Live 800m from Graveney - any hope?

[MadameLeBean]

As the crow flies we live 0.5miles or 800m from graveney - furthest away offers last two years were 512 and 553 metres I think!! Should I give up all hope of getting in on catchment? It seems very unfair when we live two streets away!

At the grammar school I attended there were plenty of kids from different social backgrounds, the only reason i sent my dd to a private primary was that there was no other practical option.

As PP have said, in a comp it probably depends on streaming methods, but it isn't a controversial or new opinion that children learn best with others of similar ability.

The thing is the v thing that attracts you about Graveney is the v thing that means you won't get in living locally. Its academic results are a result of its academic selection.

If she can't jump that hurdle, with the benefit of a private primary, what makes you so convinced she'd benefit from a school with such a high proportion of high attainers?

She might well get into graveney on the selective metric. I'm just stressing out because of the uncertainty of it and it would be great to get into our nearest school on catchment area - something I am shocked is so tiny

& by the way burntwood also has 60 selective places exactly the same number as graveney, so I don't get it, their catchment area goes to 6km!

According to Wandsworth's offers list for 2015 admissions published on the Wandsworth site yesterday, the furthest away place for Burntwood this year was 3561m. Catchment distances are often very different to actual distance when it comes to places offered.

BURNTWOOD SCHOOL
Children with a Statement of Special Education Needs/Education Health Care Plan: 6
Selective (Ability) Places Offered: 71 (all those scoring standardised test core of 227 or above offered a place)
Non-selective (Open) Places:
Children with siblings at the school: 57
Exceptional Social/Medical Need: 1
Other children living closest to the school: 206 (up to a distance of 3561 metres from the school).

Graveney for this year was:

GRAVENEY SCHOOL
Selective (Ability) Places Offered: 63 (all those scoring standardised test core of 254 or above, and those scoring 253 living up to a distance of 3826 metres from the school, offered a place)
Non-selective (Open) Places:
Looked After Children: 8
Children with siblings at the school: 112
Children of staff: 2
Other children living closest to the school: 55 (up to a distance of 520 metres from the school).

Three school friends from Clapham Manor. One went to Graveney thanks to parents moving location & renting , now back in Clapham. One at Chestnut Grove & mine got a lottery place at Kingsdale . All happy thriving boys

And I should add , all on target to achieve the results anticipated at start & all different abilities. State schools in SW London are fantastic. Stop knocking & start supporting.

"These pupils are part of a rich and varied experience for other pupils. I was privately educated and taught in private schools as well. I am now proud that my children count amongst their friends both the bright and the struggling, the wealthy, and those on benefits."

Oh well said. :-)

Still is Beagle!

Sorry I missed this thread earlier - I've been keeping an eye on Secondary Education rather than just Education.

I'm happy to deal with factual questions on this public forum, but obviously can't comment on people's views on partial selection and so on.

Madam I'd just like to say there's a whole lot of fuss over Graveney, but there are other great schools in the area too!
I actually chose Dunraven over Graveney for my daughter, dare I say it, and she is thriving there. Now in year 9 and doing very well indeed and loving going to school.
My son is currently in Y6, very bright... He has just passed all of the Sutton Grammar tests, but yet we have decided to stay closer to home and put Dunraven as first choice again...
The obsession over Graveney is so middle class!
Remember their results are bound to be better as they are partially selective!!!
Give some other schools a chance...