We are considering Fortismere school for our DD for in year admission in year7

consciousmum · 2023-12-18T23:08:07+00:00

We recently relocated from India and looking for good area and good school for our DD. Eager to connect to parent of Fortismere. Other recommendations are also welcome. We haven't finalized home yet as we want to finalize school first. Thanks and regards

tennissquare · 18/12/2023 23:22

You need to speak to the council and find out where has space, you can only take a place at Fortismere if someone has left recently and there isn't a waiting list of dc waiting to be offered.

YireosDodeAver · 18/12/2023 23:38

When in the year is your DD's birthday? If she is summer-born your best bet would be to home-educate for 2 terms and apply for admission into y7 to start sept 2024 rather than doing an in-year application which is unlikely to be successful. You will need to be living as close as possible to the school. You have missed the main application deadline but if you don't own any property in the UK and rent (and live in) a place very very close - there are 15 places available to rent within a quarter of a mile to the school. The closer the better - then you have a good chance of getting a place in the 2nd round allocations.

Original poster

consciousmum · 19/12/2023 08:35

She is Jan 2012 born.
Any opinions about Fortismere school? I read mixed views. Someone said since it is huge, that's a problem - is it really?

OP posts:

Rocknrollstar · 19/12/2023 08:53

Look at Highgate Wood and Hornsey Girls. But with all schools, it is a question of whether or not they have a vacancy.

Torganer · 19/12/2023 08:55

Yes, you’ll need to contact the council and see where there are available places before you get too hung up on a particular school.

YireosDodeAver · 19/12/2023 09:03

With a Jan birthday you won't have the option to use my idea above then.

I have no knowledge of Fortismere school but I know enough about school admissions that I know it's pretty much pointless you worrying about it.

This is the detail about how places were allocated in Harringay for current year-7s https://www.haringey.gov.uk/sites/haringeygovuk/files/secondary_transfer_2023_-_how_offers_were_made.pdf - there were 1282 applications and 270 offers were made. That's all I need to know to be sure your chances of getting an in-year place there are virtually zero. In the event of a place becoming available ie if someone has to move away from the area, there will be dozens of other families hoping desperately to get that single place. The chances of you being the lucky family are negligible.

The LA where you reside has to find you a place somewhere but it will more likely be the place at an undesirable school that is vacated by someone who never wanted to go there and they have managed to find another option since September. Greig City Academy and Park View school will be the ones you are most likely to get a place at in that LA.

Do you have the means to consider paying school fees for a place at an independent school?

MyLadyTheKingsMother · 19/12/2023 09:06

Why London? Lots of much nicer places with good schools op

Original poster

consciousmum · 19/12/2023 11:36

My husband have to go office.
From above messages I feel like chances of getting in-year admission are very less(at least in good/outstanding school.
Should we just move near to a good/outstanding school as per our choice? If yes, any suggestions for area with most of good schools? We want to be near to Northern line.

OP posts:

tennissquare · 19/12/2023 13:22

@consciousmum , as the other posters say you have to contact the council related to the postcode of a place you are interested in renting and ask them where has space, for a year 7 place in any popular school you are dependent on someone leaving and there being no waiting list.

Bluevelvetsofa · 19/12/2023 16:19

Popular schools are less likely to have in year places. The council can tell you which schools have capacity in the area you want.

Original poster

consciousmum · 20/12/2023 08:10

As most of you suggested, I called Haringey council and enquired about the Fortismere waitlist(distance from nearby house available for rent). Since house is quite close, so we will be on waitlist 2. How much is the possibility of getting admission? Also, kindly suggest, is it wise decision to consider only one school?
Most importantly, please share feedback on Fortismere?
Thank you!

OP posts:

YireosDodeAver · 20/12/2023 08:33

For you to get a place at Fortismere, one of the 270 families with a y7 child there will need to decide to move away from the area leaving a place vacant, that place will then be offered to person #1 on the wait list. If they decide it's better to stay with their current school than take the disruption of moving then you would be offered it. I estimate the probability of this happening as less than 1%.

You do not get to choose the school. You do not have the right to choose and you asking the question is it wise decision to consider only one school? suggests you don't understand this.

You have the right to express a preference - that is not the same as having a choice.

You are legally obliged to ensure your child is educated.

The Local Authority is legally obliged to offer a school place. This will be at whichever school is best able to take an extra pupil. This won't be at Fortismere because if Fortismere was able to take an extra pupil that place would already have been given to the person at #1 on that wait list. The extent to which your preference matters is that the LA will ask Fortismere if they can take an extra pupil, Fortismere will say "no" and the LA will look elsewhere.

MustardnCustard · 20/12/2023 13:25

I’ve heard bad reports of Fortismere recently. Poor behaviour.

clary · 20/12/2023 13:56

Hi @consciousmum I am not sure that you fully understand the situation (apologies if you do - just going by your posts).

It is neither here nor there what people think of Fortismere school (I don't know it) as if there is no place (sounds like there isn't) your DD will have to go somewhere else, unless you are prepare4d to home educate.

