SURREY people- did you get your choice of school, heard of some strange decisions today !

[Themis]

Obviuosly dont know all the details as to why people got into certain school but on the face of it some decisions seem strange. A friend of mine is concerned that the equal preference system wasn't used properly or fairly.

Whats your experience today ?

Often the shared site infant school is not full from immediate local area so take extras from surrounding areas so these are the ones who then do not get a place at the junior school, which is fair - it is not their local junior school by any means. This sounds very diff to the situations you are describing.

But I still dont understand how a junior school that takes the same amount of puils as the infant school , i.e three classes can be 60 overscubscribed .. where did all those people come from ?

Dinny - Esher way

Hello! Can I get some advice from you folk on my thread over here ?

PLeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease

we're near Reigate/Redhill and have to say am breathing sigh of relief that dd got into a primary rather than an infant school last years as it sounds like a potential nightmare.

Dinny - you may be able to help RepatNikki on her thread .

Received my letter today, ds1 has a place at our 1st choice school. Can't believe the nightmare some of you are having; really hope it all works out OK by September.

(Hello Dinny! We never DID manage to meet up, did we...?)

We're lucky that DS2 is in the local infant now, and DS1 just got a place at our preferred junior.

I heard that lots of people have been phoning the private schools looking for last minute places though. The local paper reporteed that Surrey CC Ed Authority claimed that 84% of people had got either their 1st or 2nd choice...

It's bad for the 16% in schools they don't want though, isn't it?

This infant/juniors arrangement sounds awful.
Nice one toothyboy. Better start practising your early morning starts!!!

Huge congratulations to your children who got into your 1st choice schools
dh spoke to the contact centre today. The faith school was 18 over-subscribed, out of which only 8 were 1st preference and we were one of those so worst case, we'll be 8th on the list. Fingers crossed for us please.
Our 2nd choice had 180 applicants for 60 places, and our 3rd had 137 applicants for 30 places!On that basis, there are 24 chidren (6 succesful had siblings at that school) who are allegedly closer than us which I'd be extremely surprised about.

He assures us that equal preferencing was applied and says that their mapping shows the school as being .6 miles from our house. That ignores the tarmac footpath that runs across the back of the watermeadows and through the church yard and he says it's possible a mistake has been made. So we have asked for the appeal forms.I will see someone tomorrow at dd's ballet who I know got into our closest (3rd choice) school and will find out where she lives to see if we can get some ammunition for our appeal.

I suppose the appliactions are up this year as there are not just counting first choice but everyone who applied whether choice 1 2 or 3.

Otherwise 137 for 30 places !!

galaxy did you check out the interactive map on my post on Sun 11-Mar-07 08:18:35
See whether the churchyard path is a public right of way. Not sure if they would measure along it if its private or 'permissive' (i think thats what its called).

8th on waiting list sounds quite positive - fingers crossed.... (I know someone who was 12th last year and finally got a place...)

What I don't understand about appeals is what happens if someones appeal is upheld? Classes can't go above 30, so does someone else suddenly get a letter saying "we've made a mistake, you haven't got a place after all?"

chippyminton..just have. The path is marked as a footpath. Its .34 miles to what we consider is our closest and same to their closest. They have calculated our closest at 0.6 which is going via the town centre main footpaths.

I briefly saw something on MN the other day about someone who won an appeal at infant level - I'm sure of it. Will have a look.

Just chcked A to Z and our route is marked as a footpath. The only possible question mark is the 5 metres from the gate that you go through to get into the watermeadows to the point that the tarmac path starts which is marked as a public footpath but is unmade up.

Mo2, no idea - I did ask myself that at 3am when I was mithering this morning (then had to get up at 5 to go to Glasgow)!

BTW, do you ever hear from Lorraine?

Here

reception level appeal

Congrats to those who got into their preference school.

Galaxy - 8th sounds positive, will keep everything crossed for you.

Cargirl - I know the area you mean, used to live not too far from there myself.

Galaxy, i think you should to ask the council to provide you with the exact criteria used for measurement - type of path, whether it is lit etc etc. and also the measurements/routes they have made. There must be a reason why they have ignored 'your' route.

Really feel for you, parents shouldn't have to be put in this position .

Chippy, we are going to write to them tomorrow. Strangely, both the contact numbers we were given for the maping team, have messages saying that due to their current workload, they are unable to take calls. Funny that.

Best of luck, keep us posted.

(Galaxy - yes, still in touch with her, but haven't seen her for a while. Why, is there news? )

cargirl I think you must be near me.

No, don't get excited. Lst her email address that's all! I was at a meeting in Glasgow with her boss today and I think the person who "took" her job whilst on maternity leave was there as well. Just curious. Got a Christmas card but no news of any more babies!

Did u know Rick was Sales Director now? really strange seeing them all as my clients now!