04/2021 13:30

OP are you in England? The set up you describe is certainly unusual.

I have not heard of partially selective schools - do you mean children take an 11+ exam? I don't understand how the school selects a very few local children and then picks academically able children from far away, bypassing more local able children. Or have I misunderstood? I would check the admissions criteria for these schools carefully.

The new school (not sure what you mean by non-academic - do you mean it is some kind of UTC?) might well be oversubscribed - many good schools are - but that doesn't mean you won't get a place. What do you mean by 0.5km outside the distance rule? Is that 0.5km away from the nearest offered place this year? Or 0.5km outside the school's catchment area? Either way, you are still entitled to apply and you may get a place.

Your other options if you don't car for the school you are in catchment for (but I would encourage you to look at it when you can, rather than take others' views) are to move house or go private. What year is your child in? If it's year 5 you would need to get your skates on if you want to move.

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