So it's not about focusing only on one school. The LA will tell you which schools have space for an in-year application - I advise you to accept whatever school you are offered. You can always stay on the WL for any other school and even appeal. Plenty of advice on MN Education boards on how to go about that.

SheilaFentiman · 20/12/2023 14:04

What is your situation right now, OP? Do you have a short or long term rental address? Or are you in a hotel or Airbnb?

Original poster

consciousmum · 20/12/2023 14:29

@MyLadyTheKingsMother kindly suggest area?
Thank you

OP posts:

SheilaFentiman · 20/12/2023 14:39

consciousmum · 20/12/2023 08:10

As most of you suggested, I called Haringey council and enquired about the Fortismere waitlist(distance from nearby house available for rent). Since house is quite close, so we will be on waitlist 2. How much is the possibility of getting admission? Also, kindly suggest, is it wise decision to consider only one school?
Most importantly, please share feedback on Fortismere?
Thank you!

Being second on the wait list is ok, but - as others have said - admission from the list is dependent on two pupils leaving. As year 7 in London is the first year of secondary school, it isn’t that likely someone will leave, having just started. But of course families do move - divorces and job changes and landlords deciding to sell rental properties and the like.

No one can give you a timescale or probability

Original poster

consciousmum · 20/12/2023 16:13

Firstly, thank you so everyone for the much honest/direct guidance.
My understanding - getting in-year admission in year 7 is bit tricky in good/outstanding school. We can rent a place as close to school as possible, to be on top of waitlist.
My next steps/opinion - get ready for homeschool rather than going for any school and target best school for her in year 8.
Need help - any chances of getting into grammar school now?(DD will turn 12 next month)
Any suggestion for school which I should target for year 8?( Some sports facilities/opportunities should be there in school, proximity/northern line connectivity, quite & decent area)

Correct me if wrong😊Apologise for too many questions?

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SheilaFentiman · 20/12/2023 16:50

In this country, -applications to start secondary in year 7 are made in year 6. So year 8 will be similar - you will still be waiting for a person to leave before you get in to a full school.

The LA will find you SOME school, it just might not be one you like.

SheilaFentiman · 20/12/2023 16:52

And if you mean a state grammar school, not every area has grammar schools, the majority don’t. But the wait list situation would be the same, except she might need to do an aptitude test to be sure she met the standard before she could join the waitlist.

XelaM · 20/12/2023 16:57

I know someone who got i to Laymer (grammar) school in Year 8, but the child still had to pass the entrance exam.

OhCrumbsWhereNow · 20/12/2023 18:11

Your best bet is to decide where you want to live and then accept whichever school the council allocates you.

Then have a look at all the schools that you could reasonably get to and apply to go on their waiting lists.

For highly sought after state comprehensives, or grammar schools, you have basically missed the boat.

For a grammar school you would not only need a place to come up, but you would then need to be the highest scoring applicant out of those on the waiting list as well.

Only home school if you are happy to do this on a long-term basis.

MyLadyTheKingsMother · 20/12/2023 18:27

Midlands will give you the most bang for your buck.

Newark and Grantham
Nottinghamshire
Derbyshire and the peaks
York
Peterborough

YireosDodeAver · 20/12/2023 18:56

How many days per week is DH needing to be in London?

Private schools will be much more flexible about admitting an extra pupil. Outside London private schools will be around £1,400 per month.

Near Fortismere school, rent of a 3bed flat of c90m² is about £2200pcm

Outside London but within commuting distance you can rent a 3 bedroom house for £1,200pcm or less.

The maths doesn't quite make it cheaper but it's close enough that I think it's worth considering.

I think you should identify a town that has a good train line into Kings Cross or Euston for an easy transfer to the Northern Line and talk to the private schools there. One of them will welcome you with open arms.

If that level of fee would be difficult to sustain, look to transfer into a good state school in September 2025 when she is starting y9 - a lot of places become available at the start of y9 in both state and private schools because the biggest and poshest schools start at y9 so there's a general shake-up at that point.

Onceanexpat1 · 20/12/2023 23:20

@consciousmum I don’t live in north London but know a couple of people who have sent their children to Fortismere. It has a good reputation and as far as comprehensives in London go, I.E admission is not based on faith or academically selective, it’s a good option I would say. I think your strategy makes total sense too- rent as close as possible to a school you want, number 2 on the waiting list sounds really promising. You just don’t know how long you will have to wait before you get a place… so have other options, like home school or private if possible. If you could look at a different area then maybe choose somewhere with another good backup school which you can join the waiting list for as well. Also, I’m not sure where your husbands work is, but look at other train lines like Thames link or The Elizabeth Line. Don’t listen to the argument that living outside of London is so much cheaper- the cost of commuting in on a train is very expensive so if he needs to be in 4/5 days a week and if you do too, then I wouldn’t leave the TFL network. Also trains strikes will make your life a misery!! Where is your husbands office?