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Original poster

Romesh Ranganathan - School Places & Entitlement

282 replies

FightingFish · 25/04/2025 17:39

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cewgj1ry9x7o.amp

I’ve seen this story popping up a lot on social media and we are only seeing one side of the story. Schools publish their allocations policy and apparently RR has moved house since his older children were allocated a place. He obviously didn’t consider the implications of moving outside of catchment at that point. There are only so many places, AIBU to wish that he would acknowledge that? I also feel sorry for the kid, if my father was a multi millionaire, I’d rather he shelled out on a place at a private school instead of bleat on about how hard done by he is!

Romesh Ranganathan looks on from the grid during the F1 Grand Prix of Monaco at Circuit de Monaco

Romesh Ranganathan criticises West Sussex council over son's school place - BBC News

He says his son's allocated school is "on the other side of town" to the one his siblings attend.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cewgj1ry9x7o.amp

OP posts:
Annoyeddd · 27/06/2025 14:22

Xenia · 26/04/2025 13:17

Although it is catchment that allows rich parents to choose a school by house price and it is bussing as I think Brighton did at one point of poor children into rich for schooling that perhaps achieves a purer fairness.

Do they have money to spare to provide coaches when not really necessary

Poppins21 · 28/06/2025 05:29

privatenonamegiven · 25/04/2025 18:47

I disagree it is flawed - that doesn't mean I can come up with a better system, but we have to acknowledge that every year parents and children across the country feel let down by this system - as system that pretends you have choice.

Here we don't know whether the parents involved read the admissions criteria or not - you can't assume they did not.

Show quote history

As an outsider looking in - the system does seem flawed and the most shocking part is the apparent disparity between what different state schools provide. How can one school be outstanding and another one a few miles away be failing with the same funding? (Of course life is more complex and educational policy is not my area of expertise but it seems very odd). When we were interviewing schools for our daughter, the schools had different “personalities” but the same high standards and I would have been very upset if I could not have sent our daughter to the school which would be the best fit for her. But I think it is good he is highlighting it as many children seem to not get a place in a decent school and no child should legally be made to go to a failing school - surely the clue is in the name. Don’t know the answers but UK education system is failing many children and families.

Poppins21 · 28/06/2025 05:35

CleaningSilverCandlesticks · 26/04/2025 09:11

So, unsurprisingly, the issue is not still having children at two schools (which would also be the case with his other three preferences); he doesn’t like the school he has been allocated. As a parent, of course he can be disappointed with a school. But what he can’t do is point to his children as evidence and say ‘see I support state education’ if it is conditional on them going to specific above average schools.

But nobody should have to accept sending a child to an under performing school. I do not know how the system can be fixed but again it is failing kids every day.

Poppins21 · 28/06/2025 05:37

clary · 25/04/2025 21:32

A PP said they couldn't think why they would want their DC at different schools and that would be the same for most parents. So OK, not all parents. But in fact I know lots of parents who don’t agree.
Possible reasons:

  • Wanting single-sex education
  • School having a speciality that suits DC 1 but not DC 2 (maths, tech)
  • SEN catered for at a specific school
  • Academically focused school, again not suitable for different DC
  • School with very strong drama or music offering that is only of interest to one DC
  • School offering other specifics such as particular MFL, sporting facilities, strong textiles or art depts

My 3 DC are very different; one is very sporty, one is very keen on music and drama, one had an interest in a specific MFL, one has LD, one is ND, one is very keen on food tech, one is very academic in STEM, one is very academic in humanities ... (some of these apply to more than one!). So different schools might well have suited them.

Tho I agree it’s not unreasonable to want your DC to go to the same school. But if that is specifically important to you then you may need to make sure it happens.

Edited
Show quote history

I only have one but I would imagine I would pick a school that suited each child. Finding the right fit for my daughter was our top priority.

dottiedodah · 28/06/2025 06:00

I think he has a valid point here.His older DC are at the same School.Its normal here in our local area to have siblings as priority. Looked after DC first,siblings 2nd .the fact he has moved is irrelevant. How can you get 3 children to 2 different places. The younger one will be going by himself to a School further away. I admire RR,as a former Teacher he is upholding the State system. My DD bestie came from private to DD secondary (not Grammar) Didn't get on well there.RR is quite entitled to use State and also has grounds to complain. DD Bbestie liked the secondary and flourished

FishfingerFlinger · 28/06/2025 07:43

dottiedodah · 28/06/2025 06:00

I think he has a valid point here.His older DC are at the same School.Its normal here in our local area to have siblings as priority. Looked after DC first,siblings 2nd .the fact he has moved is irrelevant. How can you get 3 children to 2 different places. The younger one will be going by himself to a School further away. I admire RR,as a former Teacher he is upholding the State system. My DD bestie came from private to DD secondary (not Grammar) Didn't get on well there.RR is quite entitled to use State and also has grounds to complain. DD Bbestie liked the secondary and flourished

But this school doesnt have a sibling priority. If everyone with a sibling at the school could successfully appeal on the basis thry HABe a sibling, it would make a mockery of the idea that the school can set its own admissions policy.

We lost a secondary appeal on what I consider to be much stronger grounds than RR had. It’s really hard to win appeals otherwise everyone would be able to use the appeal system to get into their school of choice, which would be unworkable for obvious reasons

Maybe we should just move to the Scottish system where everyone gets their catchment school, no choice in the matter.

Annoyeddd · 28/06/2025 13:06

Interesting to look into how some schools are better than others.
It is basically a big building with lots of rooms - teachers are qualified to pgce - the curriculum is roughly similar everywhere.
Is it the children who make a school good or bad?
Highly selective - so children will tend to want to learn and end up with good results so parents want to send their children there school is labelled as fantastic.
In an area of high deprivation parents unsupportive children with behaviour and other problems school is labelled as poorly performing.

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